o Sunnat-ul-Qawliyyah: 

This Sunnah is the sayings of the Holy

Prophet (SAW). In which all words, counsels, and perspectives of the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) include. It is generally known as hadith.
o Sunnah al Fiiliyyah: In this Sunnah, the actions of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) comes including both religious and worldly
actions.
o Sunnah Taqririyyah: Sunnah that approved by Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) regarding the actions of the Companions in two
different ways. Firstly, When Prophet Muhammad (SAW) kept silent
for an action that took place in His presence and He did not oppose
that action, this showing his silent approval. Secondly, when
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) showed His pleasure and smiled at a
companion’s action, showing his approval.
Significance
Sunni Muslims view the six major hadith collections as their most
important, though the order of authenticity varies between Madhhabs:
[5]

1. Sahih Bukhari, collected by Imam Bukhari (d. 256 AH, 870 CE),

includesα 7,563 ahadith (including repetitions, around 2,600
without repetitions)[6][7]
2. Sahih Muslim, collected by Muslim b. al-Hajjaj (d. 261 AH, 875 CE),
includes 7,500 ahadith (including repetitions, around 3,033
without repetitions)[8][9]
3. Sunan al-Sughra, collected by al-Nasa'i (d. 303 AH, 915 CE),
includes 5,270 ahadith (including repetitions)[10]
4. Sunan Abu Dawood, collected by Abu Dawood (d. 275 AH, 888
CE), includes 5,274 ahadith (including repetitions)[11]
5. Jami al-Tirmidhi, collected by al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH, 892 CE),
includes 4,400 ahadith (including repetitions, only 83 are
repeated)[12][13]
6. Either:
 Sunan ibn Majah, collected by Ibn Majah (d. 273 AH, 887 CE),
includes 4,341 ahadith (including repetitions)[14]
 Muwatta Malik, collected by Imam Malik (d. 179 AH, 795 CE),
includes 1,720 ahadith [15]
 Sunan ad-Dārimī , collected by Imam Al-Darimi (181H–255H),
includes 3,500 ahadith [16][17]
The first two, commonly referred to as the Two Sahihs as an indication
of their authenticity, contain approximately seven thousand hadiths
altogether if repetitions are not counted, according to Ibn Hajar.α[18]
Al-Bukh¥rÏ and Muslim are ranked as the most eminent and respected
Hadith scholars of all time. Their method of classification and
examination, based on well-defined criteria, laid the foundation of
Hadith authentication and methodology known today. They hold the
status of teachers and pioneers in the field of Hadith authentication.

Imam Al-Bukh¥rÏ, native to today’s Uzbekistan, subjected every

Prophetic tradition to strict scrutiny in terms of its chain of narrators
before including it in his work, considered the most authentic
compilation. Imam Muslim, of Iran, followed the same methodology as
al-Bukh¥rÏ, who, however, believed Muslim’s chains of narration were
problematic. The beauty of Muslim’s work lies in its particular
arrangement of traditions, recording all authentic reports on the same
subject in the same place, and not scattering them as al-Bukh¥rÏ did.

Hadith verification can be traced to the time of the first Muslim Caliph,
Abu Bakr. As a way to safeguard against errors, he refused to accept
any hadith narrated by one single Companion unless another
Companion confirmed it. Scholars from the generation of the
Companions hesitated in accepting a hadith without further
verification. Scholars from later generations categorized a hadith as
authentic only when they had established that all its narrators were
highly authentic. From the second half of the first century of Islam the
chain of narrators and their associated biographic dictionaries assumed
a significant place in Hadith authentication. This knowledge of Hadith
narrators was then extensively used to check the authenticity of a
chain. If a chain was found reliable then the text reported through that
chain was identified as authentic. Any problem in the chain would lead
to the classification of the report as weak or unreliable.

Hadith authentication remained in verbal form for around the first

century and a half of Islam. By the era of al-Bukh¥rÏ, numerous written
compilations existed but these works were full of problems. AlBukh¥rÏ’s
mammoth task was to produce a work comprising the most authentic
a^¥dÏth available. In doing so he had to select traditions from 600,000
a^¥dÏth. Muslim selected a^¥dÏth from around 300,000 reports. 16
These and other Hadith works that followed were authenticated
through their chain of reporters. However, one cannot identify any
work of Hadith in which reports have been recorded based on both
verification of text and chain authentication. Scattered comments and
observations on certain a^¥dÏth, from a textual perspective, can be
attributed to some scholars, but serious efforts are missing from the
scholastic legacy.

Hadith experts developed five universally acceptable criteria to

determine the credibility and authenticity of Hadith: chain continuity;
integrity of narrators’ character; report precision; non-deficiency; and
non-aberrance. If a hadith fulfills all these five criteria, it is declared
authentic. A weak hadith is short of fulfilling the conditions of the
authentic one. The chain of transmitters must be unbroken for the
hadith to be acceptable; none of the transmitters can be missing from
the chain of narrators. Each transmitter must have heard the hadith
directly from the transmitter before him. Each chain must link directly
back to the Prophet or any of his Companions. The narrator in a chain
must be a believer in Islam and of sound character. He would be
disqualified by disbelief, hypocrisy, insanity, or biological immaturity.
Finally, the narrator should have a strong and sound memory.

Categorization of Hadith
The taxonomy of the Prophetic (PBUH) axioms has been very carefully
devised according to different sets of classifications along with their
further kinds. Following are the five basic arrangements of Ahadiths on
the basis of particular grounds:

1. According to reference to a particular Authority

2. According to the links of Isnad
3. According to a number of reporters
4. According to nature of Matn and Isnad
5. According to Authenticity of Correspondents
 

Now let us briefly discuss these classes of Hadith one by one:

i)                    According to Reference to a Particular Authority

According to careful research, Hadith is divided into four additional
kinds under this category:

1. Qudsi: meaning “Divine”. It is a Heavenly text which was directly

sent upon the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Who passed it on to His
followers Himself.
2. Marfu`: meaning “Elevated”. It has got very important status in
Islam as it was directly heard from the Messenger (PBUH) of God
Himself by His companions and was brought forward.
3. Mauquf: meaning “Stopped”. It is a kind of command which was
directly given by Rasulullah (PBUH) to His cohorts who forwarded it.
4. Maqtu`: meaning “Severed”. It is a form of Instruction which is
plainly described by Successor in his own words.
ii)                  According to the links of Isnad
Hadith is further divided into six groups under this category:

1. Musnad: meaning “Supported”. Isnad being reported by a well

known companion of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) although final
narrator might not be with Him at that time.
2. Muttasil: meaning “Continuous”. The one with undisturbed Isnad
relating back to rightful friend or its heir.
3.  Mursal: meaning “Hurried”. It missed a connection between the
storyteller and the Messenger (PBUH).
4. Munqati`: meaning “Broken”. Hadith with a link being absent
before it reaches the Successor of the actual narrator.
5. Mu`adal: meaning “Perplexing”. The one in which narrator misses
multiple reported in an order in Isnad of the Hadith.
6. Mu`allaq: meaning “Hanging”. It fails to spot the complete Isnad
of the Hadith.
iii)                According to a number of reporters
It is divided into two more sub-groups:

1. Mutawatir: meaning “Consecutive”. Hadith being reported such a

large number of rightful companions that it is agreed upon as
authentic.
2. Ahad: meaning “Isolated”. The one which has been narrated by a
countable number of people.
It has been further categorized into three sub-types:

1. Mash’hur: meaning “Famous”. Hadith which is related by more

than two individuals.
2. Aziz: meaning “Rare yet Strong”. The one having only two
reporters in its Isnad.
3. Gharib: meaning “Strange”. Saying of Holy Prophet (PBUH) with
only one narrator in its Isnad.
iv)                According to nature of Matn and Isnad
It is split into two major kinds:

1. Munkar: meaning “Denounced”. A Hadith belonging to a weak

reporter.
2. Mudraj: meaning “Interpolated”. The one having some adding up
of words to the authentic Hadith by its narrator.
v)                  According to Authenticity of Correspondents
It has the following three categories:

1.Sahih: meaning “Sound”. A hadith reported by a trustworthy

reporter known for his truthfulness, knowledge, correct way of
narrations etc.
2.Hasan: meaning “Good”. The one whose reporters are know and is
clear-cut.
3.Da`if: meaning “Weak”. A hadith ranking under that of Hasan
because of failing to address the Isnad properly.
4.Maudu`: meaning “Fabricated”. Hadith having wording opposite to
the confirmed Prophetic (PBUH) traditions.
5. Hadith No: 646
From: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 45, Oppressions (Al-Mazalim)
Narrated/Authority of Aisha
6. The Prophet (SAW) said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah
is the most quarrelsome person of the opponents."
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7. Hadith No: 48
From: Sunan Ibn Majah. Chapter 1, The Book of the Sunnah
Narrated/Authority of Abu Umamah
8. "The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: 'No people go astray after
having following right guidance, but those who indulge in disputes.'
Then he recited this Verse: "Nay! But they are a quarrelsome
people.'"(43:58) (Hasan)
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9. Hadith No: 227
From: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 21, Prayer at Night (Tahajjud)
Narrated/Authority of Ali ibn Abu Talib
10. One night Allah's Apostle came to me and Fatima, the daughter of
the Prophet and asked, "Won't you pray (at night)?" I said, "O Allah's
Apostle! Our souls are in the hands of Allah and if He wants us to get
up He will make us get up." When I said that, he left us without
saying anything and I heard that he was hitting his thigh and saying,
"But man is more quarrelsome than anything." (18.54)
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11. Hadith No: 12
From: Imam Malik's Muwatta. Chapter 47, Good Character
Narrated/Authority of Abu Huraira
12. Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al-
Musayyab from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, said, "A strong person is not the
person who throws his adversaries to the ground. A strong person is
the person who contains himself when he is angry."

INTRODUCTION
A major source of religious law and moral guidance, Hadith is
considered to be second most important after the Holy Quran. It
contains the biography of Prophet Muhammad {S.A.W}, including his
community’s devotion and obedience.
Almighty Allah says:
Allah has sent down the best hadith, a Book (this Quran), its parts
resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. [Quran
39:23]

DEFINITION
The narrations connected to the Prophet {S.A.W}, his speech, deeds,
approvals, disapprovals (verbal or by action).
In other words, the hadith are reports of Muhammad {S.A.W}’s sayings
and what he did.
Each piece adds to the enormous data of his life time and altogether,
the collection of Ahadith is referred to as Sunnah
.
LITERAL MEANING
The term Hadith derives from the Arabic root ḥ-d-th meaning “to
happen” and so “to tell a happening,” “to report,” “to have, or give, as
news,” or “to speak of.”
Hadith literally means communication, story, conversation; religious or
secular, historical or recent.
It means “new” when used as an adjective