Brown believes the theory "fails" to adequately account "for the atmosphere of conflict" of at least early  hadith criticism. The "method of choice" of partisans seeking to discredit opposing schools of Islamic law was to discredit the authorities (transmitters) of their opponent's  hadith—to "tear apart" their isnads".
Brown believes that the theory fails to adequately address "the atmosphere of conflict" in early hadith criticism. The preferred approach among those seeking to undermine other schools of Islamic law is to question the credibility (transmitters) of their opponents' hadith, effectively "tearing apart" their isnads.