Introduction
to the Development of
Hadith Literature
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND DEFINITION
Introduction
Purpose
Definition of the Term Hadith
Definition of the Term Sunnah
Categories of the Prophetic
Tradition
II HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Preservation of the Qur'anic Text
Prohibition on Writing Down Hadith
Lifting of Prohibition on Writing
Down Hadith
Existence of Written Records
Reasons for Hadith Movement
III STAGES OF HADITH DEVELOPMENT
The
Sahifah Compilation
The
Musannaf Compilation
Al
Muwatta: Imam Malik Ibn Anas
The
Musnad Compilation
Primary Features of the Musnad
Al
Musnad: Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
The
Jami` Compilation
The Reliable Six Collections (Sihah Sittah)
IV THE
COMPONENTS OF A HADITH
Text (Matn)
Transmission (Isnad)
V CLASSIFICATION OF AHADITH
The 'Sound' Hadith
The 'Good' Hadith
The 'Weak' Hadith
The 'Sacred' Hadith
VI RELEVANCE AND INDISPENSABILITY OF HADITH
Hadith and Sunnah: Basis in the Qur'an
Various Capacities of the Messenger
(S)
VII QUR'AN AND
HADITH ARE NOT EQUAL
Conclusion
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
I:
Imam al Bukhari
INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HADITH LITERATURE
PART I: INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND DEFINITION
INTRODUCTION
The fundamental source of doctrinal teachings in Islam is based on the
infallible revelation (wahy) of Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (SWT), revealed to the
last Messenger and Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad ibn `Abd Allah ibn Abd al
Muttalib, salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam (S), as codified in Islam's sacred text, al-Qur'an al Karim. For simplicity, the Qur'an, can be
thought of as the Law and the Constitution, which sets out the fundamental
blueprint and the theological foundation of the faith (Islam) and the Muslim way of life (Din).
The second source of Islamic tenets and ordinances is based on the
Prophetic Tradition of Allah's Messenger (S). The Prophetic
Tradition (hadith and
sunnah) embodies the entire pattern of life of Messenger Muhammad (S) and includes every detail concerning his utterances,
his actions, his conduct and his attitudes whether explicit or implicit as
recorded by the early hadith scholars and researchers (Muhaddithin).
The hadith and
sunnah can be thought of as interpretation, explanation and demonstration of
the Qur'anic injunctions by Allah's Messenger (S) and as
supplementary regulations that augment Qur'anic edicts. The bulk of all extant
Hadith records relates to the prophetic period during which Allah's Messenger (S) was commissioned as
Rasul Allah in 610 C.E. (Common Era) through the end of his ordained mission in
632 C.E., though many traditions relate to the period prior to his prophethood.
In summary, the combined laws for all of Islam as codified in the
Glorious Qur'an and the accepted Prophetic Tradition are generally referred to
as the Shari`ah. The
Shari`ah also includes 'consensus of juristic opinions' (al Ijma`) of the learned `ulama' and 'creative
exercise of independent legal judgment' (al
Ijtihad) by legal scholars.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this paper is to present a brief outline on the
development of Hadith literature and to show its indispensable position and
integrality in Islamic teachings and practices on the Muslim way of life. It
should be noted that the science of Hadith compilation (`Ulum al Hadith) is a major field of study in the Islamic
educational curriculum. This paper does not purport to present an in depth study
on this subject but merely intends to summarize the essential elements in the
progression and development of the recognized Hadith literature.
DEFINITION OF THE
TERM HADITH
The word hadith (plural ahadith) has several meanings, such as, 'news',
'report' or 'narration', as used in various contexts in the Sacred Qur'an. It
has been defined as 'communication, story, and conversation: religious or
secular, historical or recent' [Azami]. In the narrow technical sense, "a hadith" refers to a
particular report (verbal or written tradition) about what Allah's Messenger (S) said or did, or his reaction or silence to something
said or done by others.
In a broader sense, "The Hadith" can be described as the total body of
reports (speeches, discourses, sermons, statements), deeds (actions, practices,
personal behavior) and tacit approval of Allah's Messenger (S). This term also
includes statements made by the Messenger's Companions about him.
DEFINITION OF THE
TERM SUNNAH
The term sunnah (plural sunan) is used several times in the Glorious
Qur'an, generally in the sense meaning a 'mode of life' or 'standard of
conduct' [Azami]. The Sunnah in common usage
refers to the actions and practices of Allah's Messenger (S) associated with his prophetic mission as emulated and
narrated by his Companions (Sahabas) and the Successors
(Tabi`un). The sequences of actions for ritual
cleanliness (wudu'-ghusl), and the procedures
in canonical prayers (salah) and the pilgrimage
to Makka (hajj), as taught and practiced by Allah's
Messenger (S), are examples of sunnah. Most scholars
include the Messenger's (S) personal ways and habits, such as, the manner of
his eating, sleeping and walking as sunnah [Makeen].
In hadith literature, the terms
hadith and sunnah have also been used
interchangeably by hadith commentators, each term incorporating, both, the
Messenger's 'sayings' and his 'practices'. In the interest of simplicity, we
will disregard any technical difference and also use both terms synonymously.
Note: It should be noted
that the term 'Companions' (sahabas) refers to
contemporaries of Allah's Messenger (S); that is, disciples who actually met
him and who believed in his divine mission. The term 'Successors' (tabi`un) refers to second- generation followers
who were disciples of the Messenger's Companions, but were not contemporaries
of the Prophet himself (S).
________________________________________________________________
NOTE: Readers
are advised to recite appropriate "Words of Praise/Greetings"
whenever the names of Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (S) are mentioned.
BROAD CATEGORIES OF
THE PROPHETIC TRADITION
The literature embodying hadith and sunnah has generally been categorized into three
primary groupings by the early Traditionists (Muhaddithin), according to most
hadith commentators.
These are:
(1) The
body of sayings (speeches, sermons, discourses and statements) of the Allah's
Messenger (S) containing prescriptions for all Muslims. In technical terms,
this is referred to as al Sunnah al
Qawliyyah. These utterances are considered "inspired speech" though
they are not in the same class of divine revelations (wahy) as contained in the Glorious Qur'an.
(2) The
body of deeds, actions, and practices which Allah's Messenger (S) taught his
Companions to do and which have been performed by the early generation Muslims
ever since. In technical terms, this is referred to as al Sunnah al Fi`liyyah.
(3) The
body of ahadith reporting that Allah's Messenger (S) had approved or
disapproved, commended or condemned certain types of conduct. This group also
includes the Messenger's tacit approval on matters, which occurred either in
his presence or elsewhere about which he had come to know. In technical terms,
this is referred to as al Sunnah al
Taqririyyah.
There is also another category of reports which have been collected by
compilers and which have been treated as the Messenger's sunnah. These relate to statements made by his
Companions about him, such as his physical features (sifat); human characteristics; personal ways; or events about
his life, for example, his birth, marriage, or emigration to Madina.
In summary, these various categories of reports (words, practices,
approval and disapproval) on the life of Allah's Messenger (S) form what is
generally defined by hadith scholars as al
Sunnah al Tashri`iyyah, that is, that which either have a legal value or which
provide guidance to the Muslim community.
PART II: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
PRESERVATION
OF THE QUR'ANIC TEXT IN BRIEF
Oral
and Written Communication: The historical records of seventh
century Arabia show that oral communication (based on memory) was a primary
mode of transmitting literature, history, culture, social customs and local
tradition from one generation to the next. The art of writing was known but not
everyone had mastered this skill. The Messenger himself (S) did not read nor
write (according to most authorities), and so, he orally dictated Allah's divine
messages (received from Angel Jibra`il) to his appointed
scribes who wrote down verbatim the revelations dictated to them by the
Messenger (S). At the same time, many of the
Sahabas memorized the Qur'anic revelation as taught to them by the Messenger (S). The Qur'anic manuscript was thus being preserved in
two forms, oral and written.
Collection
of the Qur'anic Manuscript: One year after the Messenger's death, the
Qur'anic manuscript was finally collected and assembled under two covers (Mushaf) during the reign of the first
rightly-guided (Rashidun) caliph, Abu Bakr, radiya Allahu `anhu (R). Two decades later
(653 C.E.), the third Rashidun caliph, `Uthman
ibn `Affan (R) commissioned the
reproduction of several copies of the Qur'an (based on the Mushaf assembled and preserved under caliph Abu
Bakr (R), then in the custody of the Prophet's
widow Hafsa bint `Umar (R), to be distributed to
the leading centers of the existing Islamic commonwealth in order to assure
uniformity and standardization of the Qur'anic text. The sacred Qur'an in use
today is based on the original `Uthmani edition [Denffer].
Allah's
Promise to Protect the Sacred Qur'an: The wider circulation of the Qur'an in
book form coupled with its increased memorization by scores of thousands of the
early Muslims and succeeding generations and its constant recital in ritual
prayers and liturgical services cemented its authenticity as the final divine
scripture. This reality was not unexpected since Allah (SWT) promised to
protect and preserve the sacred book intact as noted in the following verses of
the Glorious Qur'an:
·
We have, without
doubt, sent down the Message; and We assuredly shall preserve it (from
corruption). [Al Hijr/15:9]
·
And indeed it is a
Book of Exalted Power. No falsehood can approach from before or behind it: It
is sent down by One, Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all Praise. [Fussilat/41:41-42]
·
. . . We Ourself shall
see to its collection and recital. When We read it, follow its words
attentively; We shall Ourself explain its meaning. [Al Qiyamah/75:16-18]
PROHIBITION
ON WRITING DOWN HADITH
In the early period of the Messenger's mission (during Islam's
infancy), many Companions maintained small private collections of the Prophet's other speech; that is, speech other than direct divine
revelation (wahy). This practice by
the Companions was discouraged, and it was eventually forbidden by Allah's
Messenger (S) during the Makkan period. Moreover, in
some cases, those Companions who might have kept written records for personal
use were asked to destroy them [al Faruqi].
The primary reason for the prohibition on writing down the Messenger's other speech was obvious. The Prophet (S) did not want
his Companions to mix up, confuse or call into question the revelations of
Allah (SWT) with those of his own messages and
discourses so as to compromise the purity of the Qur'anic text. Hence, anything
that would cast doubt on the integrity of the Divine Message was forbidden
especially during the first half of the Messenger's mission [al Faruqi].
NOTE: It is well known
that the Qur'anic text was progressively revealed over a period of twenty-three
(23) years (610 to 632 C.E.). This period spans the entire length of the
Messenger's (S) mission. In fact, according to Qur'anic exegetes, the last
divine revelation was received by the Messenger (S) nine days before his death
in 632 [Denffer].
LIFTING
OF PROHIBITION ON WRITING DOWN HADITH
After the Messenger's emigration (Hijrah) from Makkah to
Yathrib (later known as Madina al Nabiyy: city of the Prophet) in 622 C.E., the
Prophet's (S) message began to solidify and Islam grew firm and strong. This
was especially true in Madina, the first Islamic city-state, with the Allah's
Messenger (S) as the temporal and spiritual leader).
[NOTE: The Islamic year (Hijrah) came into existence with the Messenger's
migration to Madina in July 622 C.E., but the actual calendar was introduced in
the reign of the Caliph `Umar.]
As Islam began to spread throughout the Hijaz, the prohibition on
writing down hadith was reported to have been lifted by the Messenger (S).
However, some of the Prophet's Companions were still hesitant to commit
themselves to writing down hadith records for the same reason that they were
originally reluctant to assemble the Qur'anic manuscript in book form simply
because Allah's Messenger (S) had not explicitly instructed them to do so
[`Abdul-Rauf].
EXISTENCE OF WRITTEN
RECORDS
Historical evidence shows that toward the second half of the
Messenger's mission a wide variety of written materials and other records of
the Prophet's discourses, statements and legal rulings was already in existence
[Azami]. In fact, a great many volumes of the Prophetic Tradition, which were
in written, form survived intact. These include the Covenant (Charter) of
Madina, the first written constitution (dictated by the Messenger himself (S))
of the first Islamic state. The Covenant of Madina predated the British magna carta by several hundred years. Other important
documents, such as, local agreements, diplomatic correspondences to heads of
neighboring states, and terms of treaties, etc. are also extant today
[Hamidullah].
REASONS
FOR THE HADITH MOVEMENT
By the middle of the first century A.H. (after the Hijrah), a few decades after the Messenger's
death, there existed a vital need for Islam's orthodoxy to research, collect
and classify the authentic traditions and
practices of the Messenger (S) in order to provide legal and religious guidance
to the growing Muslim nation. This need became imperative especially after the
end of the regimes of the Khulafa' al Rashidun (the four
rightly-guided caliphs) in 661 C.E. The successor Islamic governments became more
political, divisive and sectarian, and they departed from governing in
accordance with the shari`ah.
Thus, the Hadith movement emerged for many compelling reasons,
including the following:
·
Messenger Muhammad (S), the final authority on secular and spiritual
matters, was no longer around to clarify, adjudicate or resolve questions and
disputes.
·
The ever-increasing converts of the Islamic commonwealth needed the
correct guidance on the true Islamic way of life based on the exemplary model
of the Messenger himself (S).
·
From the middle to the latter half of the first century, most of the
Messenger's Companions who had direct and first hand knowledge of the prophetic
tradition were themselves dying out.
·
Corrupt political leaders and partisan theological parties began to
exploit the existing hadith and sunnah in order to promote their own sectarian
views especially after the reigns of the four
Rashidun caliphs.
·
Some leaders fabricated hadith to enhance and justify their own false
political position. Many overzealous teachers (some with good intention) made
up ahadith to advance moral and religious teachings in the name of Islam. Also,
heretics and atheists (zindiqs) under the guise of
scholarship falsely attributed sayings to Allah's Messenger (S) with the sole
intention of undermining Islam.
Finally, the collection of the Prophetic Tradition by hadith scholars
can be justified on the basis of the statements of Allah (SWT), as noted in the
Glorious Qur'an:
·
You have indeed in the
Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the
Final Day and remember Allah much. [Al
Ahzab/33:21]
·
So take what the
Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he prohibits you. [Al Hashr/59:7]
·
He who obeys the
Messenger obeys Allah. [Al Nisa'/4:80]
·
For he commands them
what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is
good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure). [Al A`raf/7:157]
The `ulama' thus had the responsibility of refuting
false and fabricated traditions propagated by heretics and unscrupulous
political and religious leaders. They also had the task of collecting,
appraising and classifying the sound and trustworthy traditions. This important
work, which took several generations to complete, was formidable but was
performed in earnest and with great care by dedicated men (and women) of
powerful faith and indomitable spirit, outside the governing political
authority of the day.
PART
III: STAGES OF HADITH DEVELOPMENT
As mentioned before, hadith collections began on a small scale during
the Messenger's prophethood and accelerated tremendously a century after his
death. By the second and third century, the hadith movement was moving at full
speed in its important task of compiling and publishing the authentic
traditions. It has been stated that by the end of the second century there
existed one million or more ahadith in circulation [al Faruqi].
The chronology of classic hadith literature can be divided into many
stages according to its historical development. The following is a brief
summary of the growth of the hadith movement with reference to some of the
standard texts compiled by the early Traditionists between the first and third
century A.H.
NOTE: The history of the
hadith movement shows that the early hadith scholars (muhaddithin) who undertook the difficult task of
compiling hadith and sunnah were not commissioned or funded by any Islamic
government at any time during the early Islamic period. In fact, the
researchers who undertook this formidable task were simple men of strong faith
who did their research voluntarily.
THE
SAHIFAH COMPILATION (First Century A.H.)
The earliest stage in the development of Hadith literature has been
described as the sahifah type [`Abdul-Rauf]. Sahifah (plural
suhuf) literally means 'sheet' or 'part of a writing'. The word suhuf also refers to "sheets of revealed
text" relating to the scriptures of previous prophets.
In our context, suhuf refers to a small
book or pamphlet in which a relatively small number (few scores) of ahadith
were written by some Companions. This rudimentary collection, based on the
memory of the compiler, developed by the second half of the first century A.H.
It had no specific academic purpose than its use as a private source of reference
for the individual compiler. Moreover, it was put together in no logical order,
and it was not divided into chapters or subchapters, nor was it classified by
subject matter [`Abdul-Rauf]. Hence, jurists found little use for this
rudimentary collection.
Among the well-known collections of the
sahifah class is al-Sadiqah, "The Truthful One," attributed
to the Prophet's Companion, `Abd Allah bin `Amr (died 65 A.H.). Another noted
work of this type is al-Sahihah, "The Authentic One," compiled
by Hammam Ibn Munabbih, (died 131 A.H.). This compiler was a Successor who
related his hadith on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (R). This collection is the
earliest extant work on hadith literature still available today [Hamidullah].
THE
MUSANNAF COMPILATION (Second Century A.H.)
The need for a compilation with a systematic arrangement (chapter and
subject) that facilitated legal decisions became paramount. This was especially
evident since the sahifah type of hadith was
inadequate as a manual that enhanced legal rulings. And so, by the middle of
the second century A.H., the next type of hadith emerged. This second stage
known as musannaf (literally, 'compiled together') was put
together in an orderly and classified manner. The ahadith of this type were
divided into chapters according to their subject matter, generally based on
legal themes [`Abdul-Rauf].
In the musannaf class of hadith, the
compiler narrated the hadith text (matn) through a chain of
narrators (isnad) going back to the Prophet; but he also included statements and
opinions attributed to Companions, Successors, and other leading jurists. The
compiler, in many cases, also included his own comments. These additional
textual materials made legal decisions easier than the sahifah type. Moreover, each chapter of the musannaf was devoted to a special theme, primarily
of a legal nature [Doi].
The main criticism leveled against the
musannaf compilation was that it focused essentially on legal matters, thus
subordinating the study of the prophetic tradition as a general source of
guidance its own right in deference to legal demands and preference
[`Abdul-Rauf]. In addition, the subject matter of the musannaf traditions was limited since it did not
cover all aspects of the Muslim life but focused mainly on legal themes.
Among the noted collections of this class are:
·
Al-Majmu` of Imam Zayd ibn `Ali (died 122 A.H.)
·
Al-Muwatta' of Imam Malik Ibn Anas (94-179 A.H.)
·
Al-Musannaf of Imam `Abd al-Razzak al-San`ani (died
211 A.H.)
Al-Majmu`
of Imam Zayd ibn `Ali: This compiler is the founder of the Zaydi madhhab (school of Islamic law). His Al Majmu` is also called
Musnad since all its ahadith are narrated (traced) through one single isnad (chain of transmission), that is, his own
father, `Ali ibn al Husayn, on the authority of Imam al Husayn on the authority
Imam `Ali ibn Abu Talib [`Abdul-Rauf].
AL-MUWATTA'
OF IMAM MALIK IBN ANAS (94-179 A.H.)
Imam Malik ibn Anas was a powerful and formidable second century
jurist. His most famous compilation: Al Muwatta' (literally 'the
smooth way'), was the most dominant work of the
musannaf type. Traditionists regard the
Muwatta' as the first systematic hadith manual of its kind which laid the
foundation for later development of hadith science and research and a system of
law based partly on the prophetic tradition [Doi]. It is not purely a book on
hadith. It contains ahadith of the Prophet and legal opinions of the
Companions, Successors and later authorities.
The Muwatta', however, was not as comprehensive as the
other sahih compilations which were to appear about
100 years later. It did not cover all subjects and all aspects of Muslim life,
and it contains only the traditions, which came through the people of Hijaz
[Muhammad `Ali]. At the same time, voluminous commentaries were produced on it,
and because of this, some writers regard it as next to the Sahih of al Bukhari
[Azami]. The Muwatta' remains a powerful
source of legal reference in hadith science and criticism. Imam Malik is one of
the four recognized sunni Imams and the
founder of the Maliki School of Islamic law.
THE
MUSNAD COMPILATION (Second - Fourth Century A.H.)
The third stage of hadith development, the
musnad hadith, emerged because the musannaf type was incomplete
and not comprehensive enough as noted before. The word musnad (plural
masanid) is derived from the word sanad meaning authority. Towards the end of the second century,
the musnad class of traditions became the focus of
the hadith scholars who continued their quest to compile the 'sound' and
'trustworthy' ahadith, but this time without the added commentaries and
opinions inherent in the musannaf class.
PRIMARY
FEATURES OF THE MUSNAD
The compilers of the musnad collections
discontinued the method of arranging ahadith by legal themes. Instead, they classified
traditions under the 'Names of Companions' to whom the ahadiths were traced.
The musnad compilations were divided into chapters
whose headings were identified by the name of a particular Companion, such as,
"Ahadith of Abu Bakr," "Ahadith of `Ali ibn Abu Talib," or "Ahadith of Abu Hurayrah" meaning "Ahadith reported on the authority of Abu Bakr" or "Ahadith reported on the authority of `Ali ibn Abu
Talib," and so on. Some compilation in this category also carried such
heading as "Al Musnad Abu Bakr" or
"Al Musnad Abu Hurayrah," and so on
[`Abdul-Rauf].
Since the primary objective of the
musnad compilers was to collect trustworthy ahadith of Allah's Messenger (S),
these researchers had to establish strict criteria for classifying and grading
the ahadith, which were collected. Hence, they took great pains to exclude
those ahadith that failed to meet the strict standards for acceptability, and,
as a result, they rejected those that were obviously false or of spurious and
doubtful quality.
Ahadith in the musnad class include those
that were graded as 'sound' (sahih), 'good' (hasan), and 'weak' (da`if). Certain types of
'weak' ahadith were included in these collections due to their value in such
areas as morals and religious guidance. If the character of the narrators (isnad) was not suspect or questionable, the 'weak' hadith was
not rejected outright as explained later in this paper [Muhammad `Ali].
The primary criticism leveled against the
musnad collection is, as a source of guidance and legal reference, it is
difficult to use. These compilations are not arranged by subject matter. Rather, the musnad compilers titled traditions on the basis
of individual Companions, that is, the hadiths of a particular Companion are
shown in one place, in a separate chapter. In addition, some books are arranged
alphabetically, and others according to geographic regions [Azami].
The collection of ahadith in the
musnad class continued throughout the third and fourth century. This stage of
the hadith movement was responsible for producing prolific and massive volumes
of hadith literature compiled by scores of hadith scholars.
A few of the well-known musnad collections are:
·
Al Musnad of Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (164 - 241 A.H.)
·
Al Musnad of Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi (died 203 A.H.)
containing 2,766 ahadith
·
Al Musnad of Abu Bakr al-Humaydi of Makka (died 219
A.H.) containing 1,300 ahadith.
AL
MUSNAD OF IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL
(164 - 241 A.H.)
Of the compilations in the musnad class, the best known
is Al Musnad of Imam Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal, the renowned jurist and theologian of Baghdad. It was reported that Ibn
Hanbal examined 750,000 ahadith from which he selected 40,000 as trustworthy,
10,000 of which are repetitions. [al Faruqi].
Imam ibn Hanbal was a very devout and staunch Muslim who challenged the
corrupt religious authority of his time and suffered terribly at the hands of
"wrongly-guided" caliphs (al Mu`tasim and al Wathiq) for his refusal
to abandon his orthodox belief in favor of the sectarian Mu`tazilite's creed.
For this, Ibn Hanbal was imprisoned and tortured by unscrupulous inquisitors,
but the indomitable Imam remained steadfast, refusing to bow to his tormentors.
Later when the wayward caliphs were swept away from power, Ibn Hanbal refused
to take revenge on his former persecutors, strictly on the basis of faith and
belief [Azami]. Imam Ibn Hanbal is one of the four recognized sunni Imams and the founder of the Hanbali
School of Islamic law.
Some of the other famous musnads compiled by other
noted hadith writers of that famous period have been included by Islam's
orthodoxy (`ulama') among the
jami` classification explained below.
THE
JAMI` COMPILATION (Third Century A.H.)
As described above, the musnad compilations
contained ahadith all of which were not of the 'authentic' grade. Thus, at the
dawn of the third century, hadith researchers continued to focus their
attention and efforts exclusively on
the 'authentic' class of traditions. The hadith movement also recognized the
value and importance of the 'authentic' hadith especially in jurisprudential
matters, and it received tremendous support through the powerful advocacy of
the celebrated Imam al Shafi`i who defended the position that the 'authentic'
hadith was a valid source of law even in a case where a hadith is related
through a single chain (isnad) [Abdul-Rauf].
This led to the birth of al Jami` (literally, 'one that gathers together'
or 'comprehensive') compilation in the early third century. The Jami` class of hadith has
been regarded as the final stage in the historical development of classic
hadith literature [Abdul-Rauf]. The founder of the
jami` movement is unanimously recognized as Imam al Bukhari. The jami` collection arranges ahadith according to
subject matter with the ahadith themselves being more critical in tone than the musnad type. Standards for hadith acceptability
of the jami` type were much more stringent than the musnad type, both with regard to the quality of
the text and the reliability of the narrators [Muhammad `Ali].
The manuals of jami` collections classify
reports under various subjects including faith, liturgy, legal, social,
ethical, political, military, Qur'anic (exegesis), and biographic, among
others. The variety of the subject matter covered in the jami` type further augmented the study of
hadith science and criticism. Finally, the systematic arrangement by subject
matter allows for easy reference, not only for jurists and judges, but also for
students, laymen, and researchers.
THE
RELIABLE SIX COMPILATIONS (SIHAH SITTAH)
Six canonized hadith texts are universally recognized by Islam's
orthodoxy as the most authentic books on Prophetic Hadith, and these are
generally known as the Sihah Sittah - the Reliable Six Collections.
The six canonical hadith
texts are:
·
Al Sahih of Muhammad ibn Isma`il al Bukhari
(194-256 A.H.)
·
(See Appendix I for summary of al Bukhari and his al Sahih)
·
Al Sahih of Imam Muslim Ibn Hajjaj (202-261 A.H.)
·
Al Sunan of Abu Dawud (202-275 A.H.)
·
Al Jami` al Sunan of al Tirmidhi (died 279 A.H.)
·
Al Sunan of Ibn Majah (209-283 A.H.)
·
Al Sunan of al Nasa'i (215-303 A.H.)
Among the authentic six, the two books of Imam al Bukhari and Imam
Muslim (known as al Sahihayn - The Reliable Two) are considered the
most authoritative. Some commentators recognized the deficiencies in the Musnad
of Ibn Majah as being less critical in tone than the other five, due mainly to
the inclusion of 'weak' hadiths in his collection. And they suggested that Ibn
Majah's Musnad be excluded from the 'group of six' and
replaced by the Muwatta' of Imam Malik and
the Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, thus forming a new
'group of seven' [al Faruqi].
PART IV: THE
COMPONENTS OF A HADITH
Each hadith is made up of two major components: the text (matn) and the chain of transmission (isnad), as explained below.
TEXT (MATN):
The text or content (matn) of a hadith refers
to the message, statement, action or decision of the Messenger (S) reported in
the hadith. The early Traditionists stipulated that for a hadith to be
'trustworthy' or 'valid' its text must be consistent with the meaning of the
Qur'an, be in agreement with accepted facts, and congruent with the texts of
other ahadith, the reliability of which have already been accepted and agreed
upon. Thus, a hadith whose text did not meet these established criteria was
generally deemed doubtful and hence was rejected.
TRANSMISSION (ISNAD):
The chain of narrators mentioned in a
hadith report, starting from his own teacher and going back to the
Companion(s), who related from or about the Messenger (S), is known as the
isnad. Hadith compilers developed specific rules governing acceptance of the
narrators transmitting ahadith. For example, the narrator mentions the name of
his teacher from whom he learned the hadith, then the name of the teacher of
his teacher, and so on, until he eventually reaches the final authority
(Allah's Messenger (S)) in the chain.
Authenticity of ahadith largely depends upon the continuity (non-interruption)
of the isnad and the veracity and reliability of the
narrators [Doi].
Hadith scholars also developed a set terms which they used to identify
the method through which a disciple learned each hadith from his teacher. For
example, they used the term haddathana ('told us') to indicate the idea that the
teacher read the hadith unto his disciples, and the term akhbarana ('informed us') to
indicate that a disciple read the material back to the teacher who listened approvingly
before giving concurrence [`Abdul-Rauf].
Example of a Hadith:
·
Haddathana `Ubayd Allah Ibn
Musa, saying: Hanzalah Ibn Abu Sufyan related to us on the authority of
`Ikrimah Ibn Khalid on the authority of Ibn `Umar who said, the Messenger of
God, peace and blessings be upon him said:
·
"Islam is built on five (foundations): Witnessing that there is no
God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; (Regular)
Observance of (the mandatory) Prayers; Payment of Alms; Pilgrimage and Fasting
(the month of) Ramadan." [Al Sahih of
al Bukhari, Vol. I, 5-6]
Hadith researchers also paid critical attention to the science of
biographies and criticism (Asma' al Rijal) of the hadith
narrators in each generation. And so, narrators of hadith (isnad) were subjected to severe tests and were graded
according to varying degrees of reliability and veracity depending upon their
character, religious reputation and orientation, depth of knowledge, and the
soundness and accuracy of their memories [Doi].
Thus each hadith was graded according to the quality of the text and
reliability of its narrators. The authentic hadith was one related by an uninterrupted chain of narrators, all of whom are known
for their piety, integrity, and sound memory. The fewer the narrators in the
chain of transmission (isnad), the stronger the
hadith, as the chance of misrepresentation was less likely. Conversely, the
more common the text (matn), as reported by
various chains of narrators, the stronger the hadith, as the chance of it being
false or doubtful was less likely.
PART
V: CLASSIFICATION OF HADITH
Hadiths are generally categorized into three basic divisions each of
which is also subdivided into multiple grades of sub-groups according to the
quality of the text, veracity and reliability of the narrators, and continuity
in the isnad. We will not present the multitude of
hadith sub groupings as these can be found in any standard book on hadith.
The primary divisions
of
Hadith are as follows:
·
The 'Sound' Hadith (Al Sahih al Hadith)
·
The 'Good' Hadith (Al Hasan al Hadith)
·
The 'Weak' Hadith (Al Da`if al Hadith)
Al
Sahih al Hadith (the 'sound' hadith) is a term used to
describe any hadith the veracity of which is absolutely beyond question. Hence,
these ahadith are classified as 'sound' and 'trustworthy', meaning that they
are of the highest level of authenticity and reliability. All of the core (basic and primary) ahadith reported by
Imam al Bukhari and Imam Muslim are universally accepted by Islam's orthodoxy
as sahih. As mentioned before, the works of the
other four recognized compilers, Abu Dawud, al Tirmidhi, al Nasa'i and Ibn
Majah have also been accorded distinguished status behind the 'Reliable Two' by
the `ulama'.
Al
Hasan al Hadith (the 'good' hadith) is a term used to describe any
hadith whose text (matn) is absolutely true
but whose narrators (isnad) do not pass the
test of complete reliability and accuracy based on the stringent criteria established
by the hadith compilers. The ahadith in this division are a degree less in
quality than that of the sahih class and are thus
considered as 'good' or 'fair' or 'moderate' in hadith literature.
Al
Da`if al Hadith (the 'weak' hadith) is a term used to describe any
hadith whose truthfulness in both text (matn) and transmission (isnad) is not absolutely beyond question; that is, its
authenticity is not proven, and hence, it is considered 'weak.' However, it is
important to note that not all ahadith classified as 'weak' are rejected. As
mentioned before, Imam Abu Dawud (of the 'group of six') included da`if traditions in his Musnad when he could find nothing else to
explain questions relating to 'morals' or 'religious devotion'. Many of the musnad collections also contain 'weak' ahadith
[Muhammad `Ali].
There are as many varieties of weak
(da`if) ahadith as there are kinds of vitiating characteristics affecting
them. Some hadith writers have classified 'weak' hadith in multiple subgroups,
from as little as twenty-five, to as many as seventy five. [al Faruqi]
A hadith could be weak for many reasons, one of which is attributable
to the character of its narrators. A hadith could also be weak because one of
its narrators is mastur; that is, he is not
so well-known for his piety and reliability, but nothing is known to the
compiler that would impugn the narrator's character. Or, a narrator may have
less than perfect memory, but his veracity was never questioned, or his
sympathy with or orientation toward heretical and sectarian beliefs was never
clearly established [`Abdul-Rauf].
The weakness in a hadith could also be due to the interruption in the
isnad; that is, a break (missing narrator) in the chain of transmission.
Since there was nothing to suggest that a missing narrator was less than
truthful or reliable, such weak hadiths were included in musnad collections for reasons other than for
legal necessity; that is, for their value in areas of moral guidance and
religious liturgy. For example, those ahadith which exhort people to good, or
illustrate principles of religious devotion, or answer moral questions are
examples of da`if traditions which were included in some
collections [Muhammad `Ali].
THE
'SACRED' HADITH (Al Hadith al Qudsi)
A unique category of discourses and statements of Allah's Messenger (S) outside the scope of the Qur'anic revelation includes
the phrase 'Almighty Allah says so and
so . . .' These traditions are called al
Hadith al Qudsi, meaning, 'sacred'
or 'divine' hadiths. In this special
group of traditions, authority (in the chain of
transmission) is ascribed directly to Allah (SWT) and not to the Messenger (S) as is the case in the majority of the
'regular' hadiths. In al hadith al qudsi, the meaning (of the hadith) is
from Allah (SWT) but the wording is that of the Messenger (S). In Qur'anic
revelations,
both the
meaning and
wording are from Allah (SWT) [Ibrahim and Johnson-Davies].
Islamic theologians unanimously agree that all utterances and actions
of the Rasul Allah are 'divinely inspired'. Al
hadith al qudsi is thus a special case of divinely-inspired traditions
which ranks next to the Qur'anic revelation.
This position can be supported from the following verses of the Sacred
Qur'an:
·
Nor does he speak of
his own desire; it is naught but revelation that is revealed. [Najm/53:3-4]
·
And We sent down unto
thee the Message that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them.
[Al Nahl/16:44]
·
Allah did confer a
great favor on the Believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among
Themselves rehearsing unto them Signs of Allah, purifying them, and instructing
them in Scripture and Wisdom while, before that, they had been in manifest
error. [Al `Imran/3:164]
·
And Allah has revealed
to thee the Book and the Wisdom and taught thee what thou knewest not. [Al Nisa'/4:113]
At the same time, it should be noted that al
Hadith al Qudsi must also meet the same critical tests, as is the case
with 'regular' hadiths. This means that the quality and authenticity of the
text (matn) and reliability and veracity of the
narrators (isnad) must be attested to for them to be
acceptable. Hence, al Hadith al Qudsi are also be
classified as 'sound', 'good' or 'weak'.
PART
VI: RELEVANCE AND INDISPENSABILITY OF HADITH
It is unanimously agreed that the Prophetic Tradition complements the
Sacred Qur'an in all matters (secular and spiritual) as the secondary source of
Islamic law and jurisprudence, as explained before. The Prophetic Tradition
serves as the prescribed model and standard to be followed by the Muslim
community for all time. Without for the
authorized sunnah, Muslims have no other legitimate source to provide
them with the specific procedures for ritual worship and religious services and
a framework to build institutions of faith and to establish civilizational
values; morever, the sunnah serves as a valid source to legislate in matters on
which the Qur'an is silent.
Thus, the value of the sunnah is to help all
Muslims fulfill the requirements of their faith in liturgical, legal, ethical,
social, economic, political and international affairs. For, without it, Muslims
would not have been able to carry out the primary obligations imposed by Islam
(`ibadah), such as, ritual prayer (salah), payment of the welfare tax (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (siyam) and performance of
the sacred pilgrimage (hajj), among other
required acts of devotion. Finally, the
sunnah leads devoted Muslims to the source of the divine revelation and
provide them access to the inner, spiritual dimension of the Qur'anic Message.
HADITH AND SUNNAH:
BASIS IN THE QUR'AN
That the hadith and sunnah is indispensable in Islam cannot be
overstated simply because the Prophetic Tradition has its basis in the Qur'an
itself. Allah's Messenger (S) was not only charged with conveying the divine
message; he had to act upon it himself and then explain it to the people who
were to follow his example as commanded by Allah (SWT).
As mentioned before, the Glorious Qur'an contains dozens of verses
explaining the symbiotic position of the Messenger (S) in relation to the
last revealed scripture, some of which are:
·
You have indeed in the
Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the
Final Day and remember Allah much. [Al
Ahzab/33:21]
·
You who believe, obey
Allah and His Rasul and turn not away from him when you hear (him speak). [Al Anfal/8:20]
·
You who believe, respond
to Allah and His Rasul when he calls you to that which gives you life. [Al Anfal/8:24]
·
If anyone contends
with the Messenger even after Guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and
follows a path other than that becoming to men of faith, We shall leave him in
the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell - What an evil refuge! [Al Nisa'/4:115]
VARIOUS
CAPACITIES OF THE MESSENGER (S)
The Sacred Qur'an is also very clear on the position of the Messenger (S) and in the various capacities in which he must be
obeyed. He is the one who explains the
book; he is a law-giver; he is a judge; and he is a ruler; as explained in the following verses:
The Messenger (S) as
Explainer of the Book:
·
Allah did confer a
great favor on the Believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among
Themselves rehearsing unto them Signs of Allah, purifying them, and instructing
them in Scripture and Wisdom while, before that, they had been in manifest
error. [Al `Imran/3:164]
·
And We sent down unto
thee the Message that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them.
[Al Nahl/16:44]
The Messenger (S) as
Judge:
·
But no, by thy Lord,
they can have no (real) Faith until they make thee judge in all disputes
between them and find in their souls no resistance against thy decisions, but
accept them with the fullest conviction. [Al
Nisa'/4:65]
·
It is not fitting for
a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His
Messenger to have any option about their decision. If any one disobeys Allah
and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path. [Al Ahzab/33:36]
The Messenger (S) as
Lawgiver:
·
For he commands them
what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is
good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure). He releases
them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. [Al A`raf/7:157]
·
So take what the
Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he prohibits you. [Al Hashr/59:7]
The Messenger (S) as
Ruler:
·
Ye who believe! Obey
Allah and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye
differ in anything among yourselves refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you
believe in Allah and the Last Day. [Al
Nisa'/4:59]
·
He who obeys the
Messenger obeys Allah. [Al Nisa'/4:80]
A careful reading of these verses leaves no doubt about the importance
and indispensability of the Prophetic Tradition as a source of law and
authentic guidance to the Islamic ummah. Having said this,
however, it is important to distinguish between the Qur'anic Text and the
contents of the Prophetic Hadith. They are not equal, for they are not one and
the same.
VII QUR'AN AND HADITH ARE NOT EQUAL
Today, many Muslims of the wahhabi,
salafi and deobandi orientation have been preaching a message that the
glorious Qur'an and the Prophetic Hadith are comparable and of equal status.
Some have even gone so far as to advance the notion that the Qur'an and Hadith
are indivisible and that Allah promised to protect both equally. Of course,
such a proposition is wholly erroneous and factually unacceptable, on the basis
of clear evidence, that is, the method of transmission, the recording, and
compilation of these two Texts.
It is generally agreed that the Qur'an (Speech of Allah) was
transmitted from Allah to the Messenger via Archangel Gabriel. This is the
solid, unbroken chain in the transmission of the Qur'anic messages. Allah
imprinted the revealed verses in the Prophet's memory; the Prophet then taught
the verses to his companions, who also memorized the verses. Shortly thereafter
the Prophet's noted scribes/secretaries recorded the revealed verses on a
variety of written materials. This was the standardized procedure of the revealed
Qur'an throughout the 23 year-period of its revelation. There was no deviation
or aberration to this standard. Thus, there was almost a simultaneous record of
the Qur'anic message: by memory and in writing; from Allah to the Prophet; from
the Prophet to his companions; and finally, from the Prophet to his scribes.
The transmission, collection and compilation of the Prophetic Hadith
did not follow this divine methodology; rather, it was more a "search and find" approach, as
explained earlier. Pious and dedicated men of letters visited the lands of
Islam, searching for people with prophetic reports, attributed to the Prophet.
These reports were then scrutinized, evaluated and graded for validity and
authenticity into various categories, in order to weed out forgeries,
fraudulent and questionable traditions, as described herein. The contents of
the Qur'an were never graded, assessed, or evaluated by man or jinn, since it is
the Speech of Allah. This fact alone repudiates the notion of divine protection
of the Prophetic/Sacred Hadith.
The actual arrangement (order of surahs and verses) of the Qur'an took
place during the Prophet's life time, as instructed by him through divine
inspiration; moreover, the entire Qur'anic text was memorized by him and many of
his close companions; in addition, the Qur'an, though not collected under two
covers, existed in written form at the time of Prophet's death. This was not
the case with the Hadith. The earliest accepted hadith manual (al
Muwatta` of Imam Malik) came 150 years after the Prophet's
death, and the most recognized hadith collection, al Sahih al Bukhari,
emerged some 250 years after the Prophet's demise.
Hence, there can be no issue of equality or comparability between the
text of the noble Qur'an and the contents of hadith books. The Qur'an is the
divine speech of Allah, and the hadith represents statements and reports
attributed to the Prophet hundreds of years after his death, in most instances.
In summary, the Qur'an came about by direct revelation from Allah to
Prophet, while the Hadith evolved and emerged several hundred years after the
Prophet's death.
CONCLUSION
Finally, I conclude this presentation with an excellent synopsis, which
clearly articulates the Messenger's (S) noble status in Islam
and the universal impact his traditions have towards the true understanding of
the last Revealed Message and the overall Muslim way of life:
The importance of Hadith is increased for the Muslims by the fact that the
Prophet Muhammad not only taught, but also took the opportunity of putting his
teachings into practice in all the important affairs of life. He lived for
twenty-three years after his appointment as the Messenger of God. He endowed
his community with a religion, which he scrupulously practiced himself. He
founded a State, which he administered as supreme head, maintaining internal
peace and order, heading armies for external defense, judging and deciding the
litigations of his subjects, punishing the criminals, and legislating in all
walks of life. He married and left a model of family life. Another important
fact is that he did not declare himself to be above the ordinary law, which he
imposed on others. His practice was therefore not mere private conduct, but a
detailed interpretation and application of his teachings. [Introduction to Islam, Hamidullah, paragraph 70, page 23]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
*[THIS ARTICLE WAS COMPILED FROM THE
FOLLOWING SOURCES]*
Abdul-Rauf, Muhammad,
Imam Al-Bukhari and Al-Sahih. The Islamic Center, Washington, DC. N.D.
`Ali, Abdullah Yusuf, The Holy Qur'an:
English Translation of the Meanings and Commentary. Revised and Edited.
The Presidency and Islamic Researchers IFTA, King Fahd Holy Qur'an Printing
Complex, Saudi Arabia, [1988?]
`Ali, Maulana Muhammad, The Holy Qur'an:
Arabic Text, English Translation and Commentary (Revised Edition).
Ahmadiyyah Anjuman Isha`at Islam, Lahore, 1985.
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Sons (Printers), Lahore, 1983.
Azami, Muhammad Mustafa, Studies in Hadith
Methodology and Literature. American Trust Publications, Indianapolis, 1977.
Denffer, Ahmad Von, `Ulum Al-Qur'an: An
Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'an. The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, 1983.
Doi, `Abdul Rahman I., Shari`ah: The Islamic
Law. Ta Ha Publishers, London, 1984.
Al Faruqi, Isma`il R. and Lois Lamya' al Faruqi, The Cultural Atlas of Islam. Macmillan
Publishing Company, New York, 1986.
Hamidullah, Muhammad, Introduction to Islam. Centre Culturel
Islamique, Paris, 1969.
Hamidullah, Muhammad, Sahifah Hammam Ibn
Munabbih. Centre Culturel Islamique, Paris, 1979.
Ibrahim, Ezzeddin and Denys Johnson-Davies,
Forty Hadith Qudsi. Selected and Translated. Abu Dhabi, 1979.
Khan, Muhammad Muhsin, The Translation of
the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari. Volumes 1-9. Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi,
1984.
Mackeen, Abdul Majid, Some Thoughts on the
Meaning of Following the Sunnah. Islamic Research Institute, Islamabad,
N.D.
Al-Muwatta': Imam
Malik. Translated by `A'isha `Abdarahman at-Tarjumana and Ya`qub Johnson.
Diwan Press, Norwich, 1982.
APPENDIX I: IMAM AL BUKHARI: AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS SAHIH
LEADER OF THE AL JAMI` HADITH
Birth and Early Years
of this Celebrated Scholar: Imam al Bukhari was born Muhammad ibn Isma`il Ibn
Ibrahim ibn al Mughirah al Ja`fai, of Persian parentage, on the 13th Shawwal,
194 A.H. in Bukhara (now part of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the former
Soviet Central Asia). His father Isma`il was himself a hadith scholar who
studied under the renowned masters of that time (including Malik bin Anas). Al
Bukhari began studying hadith when he was less than ten years of age, and by
the time he was sixteen he had memorized many books by noted hadith scholars.
He was thus widely celebrated for his accurate and formidable memory [Azami].
He first visited the Hijaz on pilgrimage with his mother and brother
when he was sixteen. After performing hajj, he remained in the
Hijaz for six years to continue his studies under the learned and reputed
scholars of Makka and Madina. Within two years he recorded legal judgments and
statements traceable to Companions and Successors. He was also deeply
interested in the biographies of the men who narrated hadith. And so, he began
a massive undertaking by compiling an encyclopedic biographical collection
known as al Tarikh al Kabir, The Large History
Work, devoted to the noted men of hadith. This book was a highly regarded
collection, and it was emulated by many later hadith scholars. [Abdul-Rauf]
The Most Famous
Hadith Compilation: Not long afterwards, Imam al Bukhari started working
on his magnus opus, the famous Sahih compilation. He
traveled widely in the region, many times to the leading centers of Islamic
learning including Basrah, Kufah, Baghdad, Syria, Egypt, and various Persian
cities investigating hadith sources, researching evidence and confirming
reports. In compiling his Sahih, Imam al Bukhari
adopted stringent rules in appraising hadith reports in terms of both hadith
text and transmission. He followed a scrupulous, rigorous and systematic
procedure before he eventually accepted a hadith in his manuscript.
He did not accept a hadith unless all its narrators were deemed
reliable and truthful. He had to be presented with 'evidence' that 'a disciple'
had actually met and studied under 'the
teacher' (on whose authority the hadith was narrated) before he included
such hadiths in his manuscript. The mere fact that two narrators were
contemporaries did not satisfy Imam al Bukhari. NOTE: A less stringent test was
adopted my Imam Muslim for accepting hadith reports in his Sahih [Muhammad `Ali].
Al Bukhari examined and appraised over 300,000 ahadith before accepting
7,397 as 'sound' reports (2,762 without repetition) in his Sahih compilation. These ahadith form the core of the al Bukari's book. The narrators (isnad) in this collection are men of integrity, reliability
and strong memories; and the contents of the reports conform to the Qur'an and
with the text of other ahadith, which have already been accepted.
As a researcher, Imam al Bukhari was most critical and meticulous. As a
hadith scholar, he towers over all others through his acumen and his depth of
critical analysis. He heads the more important chapters of his Sahih with a statement from Qur'an showing that
the Prophetic Tradition is only a supplement and explanation of the Qur'anic
Revelation, and as such, secondary, in the canonical ordinances of Islam.
After the hadith manuscript was finally completed (having been revised
three times), Imam Bukhari submitted the
Sahih to three of his teachers who were themselves formidable authorities in
Hadith literature. They are: `Ali ibn Madini (d. 234), Yahya ibn Ma`in (d. 233)
and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 A.H.). These mighty scholars admired and
approved the Sahih manuscript with four
exceptions. These four hadiths were later confirmed as 'satisfactory' by later
hadith scholars. The important point to note here is that Imam al Bukhari's
classic work, Al
Sahih, was completed, reviewed, and approved by renowned contemporary
jurists before his death in 256 A.H. [`Abdul-Rauf].
Complete title of the Sahih:
Al Jami` al musnad al sahih al
mukhtasar min hadith Rasul Allah, salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, wa sunanihi
wa ayyamih, which translates as:
The
Authentic Comprehensive and Abridged Records of the Words, Practices and
Biography of the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings be upon him, which are
traced or attributed to the Prophet himself. The meanings of some of these
terms are:
Al Jami`: The Comprehensive One
Al
Musnad: Includes only Hadith traced
to the Prophet himself
Al Sahih: The Reliable Sound Book
Al
Mukhtasar: The Abridged because ahadith
were selected from a larger collection of some 600,000 ahadith.
The Sahih is universally recognized as the most
authoritative publication of all the works in hadith literature. Islam's
orthodoxy regards it as the most sacred book
after the Glorious Qur'an itself. Finally, Imam al Bukhari also holds the
pre-eminent honor as the leader having the unquestioned distinction of being
first in the al Jami` compilation,
followed by his disciple, Imam Muslim.
APPENDIX II: THE
SECOND MOST AUTHENTIC BOOK
AL
SAHIH OF IMAM AL BUKHARI
GENERAL COMMENTS: IMAM
AL BUKHARI AND HIS METHOD
Imam al Bukhari was born Muhammad ibn Isma`il Ibn Ibrahim ibn al
Mughirah of Persian parentage (13th Shawwal, 194 A.H.) in Bukhara (now part of
the Republic of Uzbekistan in Soviet Central Asia). He first visited the Hijaz
on pilgrimage with his mother and brother when he was sixteen. After performing hajj, he remained behind in the Hijaz for six years to study
under the learned and reputed scholars of Makka and Madina. Within two years he
recorded legal judgments and statements traceable to Companions and Successors.
BEGINNING OF HIS
SCHOLARLY UNDERTAKING:
Not long afterwards, this young scholar started the massive undertaking
of compiling an encyclopedic biography known as al
Tarikh al Kabir, The Large History Work, devoted to men of hadith. This
book was a highly regarded collection, which was emulated by many later
scholars. After this, he started work on his
magnus opus, the famous Sahih compilation. In collecting his Sahih, Imam al Bukhari established stringent
rules for accepting hadith reports for both text and transmission. He was also
scrupulously rigorous and systematic in his compilation as noted earlier. He
traveled widely in the region, many times to the leading centers of Islamic
learning including Basrah, Kufah, Baghdad, Syria, Egypt, and various Persian
cities to trace hadith sources and confirm reports.
IMAM AL BUKHARI AS
RESEARCHER:
After he completed his renowned
Sahih, he submitted it to three of his teachers who were themselves
formidable authorities in Hadith literature. They are: `Ali ibn Madini (d.
234), Yahya ibn Ma`in (d. 233) and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 A.H.). These
mighty scholars admired and approved the
sahih manuscript with four exceptions. These four hadiths were later
confirmed as 'satisfactory' by later hadith scholars. The important point to
note here is that Imam al Bukhari's classic work, Al Sahih, was completed,
reviewed, and approved by renowned contemporary jurists before his death in 256
A.H. [`Abdul-Rauf].
Imam al Bukhari also holds the pre-eminent honor as the leader having
the unquestioned distinction of being first in the al
Jami` compilation, followed by his disciple, Imam Muslim. He heads the more
important chapters with a statement from Qur'an showing that Prophetic Tradition
is only a supplement and explanation of the Qur'anic Revelation, and as such,
secondary, in the canonical ordinances of Islam.
Imam al Bukhari was most critical as a compiler and a researcher. As a
hadith scholar, he towers over all others through his acumen and his depth of
critical analysis. He did not accept any report unless all its narrators were
scrupulously reliable and until there was 'evidence' that 'a disciple' had
actually met and studied under 'the teacher' on whose authority he related the
hadith. (A less stringent test was adopted my Imam Muslim.) The mere fact that
two narrators were contemporaries did not satisfy Imam al Bukhari.
For example, some compilers used the term
mu`an`an referring to an isnad in which the
preposition `an, "on the authority of" is used
to denote a transmission from one narrator to another. Because this term is not
explicit in describing the method in which the hadith was received, Imam al
Bukhari stipulated that there must be evidence that the two contemporaries must
have actually met and known each other well enough in order to accept the isnad as reliable.
Finally, the Sahih of Imam al Bukhari
is universally recognized as the most authoritative of all the works in hadith
literature. Islam's orthodoxy regards it as the most sacred book after the Glorious Qur'an itself. The core ahadith in this
compilation are exclusively 'sound' the
isnad of which are continuous, and as such, do not suffer from any defects
common to the weak (da`if) category. The Sahih consists of 7,397 ahadith, an amount that
is reduced to 2,762 (by almost two-thirds) when discounted for repetitions. The
narrators of these hadiths are men of integrity, reliability and strong
memories; and the content conforms to the Qur'an and with the text of other
ahadith, which have already been accepted.
THE RENOWNED SAHIH
COMPILATION
Title of Book:
The complete title of the Sahih as recorded by Imam
al Bukhari is:
Al Jami` al musnad al sahih al mukhtasar
min hadith Rasul Allah, salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, wa sunanihi wa ayyamih which translates as:
The
Authentic Comprehensive and Abridged Records of the Words, Practices and
Biography of the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings be upon him, which are
traced or attributed to the Prophet himself.
Some of these terms can be explained as follows:
Al Jami`: The
Comprehensive One
Al Musnad: Only
Hadiths traced to the Prophet himself are included
Al Sahih: The
Reliable Sound Book
Al Mukhtasar: The
Abridged because ahadith were selected from a larger collection of some 600,000
ahadith.
FEATURES OF THE TEXT:
Imam al Bukhari divided his Sahih into chapters known as Kitab, "book." Each chapter was in
turn divided into sub-chapters, each called bab. There are 97 kitabs (books) and 4,908 babs in the Sahih. The total number of
ahadith is 7,397, almost two-thirds of which are repetitions.
Each sub-chapter introduces a long introductory discussion or a short
title. In most cases, a sub-chapter has expanded titles denoted by al Bukhari
as al tarajim (plural of tarjamah, 'a long title.'). There are also titles
of some sub-chapters, bab, without a hadith
under the title. At times, one may find a simple title, (bab) separating ahadith of the same theme.
A layman may sometimes have difficulty in fully understanding Imam al
Bukhari's arrangement. For example, one may encounter some ahadith in a chapter
that appear to be irrelevant to its title. In fact, many of al Bukhari's titles
are so elaborate and expanded that a reader could possibly get confused.
The problem of apparent irrelevance of some hadiths to the title of a
chapter or sub-chapter in which they are cited is based on the fact that Imam
al Bukhari adopted the procedure of repeating a hadith for having the slightest
relationship between its contents or even its
isnad to the theme of the title as a way of providing varieties of isnads for the same hadith.
CATEGORIES OF HADITH
IN THE SAHIH
Imam al Bukhari's Al Sahih comprises four
categories of ahadith outlined as follows:
FIRST CATEGORY:
The first category comprises the primary and basic ahadith found in
this compilation, and it meets all the critical tests and stringent standards
for acceptability imposed by the Imam for authenticity of text and reliability
of transmission. These ahadith are introduced by the full isnads, each beginning with such terms as haddathana ('told us'),
haddathani ('told me'), akhbarana ('informed us'), and akhbarani ('informed me'). This first group forms
the core of the book and, as
stated before, consists of 7,397 ahadith, an amount that is reduced to 2,762
(by almost two-thirds) when discounted for repetitions.
SECOND CATEGORY:
The second category of ahadith found in the
Sahih is those comprising the "titles of chapters" or
"subchapters." These ahadith are presented to substantiate a moral
judgment, theological position or legal interpretation. Some ahadith in this
group may or may not be introduced by isnads. Some in this group
may even be as 'authentic' as those in the first category, while others may be
of a lower grade. This group is called
ta`aliq (plural of ta`liq) and comprises 1,685
ahadith.
THIRD CATEGORY:
The third category of ahadith found in the
Sahih are those which are presented after the "primary" or
"original" hadith is given. This group of ahadith has been added to
support the reliability of the "original" hadith. They often contain
'similar' or 'identical' words as found in the "original" hadith. As
noted before, hadith scholars (muhaddithin) are agreed that the
more "common" the text of a hadith the more reliable the hadith. This
third group is called shawahid (plural of shahid, 'witness').
LAST CATEGORY:
The last category of ahadith found in the
Sahih is almost the same as the third. Both of the final two groups are not
introduced by isnads. This last
subsidiary group of ahadith, however, was included by Imam al Bukhari to
further corroborate the soundness and reliability of the "original"
hadith. This last category does not contain 'similar' words as the
"original" hadith though they agree in meaning of the "original." The ahadith in this group are
called mutaba`at (plural of mutabi`, 'a follower' or supporter').
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