Editing Biographical evaluation (section)

== Significance ==
{{quote box |align = right |width = 29% |quote = [[Ali ibn al-Madini]], an early authority on the subject, said, "Knowing the narrators is half of knowledge."<ref name="Siyar al-`Alam" />}}

In his ''[[Introduction to the Science of Hadith]]'', [[Ibn al-Salah]], a renowned hadith specialist, explained the importance of the study of hadith narrators. Introducing the chapter entitled, 'Recognizing the trustworthy, reliable narrators and those who are weak and unreliable,' Ibn al-Salah said, "This is from the most distinguished and noble types (of hadith study) as it results in recognizing the authenticity of a hadith or its weakness."<ref name="Muqaddimah 654-5">''Muqadimah Ibn al-Salah'', by Ibn al-Salah, published with ''Muhasin al-Istilah'' by al-Bulqini, edited by 'Aishah bint 'Abd al-Rahman, p. 654, ''Dar al-Ma'arif'', Cairo.</ref> He then explained that any criticism directed at a narrator was permissible due to the "maintenance of the [[Sharia]]h, purging it of any mistakes or misinformation".<ref name="Muqaddimah 654-5"/>

Stressing the importance of biographical evaluation, [[Ali ibn al-Madini]], an early authority on the subject, said, "Knowing the narrators is half of knowledge."{{NoteTag|The other half of knowledge, according to Ibn al-Madini, is "having understanding of the meanings of hadith".<ref name="Siyar al-`Alam" />}}<ref name="Siyar al-`Alam">''Siyar 'Alam al-Nubala’'', by [[al-Dhahabi]], vol. 11, p. 48, ''Mu'assasah al-Risalah'', Beirut, 11th edition, 2001.</ref>