Al-Nawawi: In the *Sunan* of Abu Dawud there are hadiths whose weakness is apparent, which he did not clarify, even though there is consensus on their weakness. Thus, it is necessary to interpret his silence [as not indicating authenticity].

Imam al-Nawawi also said: The correct view is that whatever we find in the *Sunan* of Abu Dawud that he did not clarify, and for which no one whose opinion is relied upon has explicitly stated its authenticity or goodness, it is *hasan* (good). But if someone whose opinion is relied upon has stated its weakness, or a knowledgeable person sees in its chain something that necessitates weakness with no supporting factor, then it is judged as weak, and Abu Dawud's silence is not heeded.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar affirmed al-Nawawi's statement, saying: This is the verified position. However, he (i.e., Imam al-Nawawi) contradicted this in places in his *Sharh al-Muhadhdhab* and other works, citing many hadiths solely because of Abu Dawud's silence on them. So do not be deceived by that. And Allah knows best.

*The importance of the book, and the scholars' acknowledgment of its merit and superiority over other books of its kind:

We are not overstating the truth when we say that Imam Abu Dawud's book holds the third rank after the *Sahihayn* (the two authentic collections). The scholars have relied upon the hadiths and reports he compiled therein, because he, may Allah have mercy on him, repeatedly reviewed, revised, and verified it, and it was read back to him multiple times—so much so that his student Abu Ali al-Lu'lu'i read it to him over a period of twenty years. For this reason, the judge Abu Umar al-Hashimi, a student of Abu Ali al-Lu'lu'i, said: The additions found in the narration of Ibn Dasa were deleted by Abu Dawud at the end, due to something that troubled him in the chain of transmission.

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(1) The previous reference, p. 38.