Hadith & Sunnah
Definitions
- Hadith (حديث) — a recorded saying, action, or tacit approval of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- Sunnah (سنة) — the way of the Prophet ﷺ; the broader lived example
Hadith Sciences (‘Ulum al-Hadith)
Hadith Classification by Authenticity
| Grade | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Sahih (Authentic) | Unbroken chain, trustworthy narrators, no defects, no contradiction |
| Hasan (Good) | Meets criteria of Sahih but narrator memory is slightly weaker |
| Da’if (Weak) | A condition is missing; used cautiously in fada’il (virtues) by some scholars |
| Mawdu’ (Fabricated) | Invented; strictly rejected |
Chain of Narration (Isnad)
Every hadith has two parts:
- Isnad — the chain of narrators (e.g., A heard from B, who heard from C, from the Prophet ﷺ)
- Matn — the actual text of the hadith
The Six Major Collections (Kutub al-Sittah)
| Collection | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sahih al-Bukhari | Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH) | Most authentic hadith collection |
| Sahih Muslim | Imam Muslim (d. 261 AH) | Second most authentic |
| Sunan Abu Dawud | Abu Dawud (d. 275 AH) | Focus on fiqh and legal hadith |
| Jami’ al-Tirmidhi | al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH) | Includes juristic commentary |
| Sunan al-Nasa’i | al-Nasa’i (d. 303 AH) | Strict in grading |
| Sunan Ibn Majah | Ibn Majah (d. 273 AH) | Sixth of the major collections |
References
- al-Nawawi. Forty Hadith (al-Arba’un al-Nawawiyyah).
- Ibn al-Salah. Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah (Introduction to Hadith Sciences).
- Brown, J.A.C. Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World. Oneworld, 2009.
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