Why Imaams Contradicted the Ahadeeth

Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah(rahimahullah) mentioned 10 most common reasons as to why the ruling of an Imaam seems contrary to a hadith in his work “Raf'ul-Malaam 'an-il-A'immat-il-A'laam (Removing the Harms from the Noble Imaams)”

1. The Hadith did not reach him

2. The Hadith had reached him but in his opinion it is not established because (according to him) one of its narrators is majhool (unknown), muttaham (accused of fabricating) or of a bad memory.

3. Disagreement regarding the authenticity or weakness of a Hadith.

4.  A Mujtahid may stipulate that the al Khabr ul Waahid (a Hadith that was narrated in every era until the era of codification by only one narrator or a very few narrators) of an equitable (just, upright) narrator fulfil certain requirements that may not be necessary in the opinion of others.

5.  The Hadith reached the Mujtahid and in his opinion it is established, but he couldn’t remember it.

6.  He was unaware of the implication of the Hadith.

7.  The Mujtahid was aware of the deduction that others made from the Hadith but, in the light of certain usool (principles) that he used to observe during the course of istimbaat (deduction of ahkaam), he did not regard such a deduction as correct.

8.  The Mujtahid was aware of the deduction that others had made from the Hadith but, in the light of another daleel (proof), he considered such a deduction as incorrect.

9.  The presence of an adverse daleel (proof) that shows that this Hadith is weak or abrogated, and all the Ulamaa regard this adverse daleel as sufficient to oppose the Hadith.

10.  This reason is the is the same as the above except that here the opposite proof is not unanimously regarded as sufficient to oppose the Hadith under discussion.

After mentioning these then reasons Shaikh Ibn Taymiyya writes:

"These ten reasons are clear.  And it is possible that in many Ahaadith the Mujtahid may have such a daleel of which we are not cognizant because, most certainly, the capacities of ijtihaad are vast and we are not acquainted with all that is in the hearts of the Ulamaa…”