The great Muhaddith and Usulul Hadith scholar, Hafiz Ibn Salah states in his monumental Usulul Hadith work, U’lumul Hadith:

“When they (the muhadditheen) say regarding a hadith: “it is unsound”, this is not a definite statement that it is actually a falsehood, since it may be in reality a truth. All that is meant is that its isnad is not sound according to the aforementioned conditions”. [i]

When Hafiz E’raaqi and Allamah Suyuti mentioned this important point in their respected Usulul Hadith works, they expressed it in this manner: ‘When the muhadditheen say: ‘This is a weak hadith’ they don’t mean it is a lie in reality.’ [ii]

Hafiz Ibn Salah has also said:

“Be aware that the fabricated hadith is the worst type of weak hadith. It is not permissible under any circumstance for someone who is aware that a hadith is fabricated to relate it, unless coupled with a declaration that it is fabricated. As opposed to other kinds of weak narrations – which may possibly be fundamentally truthful – in as much as it is permissible to transmit them to instill virtue or inspire fear (at-targheeb wat-tarheeb). [iii]

Previously, we mentioned that the muhadditheen’s naming the fabricated narration as a hadith was only metaphorical.

Some scholars of hadith have said:

Where the possibility of the transmitter being accurate is dominant the hadith is classified as Saheeh or Hasan.

Where the possibility of the transmitter being incorrect is dominant the hadith is classified as weak.

Where it is established that the transmitter lied it is classified as fabricated.

In conclusion, a weak hadith still has the possibility of being fundamentally truthful, while a fabricated narration is 100 % not a saying of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

And Allah Ta’aalaa knows best.