Editing Biographical evaluation (section)

== Evaluation terminology ==
{{quote box |align=right |width=29% |quote=A system of terminology developed to codify the standing of each narrator...}}

As a result of the evaluation of narrators, each scholar would then conclude by describing the standing of each narrator. A system of terminology developed to codify the standing of each narrator, with some variation in usage of terms between the individual evaluators. These are divided into two categories, those terms that constitute praise (''taʻdīl'') and those that constitute criticism (''jarḥ''). [[al-Suyuti|al-Suyūṭī]] gathered the various terms and arranged them in order of strength. He quoted four levels of strength for praise from Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah, adding that [[al-Dhahabi]] and [[Abd al-Rahim ibn al-Husain al-'Iraqi]] added an additional level and [[Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani|Ibn Ḥajr]] one above that. Thus according to al-Suyūṭī, there are six levels of praise. Similarly, al-Suyūṭī described six levels of terms used to criticize a narrator; he arranged them beginning with the least severe and concluding with the most severe criticism.<ref name="Tadrib 1/573-80">''Tadrib al-Rawi'', by al-Suyūṭī, vol. 1, pp. 573-8, ''Dar al-'Asimah'', Riyadh, first edition, 2003.</ref>

===Levels of praise===
#Ibn Ḥajr held that the highest level of praise was expressed was through the use of the superlative, for example, ''the most established of the people'' ({{Transliteration|ar|athbat al-nās}}), or ''the most reliable of the people'' ({{Transliteration|ar|awthaq al-nās}}).
#Al-'Iraqi and al-Dhahabi were of the opinion that the highest level was the repetition of adjective, or adjectives, in praising a narrator. For example, ''reliably reliable'' ({{Transliteration|ar|thiqah thiqah}}), or ''reliable, firm'' ({{Transliteration|ar|thiqah thabt}}).
#The highest level according to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah the highest is the use of a single adjective in describing a narrator. Examples of this are: ''reliable'' ({{Transliteration|ar|thiqah}}), ''precise'' ({{Transliteration|ar|mutqin}}) or ''firm'' ({{Transliteration|ar|thabt}}).
#''Trustworthy'' (''ṣadūq'') and ''worthy of trust'' ({{Transliteration|ar|maḥallahu al-ṣidq}}) are both examples of the next category to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah while al-'Iraqi and al-Dhahabi consider the latter term to be from the next level.
#Next is ''respectable'' ([[Sheikh#Religious usage|''shaykh'']]) along with ''worthy of trust'' ({{Transliteration|ar|maḥallahu al-ṣidq}}) according to some. This level would also be inclusive of an individual accused of heresy.
#The lowest of the levels of praise is, for example, ''satisfactory in hadith'' ({{Transliteration|ar|ṣāliḥ al-ḥadīth}}), meaning according to Ibn Ḥajr, this includes ''acceptable'' ({{Transliteration|ar|maqbūl}}) meaning, when supported by other narrators.<ref name="Tadrib 1/573-80"/><ref>As he explained in the introduction to ''Taqrib al-Tahthib'', pp. 14, ''Mu'assasah al-Risalah'', Beirut, first edition, 1999.</ref>

===Levels of criticism===
#The least severe level for the criticism of a narrator is ''soft in hadith'' (''layyin al-ḥadīth'') and, according to al-'Iraqi, ''they have spoken about him'' (''takallamū fīhi''). This level would also be taken into consideration as a corroborating narrator, but at a level less than the lowest level of praise.
#Next is ''he is not strong'' (''laysa bi l-qawī''). The hadith of a narrator determined to be at this level would also be taken into consideration, as with the previous level, however, this narrator is weaker than one of the previous level.
#More severe than ''he is not strong'' is ''weak in hadith'' (''ḍaʻīf al-ḥadīth''), however, none of these first three categories are rejected outright.
#The fourth of the levels of severity of criticism includes terms such as: ''his hadith is rejected'' (''rudd al-ḥadīth'') and ''very weak'' (''ḍaʻīf jiddan'').
#The fifth includes terms such as: ''his hadith is abandoned'' (''matrūk al-ḥadīth'') and ''destroyed'' (''hālik'').
#From the most severe level of terms of criticism are: ''compulsive liar'' (''kadhdhāb''), ''he lies'' (''yakdhib'') and ''fabricator'' (''waḍḍāʻ'') among other terms.<ref name="Tadrib 1/573-80"/>