Introduction to Hadith
Hadith are the sayings, actions and tacit approvals of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which were revealed by Allah Almighty for the guidance of mankind. The origin of hadith is the Being of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ conveyed these guidance through his words, deeds or approval. In the early period, hadith were not divided into any specific classification, nor did the Companions divide the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ into different categories. However, it was accepted that all the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ are derived from divine light.
The Beginning of the Classification of Hadith
When various fitnah arose and false statements began to be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, the scholars laid down principles for examining and classifying hadith. These principles were derived from the Quran and hadith, and the isnad (the chain of narrators) was scrutinised so that authentic and inauthentic narrations could be distinguished.
Division of Hadith
Hadith have been divided from various aspects, including division by text, by chain, by rank and grade, and by knowledge.
1. Division by Text
- Marfu’ hadith: A hadith in which a saying, action, attribute or tacit approval (silent consent) is attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Example: قال رسول اللہ: والذی نفسی بیدہ…
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “By the One in whose hand is my soul.” - Mawquf hadith: A hadith that ends with the saying, action or tacit approval of a Companion.
Example: Ibn Abbas said… - Maqtu’ hadith: A hadith that ends with the saying, action or tacit approval of a Successor.
Example: A Successor says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did such and such.
2. Division by Chain
- Muttasil hadith: A hadith whose narrators are all complete and whose chain is not broken anywhere.
- Munqati’ hadith: A hadith whose chain is broken somewhere, but which does not fall under the category of “mu’allaq” or “mursal”.
- Mursal hadith: A hadith in which a Successor narrates directly from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, with no narrator in between.
- Mu’dal hadith: A hadith in which two consecutive narrators are missing from the chain.
- Mu’allaq hadith: A hadith in which several narrators have been omitted from the chain.
3. Division by Rank and Grade
- Sahih hadith: A hadith all of whose narrators are upright and trustworthy, whose memory is strong, and whose chain is complete.
- Sahih li-dhatihi: A hadith in which all the conditions are fulfilled.
- Sahih li-ghayrihi: A hadith in which a narrator’s memory is weak, but which is supported through other routes.
- Hasan hadith: A hadith whose narrators are upright, but whose memory in one of them is somewhat weak.
- Hasan li-dhatihi: A hadith all of whose narrators are trustworthy but whose precision is lacking.
- Hasan li-ghayrihi: A hadith which, strengthened by other chains, becomes acceptable.
- Da’if hadith: A hadith in which some narrator has a deficiency, but which may be acceptable if it is supported through different chains.
- Qawi bi-ta’addud turuq: A da’if hadith which is strengthened by several chains.
- Matruk: A hadith which is extremely weak and for which no support is found.
4. Division by Knowledge
- Mutawatir hadith: A hadith narrated in every era by so many people that it is impossible for them to agree upon a lie.
Example: The hadith of لا نبی بعدی.
“There is no prophet after me.” - Mashhur hadith: A hadith which did not have tawatur in the first tier (the Companions), but became well known in the two later tiers (the Successors and the Successors of the Successors).
- Aziz hadith: A hadith whose narrators are at least two in every tier.
- Gharib hadith: A hadith whose chain in any one tier was carried by only one narrator.
Example: “Faith has seventy branches.”
The Importance of Hadith and the Uniqueness of the Science of Hadith
The science of scrutinising and classifying hadith was introduced to the world exclusively by the Muslim Ummah. Through this science, authentic hadith are separated from da’if or mawdu’ narrations. This is the very science that strengthens the foundations of Islam.
Those who evaluate hadith without knowledge of the science of hadith, or who, under the influence of the Orientalists, declare hadith unreliable, are in reality harming Islam.
