What is the meaning of the science of Al-Jarh Wat-Ta'deel?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The science of Al-Jarh Wat-Ta'deel is specialized in studying the character of the men who report the narrations of the Prophet and the statements of his companions and their successors . This science outlines the conditions of accepting them as trustworthy narrators, or the reasons for rejecting their narrations. So, the narrations which fulfil the conditions of authentic narrations are accepted, and those which have any of the reasons of being rejected, are rejected.

Indeed this science is great as it leads to knowing the authentic and weak, the accepted and rejected narrations attributed to the Prophet as well as the statements of his companions and their successors .

Allaah Knows best.