Hadith and Sunnah are the second major source of Islam. They consist of the sayings, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This topic covers the definitions of Hadith, Su...
Linguistically: "Speech," "news," "conversation."
Technically: The sayings, actions, approvals (silently observing an action without objecting), and physical/character descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Linguistically: "Path," "way," "conduct."
Technically: The way of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he adopted in matters of religion. It is more comprehensive than Hadith.
Difference: Every Sunnah is a Hadith, but not every Hadith is a Sunnah (because some Ahadith relate to specific events or circumstances).
Linguistically: "News," "information."
Technically: It refers to Hadith itself. Specifically, the sayings of the Companions (Sahabah) or the Successors (Tabi'in) are also called Khabar.
Note: According to Muhadditheen (Hadith scholars), Hadith and Khabar are nearly synonymous.
Linguistically: "Trace," "remnant," "impression."
Technically:
A saying of a Companion (not raised to the Prophet ﷺ).
A saying of a Successor (Tabi'i – the generation after the Companions).
Example: "Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) said that folding the hands in prayer is Sunnah" – this is an Athar (because it is the saying of a Companion).
A Hadith consists of two essential parts:
| Component | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sanad (سند) – Chain of Narrators | The chain of narrators that transmits the Hadith to the Prophet ﷺ | "Ibn Shihab az-Zuhri said: Salim informed me, from Ibn Umar, who heard the Prophet ﷺ say..." |
| Matn (متن) – Text | The actual text (wording) of the Hadith | "Innamal a'malu bin niyyat" (Actions are judged by intentions) |
Complete Example:
Sanad: Hadathana Abdullah bin Yusuf, said: Malik informed us, from Yahya bin Sa'id, from Muhammad bin Ibrahim, from Alqamah bin Waqqas, from Umar bin al-Khattab (RA)
Matn: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what they intended."
Muhadditheen have classified Ahadith into four main categories based on acceptance and reliability:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Definition | A Hadith with a continuous chain of just ('Adil) and precise (Dabit) narrators, reaching the Prophet ﷺ without being Shadhdh (irregular) or Mu'allal (defective). |
| Conditions | 1. Continuous chain (Muttasil) 2. Narrators are just ('Adil) 3. Narrators are precise (Dabit – strong memory) 4. Not Shadhdh (contradicting stronger narrations) 5. Not Mu'allal (hidden defect) |
| Ruling | Acceptable; acting upon it is obligatory. |
| Example | Almost all Ahadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Definition | A Hadith with a continuous chain of just narrators, but the narrator's memory is slightly weak (though not weak enough to be Da'if), and it is not Shadhdh or Mu'allal. |
| Grade | Slightly below Sahih, but still acceptable. |
| Ruling | Acceptable; can be acted upon (especially for virtues). |
| Example | A Hadith that Imam Tirmidhi classifies as "Hasan." |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Definition | A Hadith that lacks one or more conditions of Sahih or Hasan (e.g., broken chain, very weak memory of a narrator, narrator makes mistakes but does not lie). |
| Types | Many types: Mursal, Munqati', Mu'dal, Mudallis, Mudtarib, etc. |
| Ruling | Cannot be acted upon as a matter of precaution (especially in beliefs and halal/haram). Some scholars allow it for virtuous deeds, but it is better to avoid it. |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Definition | A Hadith that is false and fabricated. The narrator deliberately lied upon the Prophet ﷺ. |
| Ruling | Unacceptable; it is not permissible to recite it except to warn against it. |
| Punishment | The one who fabricates a Hadith will be thrown into Hellfire on the Day of Judgment. |
| Example | "I was created from light, and Ali was created from my light..." (This is fabricated) |
| Type | Grade | Ruling on Acting Upon It | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sahih | Highest | Obligatory / Recommended | Hadith in Bukhari & Muslim |
| Hasan | Second | Acceptable | A Hadith Tirmidhi calls "Hasan" |
| Da'if | Weak | Do not act upon it (precaution) | A Hadith with a weak chain |
| Mawdu' | False / Fabricated | Haram (forbidden) | A fabricated lie |
| # | Book Name | Author | Birth/Death (AH) | Features | Total Ahadith |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sahih Bukhari | Imam Muhammad bin Isma'il al-Bukhari | 194-256 AH | The most authentic book after the Quran. Condition: narrators must have met. | 7,275 (with repeats) |
| 2 | Sahih Muslim | Imam Muslim bin Hajjaj an-Naysaburi | 206-261 AH | Second most authentic book. Condition: narrators being contemporaries is sufficient. | 9,200 (with repeats) |
| 3 | Sunan Abi Dawud | Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani | 202-275 AH | Focus on jurisprudential (fiqh) Ahadith. | 4,800 |
| 4 | Jami' at-Tirmidhi | Imam Muhammad bin Isa at-Tirmidhi | 209-279 AH | Classifies Ahadith as Sahih, Hasan, Gharib. | 3,956 |
| 5 | Sunan an-Nasa'i | Imam Ahmad bin Shu'ayb an-Nasa'i | 215-303 AH | Very strict on wording of Ahadith. | 5,700 |
| 6 | Sunan Ibn Majah | Imam Muhammad bin Yazid Ibn Majah | 209-273 AH | The sixth book (some consider this the sixth). | 4,341 |
| Book | Author | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Muwatta Imam Malik | Imam Malik bin Anas (93-179 AH) | The oldest Hadith book; emphasizes the practice of Medina. |
| Musnad Ahmad | Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (164-241 AH) | Very large collection; over 30,000 Ahadith. |
| Sahih Ibn Hibban | Imam Ibn Hibban (270-354 AH) | Collection of authentic Ahadith. |
| Mustadrak al-Hakim | Imam Hakim an-Naysaburi (321-405 AH) | Compiled Ahadith meeting Bukhari & Muslim's conditions. |
| Sunan ad-Daraqutni | Imam ad-Daraqutni (306-385 AH) | Specialized in hidden defects ('Ilal) of Hadith. |
| Shu'ab al-Iman | Imam al-Bayhaqi (384-458 AH) | Ahadith on the 77 branches of faith. |
Text (Arabic transliteration):
"Innamal a'malu bin niyyat, wa innama li kullim ri'im ma nawa. Faman kanat hijratuhu ilallahi wa rasulihi, fa hijratuhu ilallahi wa rasulihi. Wa man kanat hijratuhu lidunya yusibuha, aw imra'atin yatazawwajuha, fa hijratuhu ila ma hajara ilayh."
Translation:
"Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what they intended. Whoever's migration (hijrah) is for Allah and His Messenger, then his migration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever's migration is for some worldly gain he can acquire or a woman he will marry, then his migration is for that which he migrated."
Book: Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Narrator: Umar bin al-Khattab (RA)
Importance: This Hadith is called the "Scale of Ahadith" (Mizan al-Hadith). It encompasses half of the religion.
Text:
"Al-Muslimu man salima al-muslimuna min lisanihi wa yadihi"
Translation:
"The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe."
Book: Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Narrator: Abdullah bin Amr (RA)
Text:
"La yu'minu ahadukum hatta yuhibba li akhihi ma yuhibbu li nafsihi"
Translation:
"None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
Book: Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Narrator: Anas bin Malik (RA)
Text:
"Innal halala bayyin, wa innal harama bayyin, wa baynahuma umurun mushtabihatun la ya'lamuhunna kathirun min an-nas"
Translation:
"Indeed, the halal is clear, and the haram is clear, and between them are doubtful matters which many people do not know."
Book: Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
Narrator: An-Nu'man bin Bashir (RA)
Text:
"Man salaka tariqan yaltamisu fihi 'ilman, sahhala Allahu lahu bihi tariqan ila al-jannah"
Translation:
"Whoever takes a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise."
Book: Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Tirmidhi
Narrator: Abu Hurairah (RA)
| Feature | Sahih Bukhari | Sahih Muslim |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Imam Muhammad bin Isma'il al-Bukhari | Imam Muslim bin Hajjaj an-Naysaburi |
| Condition for Acceptance | Narrators must have met each other | Narrators being contemporaries is sufficient |
| Arrangement | Thematic (organized into chapters) | Thematic but with jurisprudential order |
| Status | Most authentic book after the Quran | Second most authentic book |
| Total Ahadith (with repeats) | 7,275 | 9,200 |
| Total Ahadith (without repeats) | 2,602 | 3,033 |
| Time taken for compilation | 16 years | 15 years |
| Famous Commentary | Fath al-Bari (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani) | Al-Minhaj (An-Nawawi) |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Marfu' (مرفوع) | A Hadith that reaches the Prophet ﷺ (whether saying or action) |
| Mawquf (موقوف) | A saying or action attributed to a Companion (not reaching the Prophet ﷺ) |
| Maqtu' (مقطوع) | A saying attributed to a Successor (Tabi'i) |
| Muttasil (متصل) | A chain with no missing narrator |
| Munqati' (منقطع) | A chain where one or two narrators are missing |
| Mursal (مرسل) | A Successor (Tabi'i) saying "The Prophet ﷺ said..." (missing the Companion) |
| Takhrij (تخریج) | Identifying the source book of a Hadith |
| Hafiz (حافظ) | A person who has memorized 100,000 Ahadith |
| Muhaddith (محدث) | A scholar expert in the chains and texts of Hadith |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| The two main parts of a Hadith | Sanad (chain) and Matn (text) |
| Most authentic book after the Quran | Sahih Bukhari |
| Second most authentic book | Sahih Muslim |
| First book among Sihah Sittah | Sahih Bukhari |
| Second book among Sihah Sittah | Sahih Muslim |
| Who classified Ahadith into Sahih, Hasan, Gharib? | Imam Tirmidhi |
| First person to compile Hadith on a large scale | Imam Malik (Muwatta) |
| Narrator of the Hadith "Actions are judged by intentions" | Umar bin al-Khattab (RA) |
| Ruling on acting upon a Da'if Hadith | Do not act upon it (precaution) |
| Ruling on a Mawdu' Hadith | Haram (fabricated lie) |
| Largest Hadith book (by quantity) | Musnad Ahmad (30,000+) |