Question
Is it true that the narrator Malik Dar is majhul (unknown)?
Answer
This is untrue.
A narrator is generally declared as unknown (majhul) when:
a) He only has one student that ever reported from him.
b) None of the Hadith masters declared him as reliable or unreliable.
In the case of Malik Ad-Dar, both these factors are non applicable.
a) Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has cited a number of students (4) that have reported from him. Not just one.
Therefore Imam Ibn Sa’d (rahimahullah) said: ‘He was known (ma’ruf).’ –The opposite of Majhul!
(Al-Isabah, vol.3 pg.484)
b) Malik Ad-Dar (rahimahullah) was the treasurer of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhu). This points to his reliability in the eyes of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhu).
Furthermore, Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahullah) has declared him reliable (thiqah).
(Kitabuth Thiqat, number: 3719)
Imam Abu Ya’la Al-Khalili (rahimahullah) said: ‘He was an elderly Tabi’i, and unanimously accepted as such. The Tabi’un have praised him.’
(Al-Irshad, number: 166)
The above is sufficient to declare him reliable.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar