Hadith

Hadith (Arabic: الحديث) is a report concerning the sayings, deeds, characteristics, or approvals of the Prophet Muhammad. The plural of this term is ahadith. Hadith constitutes the second source of Islamic law after the Qur'an, and scholars use it to interpret Qur'anic verses and to derive rulings on worship and conduct.

Each hadith consists of two parts: an isnad (the chain of narrators who transmitted the report) and a matn (the text of the report itself). Hadith scholars developed specific methods to evaluate the condition of the person who narrated it—his memory, trustworthiness, and likelihood of having encountered the previous narrator.

Transmission and Collection

In the early centuries of Islam, hadiths were transmitted largely orally, though written records also existed. Scholarly circles undertook extensive journeys to cities including Iraq, the Levant, the Hijaz, Egypt, and Khorasan to meet narrators and collect reports from them. This practice became known as "travel for knowledge."

Major Collections

Among Sunni scholars, the most renowned collections are Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, both considered to meet the strictest standards of authenticity. Also widely regarded are Sunan Abu Dawood, Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sunan Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Among Twelver Shi'a scholars, the major collections include al-Kafi by al-Kulayni and Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih.

Classification and Grades

Scholars rank hadiths into categories: sahih (authentic, meeting full criteria), hasan (acceptable, but with a weaker chain than sahih), daif (weak, with some defect), and mawdu (fabricated and falsely attributed to the Prophet). The discipline studying the condition of narrators is called "ilm al-rijal," while the general principles for evaluating hadiths are called "ilm mustalah al-hadith."

Legal Role

Schools of Islamic jurisprudence differ in how they apply hadith compared to qiyas (analogical reasoning), ijma (consensus), and regional custom. They also differ in their standards for accepting hadiths transmitted by a single narrator. These differences in approach account for some of the variation in jurisprudential rulings.