Does denying mutawatir hadith fall into the category of kufr or bid’ah? Which one, and if so, what is the reason/evidence.
Mass transmitted narrations are categorised as, a) those mass transmitted with meaning, and b) those transmitted with the wording.
Rejection of reports mass transmitted with the wording is considered disbelief. These reports are considered decisively established from the Beloved Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) with no place for doubt and have reached us with mass transmission like the Quran.
The number of mass transmitted reports as recorded by Imam Muhammad bin Ja’far Kattani (رحمة الله عليه) is three hundred and ten. His book Nazm al Mutanathir min al Hadith al Mutawatir is a good resource on this subject along with the works of Imam Jalal al Din Suyuti (رحمة الله عليه).
However, one cannot declare a Muslim as a disbeliever solely relying on the work of Imam Muhammad bin Ja’far Kattani, for instance. The author lists the narration on intention as the first entry, yet scholars like Imam Ibn Salah Shahrazuri, Imam Nawawi and others did not concur with those who had classified it as mass transmitted (in wording).
In such matters the discerning expert should be consulted.
Allah knows best.
Answered by Shaykh Asrar Rashid
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