Preservation of Hadith Through Writing

Author: Muhammad Arshad Kamal — Monthly Noor-ul-Hadith

Introduction​

One of the most significant means of preserving Hadith is writing. This method of preserving Hadith has been in continuous practice since the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ himself used to have Hadiths written and would order their documentation. Therefore, the claim that Hadith was only written two and a half centuries later is entirely incorrect and based on ignorance. From the blessed era of the Prophet ﷺ until today, Hadith has been consistently written, and no period has been devoid of this practice.

Writing of Hadith During the Prophetic Era​

Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrates that when Allah granted the Prophet ﷺ the conquest of Makkah, he praised Allah before the people and said:
"Indeed, Allah prevented the elephant army from entering Makkah and granted control over it to His Messenger and the believers. It was not permissible for anyone before me, and it has been made permissible for me only for a brief period. It will not be permissible for anyone after me. Therefore, do not chase its game, cut its thorny trees, nor pick up lost property unless to announce it. Whoever is killed therein, his family may choose between retaliation or blood money."

Al-‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه) requested permission regarding 'Idhkhir (a type of grass used for graves and houses), and the Prophet ﷺ allowed it.

Then a man from Yemen named Abu Shah requested:
"O Messenger of Allah! Please write down this sermon for me."

The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Write it down for Abu Shah."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Lost Property, Hadith 2434)

Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) also stated:
"No companion of the Prophet ﷺ narrated more Ahadith than me except for Abdullah bin ‘Amr (رضي الله عنه), as he used to write, and I did not."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Knowledge, Hadith 113)

Abdullah bin ‘Amr (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"I used to write everything I heard from the Prophet ﷺ to memorize it, but the Quraysh discouraged me, saying that the Prophet ﷺ is a human who speaks in anger and pleasure. I stopped writing until I mentioned it to the Prophet ﷺ, and he pointed to his mouth and said:

"Write, for by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, nothing comes out of it except truth."
(Abu Dawood, Book of Knowledge, Hadith 3646)

Further examples include writing during battles, the incident of Abu Shah, and the preserved sermons and rulings dictated by the Prophet ﷺ regarding sacrificial animals, diyat (blood money), and other matters.

Writing of Hadith During the Era of the Companions​

After the Prophet’s ﷺ departure, the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) continued the practice of writing Hadith:

• Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) documented rulings on Zakah and sent them to Bahrain.(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Zakah, Hadith 1454)
• Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) wrote instructions prohibiting the wearing of silk for men, except for specific small uses.(Sahih Muslim, Book of Clothing, Hadith 2069)
• Muawiyah (رضي الله عنه) requested Mughira bin Shu‘bah (رضي الله عنه) to send him narrations he heard from the Prophet ﷺ.(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Holding Firm to the Qur’an and Sunnah, Hadith 7292)
• Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) personally verified written Hadith with his students.(Musnad al-Darimi, Hadith 500)

Writing of Hadith During the Era of the Tabi‘een​

The Tabi‘een (رحمهم الله) also preserved Hadith through writing:

• ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul Aziz (رحمه الله) ordered the people of Madinah to compile and document Hadith due to fear of loss.(Musnad al-Darimi, Hadith 494)
• Nafi‘, Mawla of Ibn ‘Umar, dictated Hadith to scribes.(Musnad al-Darimi, Hadith 513)
• Abu Qilabah entrusted his books to Ayub al-Sakhtiyani.(Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, 9/250)
• The family of Ibn ‘Abbas preserved heavy volumes of Hadith.(Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, 7/289)
• Imam al-Zuhri emphasized the significance of writing and regretted those who neglected it.(Taqyid al-‘Ilm, p. 107, 160)

Moreover, the famous Sahifah of Hammam bin Munabbih (student of Abu Hurairah) is a well-known documented collection containing approximately 150 Ahadith.

Writing of Hadith During the Era of the Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘een​

During the era of the Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘een, the writing and compilation of Hadith expanded further:

• Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik
• Kitab al-Zuhd by Ibn al-Mubarak
• Kitab al-Zuhd by Imam Waki‘ bin al-Jarrah
• Kitab al-Siyar by Muhammad bin Ishaq
• Kitab al-Du‘a by Muhammad bin Fudayl

Later, monumental works such as:

• Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq
• Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah
• Musnad Ahmad
• Musnad of Abu Dawood al-Tayalisi

were compiled, showcasing the unparalleled efforts in documenting Hadith.

Conclusion​

Thus, the claim that Hadith was first recorded two and a half centuries later is completely false. From the era of the Prophet ﷺ, through the Companions, the Tabi‘een, and succeeding generations, Hadith has always been preserved through writing alongside memorization.

The preservation of Hadith is similar to the preservation of the Qur'an: both are Divine revelations. Just as the Qur'an was preserved through memorization and writing, so too was the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. The Qur'an is the Word of Allah, and the Hadith is the elaboration and explanation of the Qur'an by the Prophet ﷺ. Both must be adhered to, and both have been preserved in their original forms until today, and will continue to be, in shaa’ Allah.