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« on: February 08, 2016, 07:55:57 PM »
Dear SStikof,
Single Chain Narration is like this A----> B----> C----> D ----> E ----> F ----> G -----> Prophet pbuh.
Multiple chain is a statement coming from 2 or more single chains like above.
Multiple chains are further classified as "Ghareeb" 2 chains, "azeez or mashoor" 3 chains and "mutwatir" more than 3 chains, however, there is no consensus on the definition of a mutwatir narration. i.e. how many chains should be there to call it a mutwatir.
However, you will be surprised to know that even multiple chain narrations are not wholly correct, as we find that the last sermon of Prophet pbuh was witnessed by 125,000 or so attendants, so many people heard the single sermon, one would expect to find only one version of it, however, there are 3 versions in Sahih Muslim of this most mutwatir hadees, those three versions are as follows:
-Im leaving behind for you two things, hold on to them tight, and you will be never misguided, Book of Allah and my sunnah (sunnis love this one)
-Im leaving behind for you two things, hold on to them tight, and you will be never misguided, Book of Allah and my family (shias love this one)
-Im leaving behind for you only one thing, hold on to them tight, and you will be never misguided i.e. Book of Allah! (sunnis and shias hate this one)
Now,as you can imagine, so many multiple chains and such chaotic difference in versions!! This is why we call Quran word of God, personally protected by Him!! Alhamdolillah! Such is the devastation of "Chinese Whispers"! After all, at the end of the day, what will one prove of a hadees in scrutiny? That it is 99% authentic?! Even then, Quran does not give the authority in religious creed and law to anyone save itself! So, the most pertinent question to ask is? What is the fruit of such strenuous activity in grading the hadees, when at the top of the Pyramid Quran is there to reject anyone's authority apart from itself.