Vol. 4 P. 398 - Al-hakim Al-mustadrak

For Twelver Shi’i scholars, Al-Mustadrak vol. 4, p. 398 is a prized citation. They argue:

Sunni response: Even if al-Hakim authenticated them, greater critics (Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, al-Dhahabi) weakened them due to a weak narrator (e.g., Ja‘far ibn Sulayman, or Maysarah ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, depending on the edition). Therefore, the page is not definitive proof.

Page 398 frequently touches on Fitan (trials) and Malahim (epic battles). Modern researchers dealing with contemporary apocalyptic literature often trace the chain (isnad) of specific end-times narrations back to this exact page. If the chain is broken or contains a known liar (as flagged by al-Dhahabi), the entire theological argument collapses. al-hakim al-mustadrak vol. 4 p. 398

Before analyzing the specific volume and page, one must understand the book’s purpose. Imam al-Hakim observed that despite the monumental efforts of Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim (compilers of the Sahihayn), there were thousands of authentic Hadiths that met their stringent criteria but were omitted from their collections. Thus, he wrote Al-Mustadrak—literally, "The Supplement."

His ambitious goal was to gather traditions that were Sahih (authentic) according to the conditions of the two greatest Hadith masters. However, his work became famous not just for its content, but for the subsequent critique by Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 1348 CE), who wrote a nuanced commentary known as Talkhis al-Mustadrak, evaluating each Hadith as either authentic, weak, or fabricated. For Twelver Shi’i scholars, Al-Mustadrak vol

The page often references obscure narrators from the 2nd and 3rd Islamic centuries. Scholars of rijal (narrator criticism) will cite this page when discussing figures like ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi‘ah or al-Walid ibn Muslim—known for mixing authentic narrations with weak ones.

Why does this matter for the average Muslim or student of knowledge? Because Al-Mustadrak vol. 4, p. 398 teaches us a critical lesson: The authentication of a hadith is not monolithic. Imam al-Hakim, with his encyclopedic mind, said "sahih." Imam al-Dhahabi, his student’s student, said "da‘if." And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, in Talkhis al-Habir, tilted toward the latter. Sunni response: Even if al-Hakim authenticated them, greater

This does not "cancel" the Muhaddithun; rather, it shows the depth of ijtihad (independent reasoning). The page reminds us that: