The word · Hadith

فَضَائِلُ الأَعْمَال

Fada'il al-A'mal

The old question of whether a weak hadith may be used to encourage deeds already known to be good.

Also written · Fadail al-Amal · Fadhail e Amal · Fazail e Amal · Fada'il al-a'mal · Fadail amal · Virtues of deeds · Acting on weak hadith · Amal bil daif · Fazail al-amal

The meaning

What Fada'il al-A'mal means in Islam

Three positions exist. Some scholars refuse it outright, holding that nothing should be attributed to the Prophet unless it is established. The majority allow it under conditions: the weakness must be light, the deed must already rest on something authentic, and nobody should believe the Prophet actually said the words. All three agree that a weak hadith does not establish a point of belief or a ruling, though some early jurists preferred a weak report to their own reasoning when a chapter held nothing else.

Evidence · Scholars differ · The scholars read this one differently