Aplikasi Asas al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl dalam Kalangan Ṣaḥābiyyāt: Analisis Peranan Isteri Nabi SAW Sebagai Juru Tahqīq Riwayat

The Application of the Foundations of al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl Among the Ṣaḥābiyyāt: An Analysis of the Role of the Prophet’s Wives (PBUH) as Verifiers of Narrations

Abstract

This study traces the application of the foundational science of al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl among the Ṣaḥābiyyāt, with a specific focus on the methodology of the Ummahāt al-Mu’minīn as verifiers of narrations. Prevailing academic discourse frequently categorizes the role of female narrators merely as transmitters of memorized texts, thereby marginalizing their critical aptitude in evaluating the authenticity of the content, whereas gender bias in hadith historiography has further distorted scholarly enquiry into the framework of ‘ilm al-rijāl in its entirety. Accordingly, this qualitative study employs a document analysis design grounded in thematic and hermeneutic approaches on authoritative hadith sources to identify and analyze the methodological framework utilized by the wives of the Prophet (PBUH). The research findings demonstrate that prominent figures such as Sayyidatina ‘Aishah and Ummu Salamah (RA) pioneered comprehensive instruments for hadith evaluation, encompassing cross-referencing with the Quran, rational deduction, assessing the consistency of retention, as well as the objective correction of factual errors made by other narrators, completely devoid of emotional sentiment. Theoretically, these findings suggest that the epistemological framework of al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl was not constructed exclusively within a male scholarly domain; rather, it was structured from its earliest phase through the systematic methodological authority of the Ummahāt al-Mu’minīn, firmly rooted in their direct engagement with the source of revelation. In conclusion, this study highlights a paradigm shift regarding the stature of the Ṣaḥābiyyāt; rather than being passive narrators, they were authoritative experts who established the practical foundations of hadith criticism methodology, thereby necessitating a critical reassessment of the prevailing narrative surrounding the construction of ‘ilm al-rijāl in mainstream Islamic historiography.

Kajian ini menelusuri aplikasi asas ilmu al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl dalam kalangan Ṣaḥābiyyāt, dengan penumpuan khusus terhadap metodologi Ummahāt al-Mu’minīn sebagai juru tahqīq riwayat. Kelaziman wacana akademik sering mengklasifikasikan peranan perawi wanita sekadar penyampai teks hafalan, sekaligus meminggirkan keupayaan kritikal mereka dalam menilai keabsahan matan. Sehubungan itu, kajian kualitatif ini mengaplikasikan reka bentuk analisis dokumen berasaskan pendekatan tematik dan hermeneutik terhadap sumber-sumber hadis muktabar bagi mengenal pasti dan menganalisis kerangka metodologi yang diguna pakai oleh isteri-isteri Nabi SAW. Dapatan kajian membuktikan bahawa tokoh seperti ‘Aishah dan Ummu Salamah RA telah merintis instrumen penilaian hadis yang komprehensif, merangkumi rujukan silang bersandarkan al-Quran, qiyas rasional, ujian konsistensi ingatan serta pembetulan ralat fakta perawi lain secara objektif tanpa dipengaruhi sentimen emosi. Secara teoritikal, dapatan ini mencadangkan bahawa kerangka epistemologi al-Jarḥ wa al-Ta’dīl tidak terbina secara eksklusif dalam ruang keilmuan lelaki, sebaliknya telah distrukturkan sejak peringkat awalnya melalui autoriti metodologi Ummahāt al-Mu’minīn yang bersifat sistematik dan berakar pada interaksi langsung dengan sumber wahyu. Kesimpulannya, kajian ini menonjolkan anjakan paradigma terhadap kedudukan Ṣaḥābiyyāt bukan sekadar perawi pasif, bahkan pakar rujuk yang membentuk landasan metodologi kritikan hadis secara praktikal, sekali gus menuntut penilaian semula terhadap naratif pembinaan ‘ilm al-rijāl dalam historiografi Islam arus perdana.