1.

Write an account of: • the reasons given by scholars for compiling Hadith
collections, and; • the checks made to confirm their authenticity. [10]
Marking key
After the passing away of the Prophet (pbuh) the Muslim community passed through a
series of unrest and wars. Hadiths were forged to manipulate the authority of the Sunna,
so in order to distinguish original Hadith from the fake Hadith compilations were made.

To resolve all matters, secular and spiritual in the light of the teachings of the Prophet
(pbuh) it was essential to have authentic Hadiths. The new generations of Muslims
needed guidance on the true Islamic way of life based on the life of the Prophet (pbuh).

The Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) were passing away and the Hadiths they
remembered had to be preserved. Overzealous teachers and heretics made up Hadiths to
advance religious teachings in the name of Islam and to undermine Islam respectively.
Authentic Hadiths were essential to keep the teachings of Islam uncorrupted.

Also, the Qur'an instructs Muslims to follow the practice of the Prophet (pbuh) and for
that reason Hadiths needed to be compiled so Muslims of all times can use the knowledge
they provided.

For the next part of the answer candidates can write about the checks made to confirm the
authenticity of Hadiths by writing an account of the isnad and matn. It could be said that
checks were made to see that the isnad line was complete and that narrators were subject
to severe tests and were graded according to various degrees of reliability depending on
their character, reputation, knowledge, etc.

Matn of Hadiths was also scrutinised to see that it was in line with the teachings of the
Qur'an, that it did not contradict an established Hadith or the Qur'an, etc.

2. Describe the method used to make a judgment by analogy (qiyas) using the Qur’an
and Hadith. Give examples to support your answer. 10 (OCT/NOV 2020)
Part a
Qiyas, Arabic qiyās, in Islamic law, analogical reasoning as applied to the deduction of
juridical principles from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah. Qiyas or Analogy is the decision of an
expert of Islamic law on the basis of comparison with the known law (ASL) given by the Quran
and Sunnah and a problem which did not exist during the time of the Prophet (SAW). It means
that the roots of every Qiyas are definitely there in the Quran and the Sunnah.The famous Hadith
of the Prophet (sw) is also a proof of Qiyas when the Prophet (SAW) permitted Muaz bin Jabal
to use his discretion when a direct solution is not found in Quran and Sunnah. 

In order for Qiyas to be used in Islamic law, three things are necessary. First, there must be a
new case for which the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet do not provide a clear ruling. Second,
there must be an original case which was resolved using a hukm, or ruling, from the Quran,
Sunnah, or the process of Ijma. Third, there must be a common illa, or reasoning, which applies
to both cases in an analogous way. These three conditions allow for a hukm to be made on the
new case based on the analogical connection to the reasoning from the original case.

An example of the use of qiyās is the case of the ban on selling or buying of goods after the last
call for Friday prayers until the end of the prayer stated in the Holy Quran; “Believers, when the
call for Prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and give up all
trading. That is better for you, if you only knew.”. In modern times question arises What kind
of trading is prohibited since no clear ruling prevails. The injunction prevailed because it was
important to instill the importance of Friday prayers and this remains important till ever so
question rises what kind of trading is prohibited. The scholars deduced the new law by
establishing the relationship between asl and new branch of problem. This new ruling has
reasoning emerging out from the root cause and therefore this prohibition is extended to other
transactions and activities such as agricultural work and administration. In short every kind of
transaction and services are termed prohibited during this hour so Muslim men can mindfully
offer Friday prayers and earn rewards. Qiyas has been accepted as a secondary source of Sharia
law along with Ijmāʿ, after the primary sources of the Quran, and the Sunnah.

it is important that the asl must always be from the Qur’an or the Sunna of the Prophet (pbuh) or
by ijm’a. An example from the Hadith that could be given is: The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Every
intoxicant is khamr (wine) and every intoxicant is forbidden.’ Asl: The Qur’an and Hadith
prohibiting khamr. Far’: The use of intoxicants other than khamr also prohibited in Islam. ‘Illa:
They, like khamr, contain the properties of being intoxicants. Hukm: Therefore, the use of every
substance that causes intoxication is banned in Islam.

Other than this, ruling such as smoking is prohibited in Islam is also an outcome of qiyas. The
logical relationship was established by referring to asl that states it is prohibited to enter masjid
after eating onion because of bad odor. This logical reasoning was used to ban smoking inside
the masjid as it creates bad odor and affect the sanctity of sacred place. Moreover, life insurance
is prohibited in Islam on account of new hukum that can be traced back to hadith prohibiting
such practices as they involve the use of gambling and riba and making one faith vulnerable by
not putting full trust in Allah.
In short Qiyas, personal reasoning is credible secondary source of law and can be used only with
accordance to Quran and hadith. This provide an opportunity to live a life that is regulated within
the paradigm of Islam.

3. Outline the relationship between the Qur’an and Hadith when formulating Islamic
law. [10]
Sunnah literally means the way, which people regularly and habitually follow. In terms of
Shariah Sunnah, signifies all sayings, actions and silence of the Holy prophet. Here, Silence
means that when someone performed an act in the presence of the Holy Prophet or he was
informed of an act, he remain silent on it. The Holy Quran itself affirms Sunnah as the source of
Sharia laws telling us that whatever the Holy Prophet said or did is absolutely based on
revelation. The fact is mentioned in the following verses “He does not speak (of his own)
desire, it is a save revelation sent down on him”. One of the responsibilities of the Holy
Prophet was to explain the text of the Holy Quran, Allah points out this responsibility in these
words, "We have revealed unto you the Remembrance (Quran) that you may explain to
mankind which has been revealed to them”.
There are also a number of verses, which command us that we must follow and obey the Sunnah
of the Holy Prophet. This fact is mentioned in different ways in numerous verses of the Holy
Quran. Sometimes we are commanded to obey the Holy Prophet for example, "O believers!
Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those of you who are in authority". And sometimes
we are told that the obedience of the Holy Prophet is indeed the obedience of Allah for example,
"Whosoever obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah”.
The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet consists of four types of laws. The first type of laws is that
which are similar to those of the Holy Quran These laws approve the directives of the Holy
Quran such as obedience to parents, false evidence, and the murdering of a person, etc.
The second type of laws is that which limits the general commandment of the Holy Quran. For
instance Allah permits trading in these words Allah permits trading.... It is a general
commandment but the Holy Prophet particularized it by prohibiting some kinds of trading. For
example, the Holy Prophet forbade the trading of commodities that were not in sight. Similarly,
Allah forbade eating dead animal which had not been properly slaughtered, "Forbidden unto
you (for food) are carrion and blood..." .But the Holy Prophet particularized this
commandment by saying, "Sea water is pure and its dead is lawful (for food)" . In this Hadith
the Holy Prophet exempted the dead of sea from being categorized as carrion which is haram for
all Muslims.
The third type of laws are commandments of the Holy Quran, such as rate of Zakat, method of
Hajj, other similar commandments.
The fourth type of the commandments is that, which are not found in the Holy Quran. The Holy
Prophet himself gave these laws. It is so because the Sunnah itself is the source of the Shariah
law and the Holy Prophet has the authority to make laws. The Hadith of the Holy Prophet
approves this fact, "Listen carefully! I have been granted similar thing with the Holy
Quran." This similar thing is the Sunnah. The Holy Prophet declared the flesh of the domestic
donkey as unlawful for eating. He also declared the flesh of beasts with pointed teeth and that of
the birds with pointed claws, unlawful to eat. He fixed the share of the grandmother in
inheritance, etc. Thus, it is clear that Sunnah is the second authentic source of Shariah laws. If
we cannot find any law in the Holy Quran we will turn to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and if
we find it in the Sunnah, it is our bounded duty on us to follow it accordingly.

4. Write an account of the collection of Hadiths during: • the Prophet’s lifetime, and •
the time of the Companions immediately after the Prophet’s death. [10]
During the Prophet’s time there was no official recording or transcripts of Hadiths of what he
said. Instead the generation of Muslims who lived with the Prophet (pbuh) sought to preserve his
words and deeds either in their memory or through some means of writing.
One example is mentioned below. ‘Abdullah bin Amr said: “I used to write everything which I
heard from the Messenger of Allah. I intended (by it) to memorize it. The Quraysh prohibited
me, saying ‘Do you write everything that you hear from him, while the Messenger of Allah is a
human being (Bashr), he speaks in anger and pleasure?’ Therefore, I stopped writing, and
mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah. He pointed with his finger to his mouth and said: ‘Write,
by Him in whose hand my soul lies, only right (Haqq) comes out from it’.
During the life of the Prophet there was no regular compilation of the traditions, for they were
not generally recorded in writing. However, they were orally transmitted, with great accuracy of
detail, thanks to the Arabs’ exceptionally retentive memories. Some companions had, however,
prepared written collections of traditions for their own personal use. Those companions, in
particular, who had weaker memories used to write them down for memorizing and preservation.
These were also dictated to their disciples.

Then there were those companions who had administrative offices arranged for written copies of
traditions, so that they might carry out their duties in the true spirit of Islam. For instance, while
appointing Amr ibn Hazm as the governor of Yaman, the Prophet himself gave him a letter
containing the times of prayer, methods of prayer, details of ablution, booty, taxation, zakat, etc.
Anas bin Malik, a young Madinan, was the Prophet’s personal attendant. Since Anas remained
with the Prophet day and night, he had greater opportunities than the other companions to listen
to his words. Anas had written down the tradition on scrolls. He used to unroll these documents
and say: “These are the sayings of the Prophet, which I have noted and then also read out to him
to have any mistakes corrected.”Ali ibn Abi Talib was one of the scribes of the Prophet. The
Prophet once dictated to him and he wrote on a large piece of parchment on both sides. He also
had a sahifa (pamphlet) from the Prophet which was on zakat (the poor due) and taxes.
Besides these there were some other documents dictated by the Prophet himself — official
letters, missionary letters, treaties of peace and alliance addressed to different tribes— all these
were later incorporated into larger collections of Hadith.
Amongst the documents that became part of Hadith collections were the official records of the
Prophet’s discourses and statements etc. e.g. The Peace deal for Suraqa bin Naufal; As -Sahifa
‘Ali etc. After the Prophet’s death the Companions assumed both religious and political
leadership in the community. For example, Ibn Abbas in Makkah, Ibn Masud in Kufa, and
Salman Farsi in Isfahan had the responsibility of teaching the new generations of Muslims and
new converts about the religion and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Thus, the study of Hadiths
began as a practical attempt to gather, organise and sift through the authoritative statements and
behaviour attributed to the Prophet (pbuh).
It was often the junior Companions who became the most prolific collectors and transmitters of
Hadiths. Abu Hurayra narrated 5300 Hadiths, Abdallah ibn Umar was 23 years old when the
Prophet (pbuh) died but is the second largest source of Hadiths, narrating 2600 Hadiths, Ibn
Abbas narrated 1700 Hadiths. Though narrators like Ibn Abbas and Abu Hurayra knew the
Prophet (pbuh) for a short period of time they gathered their vast volumes of Hadith by seeking
them out from the senior Companions.
The Prophet’s wives were also a great source of Hadiths. Ayesha was gifted with a great memory
and not only narrated 2,200 Hadiths but was a critic of badly remembered ones. Companions like
Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Ali did not record large number of Hadiths but rather preserved the
teachings in their actions and methods of reasoning rather than by citing them directly.

5. Write about the importance of knowing the Prophet’s Hadiths and following his
Sunna for Muslims. [10]
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the walking Quran and following him is the right path which
leads towards ultimate satisfaction. There is the great importance of following Prophet’s Sunnah
that we should know and then try to follow His (SAW) way then we can be successful in both
worlds. If we follow Sunnah of Muhammad (SAW) we can get many benefits by following
Prophet’s Sunnah. Allah says in Quran: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of
Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who]
remembers Allah often.” 
Sunnah consists of the character, , habits and legislative obligations of our Holy Prophet
Mohammad (PBUH) performed to keep the Muslim believers closer to Allah (SWT). Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) always practiced in his life what Allah (SWT) has revealed on him in the
form of Divine revelation the Quran.  He followed all the precepts of Islam to become a leader
for Muslims who can be followed to lead a pious life.  For every Sunnah, a Muslim follows there
is the number of benefits on physical and spiritual grounds etiquettes. “And whatsoever the
Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain
(from it), and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. “
Hadith plays integral role in keeping us intact on account of individual responsibilities
towards Allah. It is said by Holy Prophet(S)…………………………(.hadith 3 ) .The beauty
of this particular Sunnah is that it will help you save time and reduce the amount of energy used
to contemplate over irrelevant matters being discussed.
Hadith has communicated the need of remaining mindful to our fellow Muslims.
Individuals have been emphasized about the need to show love, kindness and empathy
towards each other. Prophet(S) multiple times said (hadith 2 and hadith 16).
There are also a number of verses, which command that we must follow and obey the Sunnah of
the Holy Prophet. This fact is mentioned in different ways in numerous verses of the Holy
Quran. Sometimes we are commanded to obey the Holy Prophet for us example, "O believers!
Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those of you who are in authority". And sometimes
we are told that the obedience of the Holy Prophet is indeed the obedience of Allah for example,
"Whosoever obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah”.
Miswak is easily purchasable and relatively cheap, making it an easy Sunnah to uphold. It keeps
the mouth clean and fresh naturally and effortlessly all the time. Hadith related to Miswak usage
is as follows: “If it were not that it would be difficult on my nation, then I would have
ordered them to use the siwak for each pray.”
The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet consists of four types of laws. The first type of laws is that
which are similar to those of the Holy Quran These laws approve the directives of the Holy
Quran such as obedience to parents, false evidence, and the murdering of a person, etc.
We should follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in our daily life routine so that we
can get benefits from them and can live healthy, happy and peaceful life.

6. Write an account on Musanaf and Musana collection of hadith. /10

All through Islamic history, the ahadith have been accepted as important sources of teaching,
both for individuals and community. The ahadith of the Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬have been compiled in
different ways. Among them the following two are most often used. One of the collections is
known as Musanad collection and the second one is known as Musanaf collection.
The literal meaning of Musanad is “supported”. Musanad collections are those compilations of
hadith that have sound links, traced back without interruptions to one of the companions who can
refer back to the Holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
Musanad collections are generally acknowledged as those books of ahadith in which each and
every narration of a companion are gathered at one place. The examples of Musanad are Imam
Ahmed, Musnad Abi Hanifa and Musnad Ash-Shafai. The Musanad collections are helpful in the
study of Isnad by tracing a particular hadith to a particular narrator. Following are the four
Musanad collections, Musanad of Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A) has recorded 6000 ahadith with his
name, Musanad of Abu Huraira comprises of 5374 ahadith, and Musanad of Hazrat Ayesha
Siddiqah (R.A) consisted of 2210 ahadith and Musanad of Imam Ahmed Bin Hanbal contains
30,000 ahadith.
The literal meaning of Musanaf is “divided up”. The Musanaf collections which are also known
as Sunan are those compilations in which the Islamic jurisprudence is put into chapters and sub-
chapters as per their themes for example purity, prayer, fasting or inheritance.
The Musanaf collections help the Muslim scholars in working out the details of Islamic laws.
The work on Musanaf collections begun in the 2nd century but the first compilation was
completed in the first century in the era of Taba Tabieen. Following are the Musanaf collections
which include the As Sihah As Sittah, Al Muwatta, Al Musanaf, Sahi Al Bukhari, Sahi Al
Muslim, Sunan An Nasai, Sunan Abu Dawoon Ibn Majah and Jami Al Tirmiz.

Advantages and Disadvantages of both collections

Musnad
This collection of hadith is preferable as it helps to track hadith with respect to its first
transmitter. This way we get to learn how any specific companion had narrated the saying of
Holy Prophet(S). By collecting hadith while following this approach gives an opportunity to
compare traditions reported by different sahabahs about specific situation. Same content
presented by multiple companions of Holy Prophet enahces the credibility of hadith.
Musanaf
It means to divide. The collectors divided ahadith in to different types based on their topic. This
approach is preferred as it provides an opportunity to learn about islam in more feasible and
accessible manner. The division of hadith in to different sections made religion very easy to
comprehend not only for muslims but also to newly convereted muslims and non-muslims who
intend to learn about islam. Moroever it became easy to translate Islamic literature in different
languages in an organized manner.

7. From the set Hadiths you have studied outline the Prophet’s teachings on the
individual conduct of Muslims. 10

The Ahadith set for special study effectively highlight the responsibilities of Muslims and what
is expected from them in Islam. Sincerity—naseehah—forms the backbone of a Muslim’s
conduct. A Believer must fulfill his social and religious obligations whole-heartedly to be a true
Muslim. His heart must be free from doubts about Allah SWT, His Book or His Messenger
PBUH, i.e., Articles of Faith, and must obey their Commands. Moreover, Prophet PBUH also
commands us to be cooperative with the leaders of Muslims, and have impeccable social
relationships with common people. These impeccable social relations can be achieved only if a
Believer practices fraternity and brotherhood, and also equality. Prophet PBUH said, “None of
you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself. “If a Believer is to
achieve perfection of faith, he must be genuinely interested in well-being of his brothers by
desiring for them what he desires for himself. Absence of such a strong bond indicates weakness
of Faith.

Muslims must display prudence while using their power of speech: the tongue shall be used for
propagation of good & not for indecent, hurtful or idle talk. Another cardinal discipline for a true
Believer is generosity, especially towards neighbors and guests. If these principles are ignored, a
person’s claim to believe in Allah SWT and the Last Day can said to be disputed, according to
the Hadith: “Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep
silent, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbor, and
let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest.”

In another Hadith, the pre-condition to enter Paradise is also specified. A person must abide by
the injunctions of Shariah, i.e., take lawful as lawful, and unlawful as unlawful, and perform
obligatory prayers and fast in Ramadan as Prophet pbuh said: “A man asked the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace): Do you think that if I perform the
obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as
forbidden that which is forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said:
Yes. “These help train a Muslim for all spheres of life, making him eligible to enter Paradise.
However, the circle of virtuous deeds is not so confined. Helping others, like acting as a fair
judge between two parties, or even lifting someone onto his conveyance also yields great
rewards, equal to that of charity. A Muslim must try to facilitate others, as the Prophet PBUH
said: “removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity”.
A Muslim shall also struggle in the way of Allah SWT—Jihad. One form, as per a Hadith, is to
do physical or verbal efforts to suppress evil. Another form is to utilize one’s body, i.e., fight
infidels in Allah’s SWT Way. “Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with
his hand, and if he is not able to do so then with his tongue, and if he is not able to do so
then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith. A Muslim is enjoined to aid the weak and
destitute in the society, and be kind. A Hadith says: “God will not show mercy to him who
does not show mercy to others”. Prophet PBUH would even command his governors to be
gentle to their people and would ask them to avoid alienation or hardness. A link in the chain is
aiding the widows, poor and orphans. The rewards for these are kinship of Prophet PBUH in
Paradise, and equal to exerting oneself in Allah’s SWT Way, or standing for prayer in night and
fasting in the daytime. “One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor man is like
the one who exerts himself in the way of Allah, or the one who stands for prayer in the
night or fasts in the day.”
                 
The Ahadith also stress upon fair dealings and lawful earnings. Though the ‘Rizq’ of the people
has been destined beforehand, the test lies in whether it is earned through lawful or unlawful
means. Laborious efforts by oneself to earn a living are encouraged; Prophet PBUH says, “No
one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his own hand . “Likewise
shall one be kind when he sells or buys, or demands his money back, as according to a Hadith, it
earns Allah’s SWT Mercy. “May God show mercy to a man who is kindly when he sells,
when he buys, and when he demands his money back.

A Hadith also encourages a Believer to renew and refresh his knowledge of the Holy Quran
repeatedly. Comparing a person to an owner of tethered camels, Prophet PBUH tells us that “if
he lets them loose they will go away”. However, this acquiring of knowledge (or any other
good deed) must be done to please Allah SWT alone, as Allah SWT regards our hearts and
actions. Therefore, a Muslim shall practice all forms of modesty and avoid pride. A Hadith says,
“He who has in his pride as much pride as a grain of mustard will not enter Paradise.” In
this way, class superiorities and pride etc. are negated and racial borders also nullified. Therefore
Holy Prophet PBUH compares all Believers to a single man.A Believer shall earnestly follow
these teachings, as his goal is Paradise and earth for him is a prison from which he urges to
escape.
How do Muslims benefit in their community life by following the guidance given in the
Prophet’s Hadiths?

A Hadith also encourages a Believer to renew and refresh his knowledge of the Holy Quran
repeatedly. Comparing a person to an owner of tethered camels, Prophet PBUH tells us that “if
he lets them loose they will go away”. However, this acquiring of knowledge (or any other
good deed) must be done to please Allah SWT alone, as Allah SWT regards our hearts and
actions. Therefore, a Muslim shall practice all forms of modesty and avoid pride. A Hadith says,
“He who has in his pride as much pride as a grain of mustard will not enter Paradise.” In
this way, class superiorities and pride etc. are negated and racial borders also nullified. Therefore
Holy Prophet PBUH compares all Believers to a single man.A Believer shall earnestly follow
these teachings, as his goal is Paradise and earth for him is a prison from which he urges to
escape.

8. Write an account of the compilation of hadith during the period of the successsors
of the successors (taba-al-tabaieen)? (10)
The third period of hadith compilation began with the death of the companions , Muslims had to
rely on the communication of the successors of the companions who narrated to the taba taibeen
(successors of the successors) .The third century was known as the golden age of hadith
compilation as compilation was done very enthusiastically, reciting and memorizing the hadith
was considered to be a great privilege and soon a great number of hadih were compiled .The
hadith scholars established rules of sanad and matn for e.g the isnad must be full and unbroken,
and the narrators must be known for their piety, memory and knowledge. The collectors
included only those ahadith which were considered to be genuine. This was the time when the
scrutiny of hadith was done.
During this period a large number of jurists combined 2 categories of hadith known as mussanad
and mussanaf in the form of sahih books or sunan.A sunan was organized topic wise and thus
could be easily used a s legal reference and it focused on Hadith-e- nabwi with full isnads. The
foremost amongst the jurists were ismael al bukhari and Muslim bin al hajaj. They broke away
from the tradition of using weak hadith in law and their collections were only comprised of those
hadith whose isnads met with the requirement of authenticity.
The collection of Bukhari and Muslim became the most famous books of hadith collections
called “Sahiyhayn”which means 2 sahih’s .Bukhari devoted 16 years sifting through the hadtih
that he included in his sahih from a pool of 600,000 narrations. His finished work was not just a
hadith collection but ALSO an impressive expression of his understanding of Islamic law and
belief, backed by ahadith that met the most rigorous standards of authenticity. On the other hand
muslim’s Sahih contains fewer chapters (54) and does not have legal commentary, like
Bukhari .Muslim kept all narrations of a certain Hadith in the same section but without the
commendatory reports from companions and later figures. Bukharis and Muslims work had
much influence on their students and contemporaries as they focuses on ahadith with strong and
reliable isnads.
Besides these 2 collections there were 4 other renown collections of hadith. Sunan of abu daud,
he was a close student of ibn-Hanbal and his sunan contains 4800 ahadith that focuses on reports
used in deriving law, the author alerts the reader to any narrations which may have serious flaws
in them. Jami tirmidhi contains the bulk of traditions-legal, dogmatic and historical-which had
been accepted by the jurists as the basis of Islamic law. Sunan of al nisai another student of
bukhari, who compiled 2 sunans. The larger one contains some unreliable ahadith which the
author Acknowledges , the smaller ones known as mujaba(the chosen) contains reliable hadith
with authentic isnads. Sunan of ibn-e-majah contains 4000 ahadith all set within well arranged
chapters.
These 4 books together with the sahihayan of bukhari and muslim have come to be known as
Sahe-sitta ‘The six sound collections’ with their compilation the hadith tradition reached its
climax. Like sunni muslims, shia muslims also accepted ahadith as a source of understanding the
Quran and as guidance in every day matters. They however, only consider those ahadith as most
reliable that are based on the authority of Hazrat Ali. The sahe sitta collection preserved all the
authentic ahadith of the holy prophet for the future generations and today these books are
considered to be the most reliable sources of hadith teaching and law after Quran.