In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: It is enough sin for a person to speak of everything that he hears. [Ref 1]

Abu Haatim [Imaam Ibn Hibbaan (rahimahullaah)] said: This narration contains a rebuke – that a person should not speak about [or narrate] everything he hears until he knows whether it is authentic or not, then he speaks about [or narrates] it. And he should not speak about [or narrate] that which is not authentic. [Ref 2]

The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: I command you fear Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic] and to listen to and obey your [leaders] even if a maimed [or disabled] Abyssinian slave is put in charge over you. Whoever lives among you will see a lot of differences, so it is obligated on you to adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafaa- bite onto it with your molar teeth [i.e. adhere firmly to it]. And beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for every newly invented matter [in the religion] is an innovation [in religion] and every innovation [in the religion] is misguidance. [Ref 3]

Abu Haatim [Imaam Ibn Hibbaan (rahimahullaah)] said regarding the statement of the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]: ‘’Whoever lives among you will see a lot of differences, so it is obligated on you to adhere to my Sunnah…’’

This is a sound evidence [to show that] the Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] commanded his Ummah to know [and distinguish] the weak narrators from the reliable narrators, because it not possible for a person to adhere to the Sunnah if it is mixed with lies and falsehood, except when one can distinguish the weak narrators from the reliable narrators. [Ref 4] [End of Quotes]

Ref 1: Muqaddimah Saheeh Muslim 1/10; Sharh Muqaddimah Saheeh Muslim’ by Imaam An-Nawawi 1/74]; Ref 2: Muqaddimah Kitaab Al-Majrooheen Minal Muhadditheen’ page 60-64]; [Ref 3: Jaami As-Saheeh Al-Musnad Mimmaa Laysah Fee As-Saheehayn’ 5/26-27’ Number 3249]; [Ref 4: Muqaddimah Kitaab Al-Majrooheen Minal Mihadditheen page 66]