The Word "Hadith" Used by the Prophet ﷺ Himself

The Term "Hadith" Proven from the Blessed Tongue of the Prophet ﷺ
✍ Authored by: Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ali bin Inaam
🗞 Source: Monthly Al-Hadith, Hazro

❖ The Usage of the Word “Hadith” by the Prophet ﷺ Himself​

The legitimacy of the term "Hadith" as used for the sayings and traditions of the Prophet ﷺ is not a post-Prophetic development—it is established directly from the blessed tongue of the Messenger ﷺ.

❖ Hadith Narrated by Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah (RA)​

Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah رضی اللہ عنہ narrates:


I once asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who will be the most fortunate to receive your intercession on the Day of Judgement?
The Prophet ﷺ replied:


«لقد ظننت يا أبا هريرة ! أن لا يسألني عن هذا الحديث أحد أول منك لما رأيت من حرصك على الحديث، أسعد الناس بشفاعتي يوم القيامة من قال: لا إله إلا الله، خالصا من قلبه أو نفسه»


“O Abū Hurayrah! I expected that no one would ask me about this ḥadīth before you, due to the eagerness I have seen in you regarding ḥadīth. The most fortunate of people to receive my intercession on the Day of Judgment will be the one who says ‘Lā ilāha illa Allāh’ sincerely from his heart or soul.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 99, 6570)

❖ Key Observations from the Hadith​

✔ The word “ḥadīth” was explicitly used by the Prophet ﷺ to refer to his own sayings.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ acknowledged Abū Hurayrah’s devotion to preserving Hadith.
✔ The Hadith also emphasizes sincerity in Tawḥīd as a key to earning the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession.

❖ Conclusion​

This narration is clear and decisive evidence that the term “ḥadīth” was used by the Prophet ﷺ himself, establishing its validity as a term for his teachings. Furthermore, the narration highlights the virtue of seeking and preserving Hadith and the importance of sincerity in faith.