# Hadith

Hadith

academic discipline, group of works| Subclass of | written work  |
| Native label | حديث  |
| IPA transcription | ħa.diːθ  |
| Significant person | Muhammad  |
| Religion anaa worldview | Islam  |
| Studied by | science of hadith  |
| History of topic | History of hadith  |
| Maintain by | WikiProject Hadith  |
| Stack Exchange tag |   |

**Hadith** be de Arabic word give 'things' like a 'report' anaa an 'account [of an event]' den dey refer to de Islamic oral anecdotes wey dey contain de purported words, actions, den de silent approvals of de Islamic prophet Muhammad anaa ein immediate circle (companions insyd Sunni Islam, Ahl al-Bayt insyd Shiite Islam).

Each hadith be associated plus a chain of narrators *(isnad)*—a lineage of people wey dem reportedly hear den repeat de hadith from wich de source of de hadith fi be traced. De authentication of hadith cam turn a significant discipline, wey dey focus on de *isnad* (chain of narrators) den *matn* (main text of de report). Dis process aim make e address contradictions den questionable statements within certain narrations. Dey begin one anaa two centuries after Muhammad ein death, Islamic scholars, dem know as muhaddiths, compile hadith into distinct collections wey survive insyd de historical works of writers from de second den third centuries of de Muslim era (c. 700−1000 CE).

## Etymology

Insyd Arabic, de noun *ḥadīth* (حديث) dey mean 'report', 'account', anaa 'narrative'. Ein Arabic plural be (أحاديث ). *Hadith* sanso dey refer to de speech of a person.

## Definition/Evolution of de concept

Insyd Islamic terminology, according to Juan Campo, de term *hadith* dey refer to reports of statements anaa actions of Muhammad, anaa of ein tacit approval anaa criticism of sam thing dem say anaa dem do insyd ein presence. Classical hadith specialist Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani dey say dat de intended meaning of *hadith* insyd religious tradition be sam thing dem attribute to Muhammad, buh dem no find dat insyd de Quran.

**Non-prophetic hadith**; Scholar Patricia Crone dey include reports by odas dan Muhammad insyd ein definition of hadith: "short reports (sam times just a line anaa two) wey dey record wat an early figure, such as a companion of de prophet anaa Muhammad einself, say anaa he do on a particular occasion, precede by a chain of transmitters". However, she dey add dat "nowadays, hadith almost always dey mean hadith from Muhammad einself." Joseph Schacht dey quote a hadith of Muhammad wey dem use "to justify reference" insyd Islamic law to de companions of Muhammad as religious authorities—"My companions be like lodestars."

### Relationship plus *sunnah*

D sanso dey use de word sunnah in reference to a normative custom of Muhammad anaa de early Muslim community. Joseph Schacht dey describe hadith as providing "de documentation" of de *sunnah.* Sam sources (Khaled Abou El Fadl) limit hadith to verbal reports, plus de deeds of Muhammad den reports about ein companions be part of de *sunnah*, buh no be hadith.

Anoda source (Joseph A. Islam) dey distinguish between de two wey dey say:

> Whereas de 'Hadith' be an oral communication wey allegedly dem derive from de Prophet anaa ein teachings, de 'Sunna' (quite literally: mode of life, behaviour anaa example) dey signify de prevailing customs of a particular community anaa people. ... A 'Sunna' be a practice wich dem pass on by a community from generation to generation en masse, whereas de hadith be reports dem collect by later compilers often centuries dem remove from de source. ... A practice wich be contained within de Hadith fi well be regarded as Sunna, buh e no be necessary dat a Sunna go get supporting hadith wey dey sanction am.
>
>

### Similar literature

Islamic literary classifications similar to hadith (buh no be *sunnah*) be *maghazi* den *sira*. Dem dey differ from hadith insyd dat dem be organized "relatively chronologically" rather dan by subject.

* *Sīrat* (literally 'way of going' anaa 'conduct'), biographies of Muhammad, dem wrep since de middle of de eighth century. Similar writings dem call *maghazi* (literally 'raid') precede de *sīrat* literature, wey dey focus on military actions of Muhammad, buh sanso include non-military aspects of ein life.

Oda traditions of Islam wey relate to hadith dey include:

* *Khabar* (literally news, information, pl. *akhbar*) dem fi use am as a synonym for *hadith*, buh sam scholars dey use am make e refer to traditions about Muhammad ein companions den dema successors from de generation wey dey follow, in contrast to hadith as dem define as traditions about Muhammad einself.
* Conversely, *athar* (trace, remnant) usually dey refer to traditions about de companions den successors, though sam times dey connote traditions about Muhammad.

## Compilation den collections

A 14/15th-century manuscript of Sahih al-Bukhari
De hadith literature dem dey use today dey base on spoken reports for circulation after de death of Muhammad. Na dem no promptly wrep down Hadith during Muhammad ein lifetime anaa immediately after ein death. Hadiths be oral cultural products wey dey consist of words den deeds, de majority of wich na dem document chaw centuries after de time of Muhammad (Sunni sources, approximately 200-300 years den Shiite hadith books 400-500) wey dem attribute to Muhammad thru a chain of narrators over 1-2 mi away from wer na dem think Muhammad live.

Different branches of Islam dey refer to different collections of hadith, although na dem fi find de same incident insyd hadith from different collections. For general, de difference between Shi'a den Sunni collections be dat Shia dey give preference to hadiths dem attribute to Muhammad ein family den close companions (*Ahl al-Bayt*), while Sunnis no dey consider family lineage in evaluating hadith den sunnah dem narrate by any of twelve thousand companions of Muhammad.

### Sunni

* Insyd de Sunni branch of Islam, de canonical hadith collections be *the six books*, of wich Sahih al-Bukhari den Sahih Muslim generally get de highest status. De oda books of hadith be Sunan Abu Dawood, Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Al-Sunan al-Sughra den Sunan ibn Majah. However de Malikis, one of de four Sunni "schools of thought" (*madhhabs*), traditionally reject Sunan ibn Majah den assert de canonical status of Muwatta Imam Malik.

### Shia

* Insyd de Twelver Shi'a branch of Islam, de canonical hadith collections be *the Four Books*: Kitab al-Kafi, Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih, Tahdhib al-Ahkam, den Al-Istibsar.
* De Ismaili shia sects dey use de Da'a'im al-Islam as dema hadith collection.

### Ibadi

* Insyd de Ibadi branch of Islam, de main canonical collection be de Tartib al-Musnad. Dis be an expansion of de earlier Jami Sahih collection, wich dey retain canonical status insyd ein own right.

### Odas

* Sam minor groups, dem collectively know as Quranists, reject de authority of de hadith collections altogeda.

## Impact

Na de American-Sunni scholar Jonathan A. C. Brown call de hadith as "de backbone" of Islamic civilization. Chaw of de early Islamic history available today sanso dey base for de hadith top, although na dem challenge am for ein lack of basis insyd primary source material den de internal contradictions of available secondary material.

De hadith get a profound den controversial influence for *tafsir* top (commentaries of de Quran). De earliest commentary of de Quran dem know as Tafsir Ibn Abbas be sam times attributed to de companion Ibn Abbas. "Chaw thousands of times" more numerous dan de verses of de Quran, na dem describe hadith as e dey resemble layers wey dey surround de "core" of Islamic beliefs (de Quran). Well-known, widely accepted hadith dey make up de narrow inner layer, plus a hadith wey cam turn less reliable wey be accepted plus each layer wey dey stretch outward.

Na dem use de hadith to form de basis of *sharia* (de religious law system wey dey form part of de Islamic tradition), den *fiqh* (Islamic jurisprudence). De hadith be at de root of why der be no single *fiqh* system, buh rather a collection of parallel systems within Islam. Sam important elements, wich na today dem take am e be a long-held part of Islamic practice den belief dem no mention insyd de Quran, buh dem report insyd hadiths. De reports of Muhammad ein (den sam times ein companions') behavior dem collect by hadith compilers dey include details of ritual religious practice such as de five *salat* (obligatory Islamic prayers) wey no be found insyd de Quran, as well as everyday behavior such as table manners, dress, den posture. Muslims sanso dey regard Hadith as important tools for understanding things dem mention insyd de Quran buh dem no explain, a source for *tafsir* (commentaries dem wrep for de Quran top). Der fore, Muslims usually dey maintain dat hadiths be a necessary requirement for de true den proper practice of Islam, as e dey give Muslims de nuanced details of Islamic practice den belief insyd areas wer de Quran be silent. Details of de prescribed movements den words of de prayer (dem know as *rak'a*) den how many times dem for be performed, be found insyd hadith. However, hadiths dey differ for dese details den consequently *salat* be performed differently by different hadithist Islamic sects.

Quranists, for de oda hand, dey believe dat if de Quran be silent on sam matter, e be secof na God no hold ein detail to be of consequence; wey dat sam hadith dey contradict de Quran, wey dey prove dat sam hadith be a source of corruption wey no be a complement to de Quran.

Na dem sanso deploy Hadiths make e legitimize Sufism dema more formal structures of brotherhoods (tariqas), hierarchies of initiation, den rituals wey na dem articulate from de 9th century dey go. Sam readings get a ceremonial value wey dey sanctify occasions such as de ascent of a dynast anaa de birth of a kiddie. (a religious scholar, religious anaa political leader)

## History, tradition den usage

### History

According to British historian of Arab world Alfred Guillaume, e be "certain" dat na "chaw small collections" of hadith be "assembled insyd Umayyad times." Der be conflicting reports as to whether na recording hadiths from de pre-Umayyad period be recommended anaa dem prohibit, wey der be no extant collection of hadiths from dis period.

Insyd Islamic law, de use of hadith as e be understood today (hadith of Muhammad plus documentation, isnads, etc.) cam gradually. According to scholars such as Joseph Schacht, Ignaz Goldziher, den Daniel W. Brown, na early schools of Islamic jurisprudence use de rulings of de Prophet ein Companions, de rulings of de Caliphs, den practices wey na "e gain general acceptance among de jurists of dat school". For ein deathbed top, na Caliph Umar instruct Muslims make dem seek guidance from de Quran, de early Muslims (*muhajirun*) wey na dem emigrate to Medina plus Muhammad, de Medina residents wey welcam den support de *muhajirun* (de *ansar*) den de people of de desert.

Na ebe Abū ʿAbdullāh Muhammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī (150-204 AH), dem know as al-Shafi'i, wey emphasize de final authority of a hadith of Muhammad, so dat even na de Quran be "to be interpreted insyd de light of traditions (i.e. hadith), den no be vice versa." While traditionally de Qur'an be considered superior in authority to de sunna, Al-Shafi'i "forcefully argued" dat na de sunna be "on equal footing plus de Quran", (according to scholar Daniel Brown) for (as Al-Shafi'i put am) "de command of de Prophet be de command of God." According to de scholars Harald Motzki den Daniel W. Brown de earliest Islamic legal reasonings wey cam down to we na ebe "virtually hadith-free", buh gradually, over de course of second century A.H. "de infiltration den incorporation of Prophetic hadiths into Islamic jurisprudence" take place.

#### Extent den nature insyd de Sunni tradition

Insyd de Sunni tradition, de number of such texts be samwer between seven den thirteen thousand, buh de number of *hadiths* be far greater secof chaw *isnad* wey dey share de same text be each counted as individual hadith. If, say, ten companions record a text wey dey report a single incident insyd de life of Muhammad, hadith scholars fi count dis as ten hadiths. Thus, Musnad Ahmad, for example, get over 30,000 hadiths—buh dis count dey include texts wey be repeated in order make dem record slight variations within de text anaa within de chains of narrations. Dey identify de narrators of de various texts, wey dey compare dema narrations of de same texts make e identify both de soundest reporting of a text den de reporters wey be most sound insyd dema reporting dem occupy experts of hadith thru out de 2nd century. Insyd de 3rd century of Islam (from 225/840 to about 275/889), na hadith experts compose brief works wey dey record a selection of about two- to five-thousand such texts wich na dem feel e be most soundly documented anaa most widely referred to insyd de Muslim scholarly community.Na de 4th den 5th century see dese six works wey e be commented on quite widely. Na dis auxiliary literature contribute to dey make dema study de place of departure give any serious study of hadith. For addition, Bukhari den Muslim for particular, claim dat na dem dey collect de soundest of sound hadiths per. Na dese later scholars test dema claims wey dem agree to dem, so dat today, dem be considered de most reliable collections of hadith. Toward de end of de 5th century, Ibn al-Qaisarani formally standardize de Sunni canon into six pivotal works, a delineation wich remain to dis day.

Over de centuries, na chaw different categories of collections emerge. Sam be more general, such as de *muṣannaf*, de *muʿjam*, den de *jāmiʿ*, den sam be more specific, characterize either by de subjects dem cover, such as de *sunan* (dem restrict to legal-liturgical traditions), anaa by dema composition, such as de *arbaʿīniyyāt* (collections of forty hadiths).

#### Extent den nature insyd de Shia tradition

Shi'a Muslims seldom if ever dey use de six major hadith collections follow by de Sunnis secof dem no dey trust chaw of de Sunni narrators den transmitters. Dem get dema own extensive hadith literature. De best-known hadith collections be The Four Books, wich na dem compile by three authors wey dem be known as de 'Three Muhammads'. De Four Books be: *Kitab al-Kafi* by Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni al-Razi (329 AH), *Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih* by Muhammad ibn Babuya den *Al-Tahdhib* den *Al-Istibsar* both by Shaykh Muhammad Tusi. Shi'a clerics sanso make use of extensive collections den commentaries by later authors.

Unlike Sunnis, de majority of Shia no dey consider any of dema hadith collections to be sahih (authentic) insyd dema entirety. Der fore, each individual hadith insyd a specific collection for be investigated separately make e determine ein authenticity. De Akhbari school, however, dey consider all de hadith from de four books dem be authentic.

### Modern usage

Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith dem teach insyd de Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan insyd Cairo, Egypt
Hadith as an Interpretation of de Quran:

> Move not your tongue with it, to hasten with recitation of it. Indeed, upon Us is its collection and its recitation. So when We have recited it, then follow its recitation. Then upon Us is Interpretation. Surah Al Qiyamah, verse 16–19.
>
>

Modern approaches dey include criticism of de text den content in addition to classical approaches wey no dey go beyond de criticism of de chain of narrators dem call "sanad" in order make dem verify a hadith; Weakness insyd de pronunciation of de text, de strange meaning, contrary to de dalil syar'i (evidences of sharia), den de mind, wey relate to de priority of de mind, dey contain abominations, isra'iliyyat den bid'ah, no be found insyd de main hadith book den dey exaggerate de reward anaa punishment give ight deeds etc.

### Western scholarship

Na western scholarly criticism of hadith begin insyd colonial India insyd de mid 19th century plus de works of Aloys Sprenger den William Muir. Na dese works be generally critical of de reliability of hadith, wey dey suggest dat na traditional Muslim scholarship be incapable of determining de authenticity of hadith, wey dat na de hadith tradition be corrupted by widespread fabrication of fraudulent hadith. De late 19th century work of Ignaz Goldziher, *Muhammedanische Studien* (*Muslim Studies*), be considered seminal insyd de field of Western hadith studies. Goldziher take de same critical approach as Sprenger den Muir, wey dey suggest dat chaw hadith show anachronistic elements wey dey indicate dat na dem no be authentic, den dat de chaw contradictory hadith make de value of de entire corpus questionable.

## Studies den authentication

De two major aspects of a hadith be de text of de report (de *matn*), wich dey contain de actual narrative, den de chain of narrators (de *isnad*), wich na dey document de route by wich de report be transmitted. Na de isnad be an effort make dem document dat a hadith actually cam from Muhammad, den Muslim scholars from de eighth century to de present never cease make dem repeat de mantra "De isnad be part of de religion—if no be for de isnad, whoever want fi say watever dem want." De *isnad* literally dey mean "support", wey na dem name am so secof hadith specialists rely for ein top make dem determine de authenticity anaa weakness of a hadith. De *isnad* dey consist of a chronological list of de narrators, each dey mention de one from whom dem hear de hadith, til dem mention de originator of de *matn* along plus de *matn* einself.

### Biographical evaluation

Biographical analysis (*‘ilm al-rijāl*, lit. "science of people", sanso be "science of *Asma Al-Rijal* anaa *‘ilm al-jarḥ wa al-taʻdīl*" ("science of discrediting den accrediting"), insyd wich details about de transmitter be scrutinized. Dis dey include analyzing dema date den place of birth; familial connections; teachers den students; religiosity; moral behaviour; literary output; dema travels; as well as dema date of death. Based upon dese criteria, de reliability (*thiqāt*) of de transmitter be assessed. E sanso determine whether na de individual be actually able to transmit de report, wich be deduced from dema contemporaneity den geographical proximity plus de oda transmitters insyd de chain. Examples of biographical dictionaries dey include: Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi ein *Al-Kamal fi Asma' al-Rijal*, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani ein *Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb* den al-Dhahabi ein *Tadhkirat al-huffaz*.

### Scale of transmission

Hadith for matters of importance dem need to cam thru a number of independent chains, na dis be known as de scale of transmission. Reports wey pass thru chaw reliable transmitters insyd chaw *isnad* up til dema collection den transcription be known as *mutawātir*. Dese reports be considered de most authoritative as dem pass thru chaw different routes wey collusion between all of de transmitters cam turn an impossibility. Reports wey no dey meet dis standard be known as *aahad*, wey be of chaw different types.

### Dey analyze text

According to Muhammad Shafi, Hadith wey ein isnad be scrutinized then get dema text anaa *matn* examine for:

* contradiction of de Quran;
* contradiction of reliable hadith;
* dey make sense, e be logical;
* ebe a report about de importance of an individual (anaa individuals) wich be transmitted thru dema supporters anaa family per, den wich no be supported by reports from oda independent channels.

### Terminology: admissible den inadmissible hadiths

If e be evaluated, hadith fi be categorized. Two categories be:

* *ṣaḥīḥ* (sound, authentic),
* *ḍaʿīf* (weak)

Oda classifications dey include:

* *ḥasan* (good), wich dey refer to an otherwise *ṣaḥīḥ* report wey dey suffer from minor deficiency, anaa a weak report dem strengthen secof oda corroborating reports;
* *mawḍūʿ* (dem fabricate),
* *munkar* (dem denounce) wich be a report wey be rejected secof de presence of an unreliable transmitter wey dey contradict another more reliable narrator.

Both *sahīh* den *hasan* reports be considered acceptable for usage insyd Islamic legal discourse.

* Berg, H. (2000). *The development of exegesis in early Islam: the authenticity of Muslim literature from the formative period*. Routledge. ISBN 0-7007-1224-0.
* Brown, Daniel W. (1996). *Rethinking tradition in modern Islamic thought*. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521570778. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
* Brown, Daniel (1999). *Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought*. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-65394-7.
* Brown, Jonathan A. C. (2004). "Criticism of the Proto-Hadith Canon: Al-daraqutni's Adjustment of the *Sahihayn*". *Journal of Islamic Studies*. **15** (1): 1–37. doi:10.1093/jis/15.1.1.
* Brown, Jonathan A.C. (2007). *The Canonization of al-Bukhārī and Muslim* (PDF). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. ISBN 9789004158399. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
* Brown, Jonathan A.C. (2009). *Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World* (Foundations of Islam). Oneworld Publications. ISBN 978-1851686636.
* Brown, Jonathan A.C. (2014). *Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's Legacy*. Oneworld Publications. ISBN 978-1780744209. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
* Hallaq, Wael B. (1999). "The Authenticity of Prophetic Ḥadîth: A Pseudo-Problem". *Studia Islamica* (89): 75–90. doi:10.2307/1596086. ISSN 0585-5292. JSTOR 1596086. S2CID 170916710.
* Ibn Warraq, ed. (2000). "1. Studies on Muhammad and the Rise of Islam". *The Quest for the Historical Muhammad*. Prometheus. pp. 15–88.
* Little, Joshua (2024). "'Where did you learn to write Arabic?': A Critical Analysis of Some Ḥadīths on the Origins and Spread of the Arabic Script". *Journal of Islamic Studies*. **35** (2): 145–178. doi:10.1093/jis/etae008.
* Lucas, S. (2004). *Constructive Critics, Hadith Literature, and the Articulation of Sunni Islam*. Brill Academic Publishers. ISBN 90-04-13319-4.
* Muhyi ad-Din Abu Zakariyya Yahya bin Sharaf an-Nawawi (1975). *Riyadh as-Salihin* [*Gardens of the Righteous*]. Mauhammad Zafulla Khan, translator. New York: Olive Branch Press. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
* Robinson, C. F. (2003). *Islamic Historiography*. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62936-5.
* Robson, J. "Hadith". In P.J. Bearman; Th. Bianquis; C.E. Bosworth; E. van Donzel; W.P. Heinrichs (eds.). *Encyclopaedia of Islam Online*. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
* Schacht, Joseph (1950). The Origins of Muhammadan Jurisprudence. Oxford: Clarendon
* Senturk, Recep (2005). *Narrative Social Structure: Anatomy of the Hadith Transmission Network, 610-1505*. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804752077.
* Swarup, Ram (1983). *Understanding Islam through Hadis*. New Delhi: Voice of India. ISBN 9788185990736. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.

## Read further

* [Saeed, Abu Hayyan, Hadiths Rejection .. What are the facts ? (17 December 2023). Available at SSRN:  or
* Encyclopedia of Sahih Al-Bukhari by Arabic Virtual Translation Center (New York 2019, Barnes & Noble ISBN 9780359672653)
* English Translation of over 60,000 Basic Ahadith Books from Ahl Al-Bayt, Online Shia Islamic Articles, Books, Khutbat, Calendar, Duas ( including Bihar ul Anwaar)
* *1000 Qudsi Hadiths: An Encyclopedia of Divine Sayings*; New York: Arabic Virtual Translation Center; (2012) ISBN 978-1-4700-2994-4
* Gauthier H.A. Joynboll (PhD) (2013). *Encyclopedia of Canonical Hadith* (in English). London and Boston: Brill. p. 839. doi:10.1163/ej.9789004156746.i-804. ISBN 978-9004156746. OCLC 315870438. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018 – via archive.org.
* Lucas, S. (2002). *The Arts of Hadith Compilation and Criticism*. University of Chicago. OCLC 62284281.
* Musa, A. Y. *Hadith as Scripture: Discussions on The Authority Of Prophetic Traditions in Islam*, New York: Palgrave, 2008. ISBN 0-230-60535-4
* Fred M. Donner, *Narratives of Islamic Origins* (1998)
* Tottoli, Roberto, "Hadith", in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol I, pp. 231–236.

### Online

* Hadith by Topics and advice of PBUH Archived 22 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine
* Wasa'il al-Shia A Comprehensive Treasury of Shia Islamic Jurisprudential Hadith.

* **Hadith search engines** – Search by keyword(s) to find relevant hadith(s) (including narrator):
	+ sunnah.com – find hadith(s) in English and Arabic
	+ islamicity.org – find hadith(s) in English and Arabic, including quick lesson and explanation
	+ ahadith.co.uk – find hadith(s) in English (NOTE: after entering keywords, click the "GO" button once or, if needed, twice)
* "Hadith" in *Encyclopædia Britannica Online*