Introduction to the Science of Hadith
(Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ's) Introduction to the Science of Hadith () is a 13th-century book written by `Abd al-Raḥmān ibn `Uthmān al-Shahrazūrī, better known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, which describes the Islamic discipline of the science of hadith, its terminology and the principles of biographical evaluation. A hadith is a recorded statement, action or approval of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which serves as the second source of legislature in Islamic law. The science of hadith that this work describes contains the principles with which a hadith specialist evaluates the authenticity  of individual narrations. "The Introduction" comprises 65 chapters, each covering a hadith related issue. The first 33 chapters describe the various technical terms of hadith terminology which describe the conditions of a hadith's authenticity, or acceptability as a basis for Islamic jurisprudence. The following chapters relate to the "isnād", or chain of narration. Next are a series of chapters pertaining to the etiquette to be observed by hadith scholars and manners of transcription. The last chapters describe various issues relating to the narrators of hadith including naming conventions. Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ began the "Introduction" as a series of lectures  he dictated to his students in Damascus ending in 1233. It has received considerable attention from subsequent authors who explained, abridged and set it to poetry and it became an example for latter books of its genre. The "Introduction" has been published a number of times in its original Arabic and has also been translated into English. Title. As the "Introduction" was not officially named by the author, there exists some speculation as to its actual title, with different possibilities suggested. al-Dhahabī referred to it as "`Ulūm al-Ḥadīth", "The Sciences of Hadith", as did Ibn Ḥajr and  Muḥammad ibn Ja`far al-Kattānī. `Āʼishah bint `Abd al-Raḥmān said in the foreword of her edition of the "Introduction": His book about the sciences of hadith is the best known of his works without comparison, to the extent that it is sufficient to say, "the Book of Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ", the intent being understood due to its popularity and stature. With the previous scholars, its subject matter overcame it, thus being referred to as, "the Book of Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ about `Ulūm al-Ḥadīth" or as he referred to it in its opening pages, "the Book  of Familiarity with the Types of `Ulūm al-Ḥadīth". It has become well known as of late as: "Muqaddimah Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ fi `Ulūm al-Ḥadīth", "Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ's Introduction to the Sciences of Hadith". Nūr al-Dīn `Itr, in the introduction to his edition of the "Introduction", concluded that its actual name is either "ʻUlūm al-Ḥadīth" ("The Sciences of Hadith") or "Ma`rifah Anwā`i `Ilm al-Ḥadīth" ("Familiarity with the Types of the Science of Hadith"). This is based upon the author's own usage in his own introduction in addition to the usage  of other scholars in the centuries after the authoring of the book. Similar to Bint `Abd al-Raḥmān, he acknowledged that the book is most commonly referred to as "Muqaddimah Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ" ("The Introduction of Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ"). Overview. Origin. Books of hadith terminology passed through two developmental phases. The first was the compilation of the statements of earlier scholars, quoting the expressions they had used without evaluating those terms or suggesting terms applicable to those expressions. This was the methodology adopted by earlier scholars such as Yaḥyā ibn Ma`īn, `Alī ibn al-Madīnī, Muslim ibn al -Ḥajjāj, al-Tirmidhī in their works. The second phase consisted of books based upon and evaluating those of the first phase. Their authors cited the quoted statements of the earlier works and began the arrangement and codification of relevant terms. Principles were established and, for the most part, accepted, with individualized terms exclusive to particular scholars explained in context. Examples of books authored in this manner are: "Ma`rifah `Ulūm al-Ḥadīth" by al-Ḥākim, "Al-Kifāyah" by al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī and the "Introduction" of Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ. The "Introduction" finds its origins in the books of al-Khaṭīb  al-Baghdādī, who authored numerous books on the various disciplines of the science of hadith, upon which all latter scholars in the discipline were indebted. In particular, he focused on al-Khaṭīb's "al-Kifāyah" as he viewed it as comprehensive of the various disciplines of the science of hadith. The book began as a series of lectures Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ delivered at the Ashrafiyyah School in Damascus. In these lectures he dictated its contents piecemeal to his students. He began delivering the lectures on Friday, June 17, 1233 CE/630 AH, his first lecture delivered in that school, and completed  them at the end of September or the beginning of October of the year 1236/634. The "Introduction" was either transcribed or memorized by those students in attendance. It was in a similar manner that the "Introduction" was disseminated. Al-Dhahabī named a number of scholars who conveyed it directly from Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, the majority of whom then authorized al-Dhahabī to do so as well. Similarly, al-`Irāqī mentioned two scholars who conveyed it to him from Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf al-Muḥtar, a student of Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, as did Ibn Ḥajr, who mentioned his "isnād" (chain of narration) to  it, also having conveyed it from two of his own teachers. Arrangement. While Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ arranged his work to a greater extent than previous authors on the subject, it had its limitations in organization because it began as a series of lectures. He did not arrange his book in a particular manner, in some cases mentioning a term related to the "matn" (text), before moving onto one related to the "isnād" (chain of narration), or perhaps mentioning types related to both. As a large number of students were present at his lectures, memorizing or transcribing them, he was subsequently  unable to revise this order. Were he to have done so, the students original transcriptions might then differ with his revisions as some may have attended the original lectures and others the revised. The introduction of the book required an index to guide readers which illustrates the somewhat disorganized nature of his work. Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, in his "Introduction", codified the terminology established by those scholars before him based upon his reading of their works. He did so by citing some of those scholarly statements in the earlier works and deducing from them common terms and definitions in the manner  of a scholar authoring a book of "fiqh" (jurisprudence). In this manner, his book was based upon those principles established by the earlier hadith specialists combined with some elements of "fiqh". An example of this would be the inclusion of the division of hadith into "mutawātir"" and "āḥād"". He therefore only mentioned the statements of the earlier scholars as appropriate and mostly sufficed with conclusions drawn from them and then specifying or clarifying a definition. The definitions Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ used to describe the individual terms of hadith terminology were largely in accordance with the views of the majority of  hadith specialists. In some instances, he would mention an undisputed opinion, before mentioning one that was widely accepted and then describing the difference. He would generally precede his critique of differing opinions by saying: "I say". For the primary terms described, he mentioned an example to illustrate that definition. His goal in doing so was to clarify that term and not necessarily establish it. He also distinguished his book by responding to the positions of other scholars in a detailed manner. Content. Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ mentioned in his introduction to the "Introduction" 65 chapters, each specific to a particular type  or term of hadith terminology before saying that an even larger number was conceivable. He began by discussing "ṣaḥīḥ" (authentic) as the first category, and then "ḥasan" (good) as the second, "ḍa`īf" (weak) the third, "musnad" (supported) the fourth and so on. Ibn Jamāʻah, in his abridgement, divided these terms into four different categories according to subject (and adding six terms in the process). The first pertains to the "matn" (text) of the hadith and its three divisions and 30 types. The three divisions are "ṣaḥīḥ", "ḥasan", and "ḍa`īf". The thirty types include those mentioned in hadith terminology and others . The second deals with the "isnād" (chain of narration) and comprises 11 types. These types generally fall within the discipline of biographical evaluation. The third category includes six types: the qualifications necessary for conveying hadith, the manners in which they are transmitted, the transcription of hadith, and the etiquette of the narrator and of the student. The fourth category, which comprises 21 types, relates to the names of the narrators. This includes the definition of a "ṣaḥābī" (companion), a "tābi`ī" (follower), the time periods of narrators, names and paidonymics among others. Later scholars included additional types of hadith in their  own works, with some almost reaching 100. Impact. The "Introduction" became the basis for subsequent books in hadith terminology. A number of subsequent scholars followed Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ in the ordering of his book, including al-Nawawī, Ibn Kathīr, al-ʻIraqi, al-Bulqīnī, Ibn al-Jamā`ah, al-Tabrīzī, al-Ṭībī and al-Zirkashī. In many instances this influence was direct, with numerous scholars authoring books indicating its finer points, explaining and abridging it and converting its meanings to poetry which then, in turn, was explained as will be discussed below. Some of the scholars who spoke highly of the "Introduction" are : Books based upon the "Introduction". As alluded to previously, a number of works have been authored, based upon or otherwise derived from "Introduction". Both the number of these derivative works and the stature of their authors are indicative of the prominence and significance of this work. Section::::"Nukat". Each of the following have authored a book of "nukat" (نكت), literally 'points of interest or benefit', of the "Introduction": Abridgements. Each of the following have authored an abridgement: Poetry. The following have set "Introduction" to verse, adding some content in the process: Editions. The numerous editions of the "Introduction" in its original  Arabic include two of the more reliable: An English translation by Eerik Dickinson, "An Introduction to the Science of Hadith" (2006), was published as part of the "Great Books of Islamic Civilization" series. Dickinson's translation features a biography of Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ derived from numerous sources, in addition to copious footnotes throughout.