In the name of Allah, the All Merciful,

The Mercy-Giving ‫الرِحْي ِم‬

َّ ‫ح ِن‬
‫الر ْ م‬ ِ ‫بِس ِم‬
َّ ‫اهلل‬ ْ

‫ض‬ِ ‫ان بَ ْع‬ِ ‫م َق َّدمةٌ فِي ب ي‬

The following is a concise, non-verbose ََ ْ َ ُ
‫ث ِمَّا‬
ِ ْ‫ات ِعل ِْم الْح ِدي‬ِ ‫صطَلَح‬
introduction to some of the terminologies

َ ْ ‫ُم‬
of the science of ḥadīth that should
suffice in helping one understand the َ
commentary of the book, Mishkāt al-
‫اب ِم ْن َغ ِْي‬ِ َ‫ي ْك ِفي ِِف َشرِح الْ ِكت‬
Masābīh.
ْ ْ ْ َ
.‫اب‬ ٍ َ‫تَطْ ِويْ ٍل و إِطْن‬
َ

‫ص ِطالَ ِح‬ ِ
‫إ‬ ‫ِف‬ِ ‫ث‬ ِ ‫اْل‬ َّ ‫ْاعلَ ْم أ‬
Know that the term ḥadīth, according to ْ َ ْ َْ ‫َن‬
‫ي‬ ‫د‬
ِ
the technical usage of the majority of the
ḥadīth scholars, applies to:
ِ ِ‫َن يُطْلَ ُ َعلَق َ ْو‬ َ ْ ‫ُجْ ُوُه ْوِ الْ ُح َددِثي‬
‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َو ِِ ْْلِ ِه‬ ‫النِ ِث‬
1. The statements of the Prophet (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace),
َ ‫َِّب‬
‫َو تَ ْق ِريْ ِرِه‬
2. His actions, and
3. His consent.

“Consent” means that someone did or

‫َحد أ َْو‬َ ‫َو َم ْْ ََن التَّ ْق ِريْ ِر أَنَّهُ َِ َْ َل أ‬
said something in the Prophet’s presence
(may Allah bless him and grant him ‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه‬ ‫ه‬ِِ‫ضرت‬
َ َ ْ ‫َ َا ِ َشْيئًا ِ ِْف َح‬
‫َو َسلَّ َم َو ََلْ يُْن ِك ْرهُ َو ََلْ يَْن َوُههُ َع ْن‬
peace) and that he did not reject the
action nor prohibit him from it; rather he
remained silent and consented.

. َ‫ت َو َ َّر‬ ِ
َ ‫ك بَ ْل َس َك‬ َ ‫َذل‬
 َّ ِ ِ‫ك يُطْلَ ُ َعلَق َ ْو‬ ِ
‫الص َد ِ ِث‬
‫اب‬ َ ‫َو َك َذل‬
The term “ḥadīth” applies likewise to the
statements, action, and consent of a

‫َو ِِ ْْلِ ِه َوتَ ْق ِريْ ِرِه‬

Companion1 (Saḥābī) 2

As well as to the statements, action, and

consent of a Successor ‫َو َعلَق َ ْوِ ِ التَّابِِْ ِثي َو ِِ ْْلِ ِه َو‬
.‫تَ ْق ِريْ ِرِه‬
(Tābiʿī).3

‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه‬ ‫َِ َحا انْتَ َوُهق إِ ََل النِ ِث‬
A ḥadīth that is attributed to the Prophet
(may Allah bless him and grant him
peace) is termed marfūʿ. َ ‫َِّب‬
ُ ‫َو َسلَّ َم يُ َق‬
.ُ‫ا ِ لَهُ الْ َح ْرُِ ْوع‬

ُ‫ا ِ لَه‬
ُ ‫اب يُ َق‬ َّ ‫َو َما انْتَ َوُهق إِ ََل‬
‫الص َد ِ ِث‬
A ḥadīth attributed to a Companion,
however, is termed mawqūf.

.‫ف‬
ُ ‫الْ َح ْوُ ْو‬

‫ا ِ أ َْو َِ َْ َل أ َْو َ َّرَ ابْ ُن‬

َ َ ِ ‫ا‬
ُ ‫َك َحا يُ َق‬
ٍ َّ‫اس أ َْو َع ِن ابْ ِن َعب‬
‫اس َم ْوُ ْوًِا أ َْو‬ ٍ َّ‫َعب‬
ٍ َّ‫َم ْوُ ْوف َعلَق ابْ ِن َعب‬
.‫اس‬

And a ḥadīth attributed to a Successor is

termed maqtūʿ.
ُ ‫َو َما انْتَ َوُهق إِ ََل التَّابِِْ ِثي يُ َق‬
ُ‫ا ِ لَه‬
.‫ع‬ ُ ‫الْ َح ْقطُْو‬
 ‫ث‬ ِ ْ ‫صص ب ْضوُهم‬
َ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َّ ‫َو َ ْد َخ‬
Some of the ḥadīth scholars1 specified
the term “ḥadīth” to imply only the marfūʿ
and mawqūf ḥadīth, since a maqtūʿ ḥadīth
ِ ِ
ُ‫بِالْ َح ْرُِ ْوِع َو الْ َح ْوُ ْوف إِذ الْ َح ْقطُْوع‬
is also called an athar.2

.‫ا ِ لَهُ األَيَ ُر‬

ُ ‫يُ َق‬

The word “athar”, however, can also

apply to marfūʿ narrations, as the term ‫َو َ ْد يُطْلَ ُ األَيَ ُر َعلَق الْ َح ْرُِ ْوِع‬
ُ‫ا ِ األ َْد ِعيَةُ الْ َحأْيُ ْوَة‬
athar is used in the term adʿiyah
maʾthūrah3 (prophetic supplications),
which are those supplications which have
ُ ‫ضا َك َحا يُ َق‬
ً ْ‫أَي‬
ِِ ِ ِ
‫ل َحا َجاءَ م َن األ َْدعيَة َع ِن النِ ِث‬
‫َِّب‬
been narrated on the authority of the
Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant

.‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬

him peace).

Ṭaḥāwī 4 named his ḥadīth collection that

consists of an explanation of both the ‫ي ََسَّق كِتَابَهُ الْ ُح ْشتَ ِح َل‬ ُّ ‫َو الطَّ َدا ِو‬
prophetic ḥadīth as well as the athars of
ِ ‫ث النَّبَ ِويَِّة و ثيَا‬ ِ ‫ان األَح ِادي‬ ِ ‫علَق ب ي‬
the Companions: “A Commentary on the
Meanings of the Āthār (pl.athar)5.” َ ْ َ ََ َ
. ِ ‫الص َدابَِة بِ َش ْرِح َم َْ ِاِن اآليَا‬
َ

And Sakhāwī1 has stated that Ṭabarī2 has ‫ي إِ َّن لِلطَّبَ َراِِنِث كِتَابًا‬ ُّ ‫الس َخا ِو‬َّ ِ ‫َو َ َا‬
a book named “The Rarefaction of the
Āthār”
‫ب اآليَا ِ َم َع أَنَّ ُه‬ ِ ْ‫ُمسحق بِتَ ْوُه ِذي‬
ًَ
It is specific to marfūʿ ḥadīth. As for the
mawqūf ḥadīth mentioned in it, they are
‫ص ْوص بِالْ َح ْرُِ ْوِع َو َما ذكر ِِْي ِه‬ ُ َْ‫َم‬
mentioned but incidentally.
‫ف َِبِطَ ِريْ ِ التَّبَ ِع َو‬ ِ ‫ِمن الْحوُو‬
ْ َْ َ
.‫التَطَُّف ِل‬
 ِ‫ث ِِف الْح ْش ُوُه ْو‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫اْل‬
‫د‬
According to the more popular opinion,
the terms “khabar” and “ḥadīth” are َ ْ ُ ْ َْ ‫اْلَبَ ُر َو‬
ْ ‫َو‬
synonymous.
.‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫ِِبََْن و‬
َ ًْ

‫اء‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ا‬ ِ‫ث‬

‫ِب‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫اْل‬
‫د‬ َْ ‫ص ْوا‬ ُّ ‫ض ُوُه ْم َخ‬
ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
Some have specified the term “ḥadīth” to
mean that which was narrated on the َ َ َ َ ْ
‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬
authority of the Prophet (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace).
‫َع ِن النِ ِث‬
َ ‫َِّب‬
‫اء‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ِب‬ِ ‫اْلَب ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫َن‬ ِِْ‫الصدابةَ و التَّاب‬
ْ َ َ َ َّ ‫َو‬
And the Companions, and the
Successors, and therefore specify the
term “khabar” to the stories of kings, َ َ َ َ
َ َ َ ْ
ِ ْ ‫السالَ ِط‬
‫َن َو‬ َّ ‫َخبَا ِ الْ ُحلُ ْو ِك َو‬ ِ
ْ ‫م ْن أ‬
sultans, and ancient times.

.‫اضيَ ِة‬
ِ ‫األَي ِام الْح‬
َ ّ

Consequently, the one who occupies

himself in the study of the sunnah is called ُّ ِ‫ا ِ لِ َح ْن يَ ْشتَغِ ُل ب‬
‫السن َِّة‬ ُ ‫َو ِِلََذا يُ َق‬
‫ُُمَدِثث َو لِ َح ْن يَ ْشتَغِ ُل بِالت ََّوا ِيْ ِخ‬
a “muḥaddith” and the one who occupies
himself in the study of historical
narrations is called an “akhbāri”3.
‫َخبَا ِي‬ْ‫أ‬

The attribution of a ḥadīth to the Prophet

(may Allah bless him and grant him ‫ص ِرْْيًا َو َ ْد‬
َ ‫الرِْ ُع َ ْد يَ ُك ْو ُن‬
َّ ‫َو‬
peace) is sometimes explicit (ṣarīḥ) and
sometimes implicit (ḥukmī). .‫يَ ُك ْو ُن ُح ْك ًحا‬
 ِ ِ‫ِل َك َق ْو‬ ِ
‫ص ِرْْيًا َِف ْي الْ َق ْوِ ِث‬
َ ‫أ ََّما‬
An example of an explicit statement is
when a Companion says:“I heard the

ِ ِ ‫الصد ِ ِث‬
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace) saying…”
‫صلَّق‬
َ ‫ت َ ُس ْوَ ِ اهلل‬ ُ ْْ ‫اب ََس‬ َ َّ
‫اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم يَ ُق ْو ُ ِ َك َذا‬

or when a Companion or someone else

says:
َ َ ‫أ ََو َك َق ْولِِه أ َْو َ ْوِ ِ َغ ِْيِه‬
ِ ُ ‫ا ِ َ ُس ْو‬
‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ ِ
َ ‫اهلل‬
“The Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) said…”

or if someone says “from the Messenger ‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو‬ ِ ِ

َ ‫أ َْو َع ْن َ ُس ْو ِ اهلل‬
of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) that he said...”
.‫َسلَّ َم أَنَّهُ َ َا ِ َك َذا‬

‫ت‬ ُ ْ‫اب َأَي‬ َّ ِ ِ‫َو ِ ِْف الْ ِف ْْلِ ِثي َك َق ْو‬

‫الص َد ِ ِث‬
An example of an explicit action is when
a Companion says:

“I saw the Messenger of Allah (may

‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ ِ
َ ‫َ ُس ْوَ ِ اهلل‬
Allah bless him and grant him peace)
do…” ‫َِ َْ َل َك َذا‬
or if he says: “from the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah ‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫أ َْو َع ْن َ ُس ْو ِ اهلل‬
‫َسلَّ َم أَنَّهُ َِ َْ َل َك َذا‬
bless him and grant him peace) that he
did…”

‫اب أ َْو َغ ِْيِه َم ْرُِ ْو ًعا أ َْو‬ َّ ‫أ َْو َع ِن‬

‫الص َد ِ ِث‬
or if someone says: “from a Companion
or someone else… it is raised”

or when a narrator states: “the

Companion raised it (the ḥadīth).”
.‫ََِ َْهُ أَنَّهُ َِ َْ َل َك َذا‬
An example of an explicit consent is ُّ ِ ‫الص َد‬
‫اب‬ َّ ِ َ‫ي أَ ْن يَ ُق ْو‬ ‫َو ِ ِْف التَّ ْق ِريْ ِر ِث‬
ْ َ‫َحد ِب‬
when a Companion or someone else
says: “So and so (fulān) did such and
such in the presence of the Prophet (may
‫ضَرِة‬ َ ‫أ َْو َغْي ُرهُ َِ َْ َل ُِالَن أ َْو أ‬
‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َك َذا َو‬
Allah bless him and grant him peace)”
and then does not mention his
disapproval. ‫النِ ِث‬
َ ‫َِّب‬
.ُ‫الَ يَ ْذ ُكُر إِنْ َكا َه‬

‫الص َد ِ ِث‬
‫اب‬ َّ ِ ‫َو َّأما ُح ْك ًحا َِ َكِإ ْخبَا‬
An example of an implicit statement is
when a Companion, not narrating from

‫ِثم ِة‬ ِ ُ‫الَّ ِذ ْي ََلْ ُُي ْرب َع ِن الْ ُكت‬

the early scriptures1, but narrating that in

َ ‫ب الْ ُحتَ َقد‬

which there is no room for individual
analytical reasoning, narrates historical

‫ا ِ ِِْي ِه لِ ِإل ْجتِ َوُها ِد َع ِن‬

events, stories of the Prophets, or stories
of that which is to come, like the
[prophesized] wars, tribulations, and the
َ َ‫َما الَ ََم‬
terrors of the Day of Resurrection; or
narrates a specific reward or punishment ‫َخبَا ِ األَنْبِيَ ِاء‬ ِِ
ْ ‫َح َو ِا ِ الْ َحاضيَة َكأ‬ ْ ‫األ‬
ِ َ ‫أَ ِو اآلتِيَ ِة َكالْحالَ ِح ِم و الْ ِف‬
resultant of a particular action, since
there can be no means to attaining this
knowledge except through direct oral
‫َت َو‬ َ َ
transmission from the Prophet (may Allah
‫ب‬ ِ ُّ‫أ َْهو ِا ِ يَوِم الْ ِقيَ َام ِة أ َْو َع ْن تَرت‬
bless him and grant him peace).
َ ْ َ
‫ص‬ٍ ‫ص ْو‬ ٍ ِ ٍ ‫اب َمَْصو‬ ٍ ‫يَو‬
ُ َْ‫ص أ َْو ع َقاب َم‬ ُْ َ
َّ‫َعلَق ِِ ْْ ٍل َِِإنَّهُ الَ َسبِْي َل إِلَْي ِه إِال‬
‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو‬ ‫الس َحاع َع ِن النِ ِث‬
َ ‫َِّب‬ َّ
‫َسلَّ َم‬
 ِ ‫اب َما الَ ََمَ َا‬ ُّ ِ ‫الص َد‬
َّ ‫أ َْو يَ ْف َْ ُل‬
An example of an implicit action is when
a Companion commits an act in which

‫لِ ِإل ْجتِ َوُه ِاد ِِْي ِه‬

there is no room for individual reasoning.

‫اب بِأَنَّ ُوُه ْم َكانُ ْوا‬ُّ ِ ‫الص َد‬َّ ُ‫أ َْو ُُيِْرب‬
An example of an implicit consent is
when a Companion narrates that the
Companions used to do something in the
ِ
ُ‫صلَّق اهلل‬ َ ‫َِّب‬ ‫يَ ْف َْلُ ْو َن َك َذا ِ ِْف َزَمان النِ ِث‬
time of the Prophet (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace), because it is
assumed that he (may Allah bless him
ِ َّ ‫علَي ِه و سلَّم أل‬
and grant him peace) was aware of it and
that revelation had descended ُ‫َن الظَّاهَر إطِثالَعُه‬ َ َ َ َْ
ِ
‫ك َو‬ َ ‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َعلَق َذل‬
concerning it.
َ
.‫نُُزْو ُ ِ الْ َو ْح ِي بِِه‬

Similarly, implicit consent is implied when

they say: “Such and such is from the َّ ‫السن َِّة َك َذا أل‬
‫َن‬ ُّ ‫أ َْو يَ ُق ْولُْو َن َو ِم َن‬
sunnah”, because the assumption is that
ِ ِ ِ‫السنَّةَ سنَّةُ سو‬
‫اهلل‬ ِ َّ‫الظ‬
َّ ‫اهَر أ‬
ْ ُ َ ُ ُّ ‫َن‬
“sunnah” refers to the sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him

‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬

and grant him peace).
َ
Some scholars, however, have stated it
can imply the sunnah of the Companions َ‫ض ُوُه ْم أَنَّهُ َْْيتَ ِح ُل ُسنَّة‬
ُ ْْ َ‫ا ِ ب‬
َ َ ‫َو‬
َّ ‫اْلُلَ َف ِاء‬
‫الر ِاش ِديْ َن‬ ْ ‫الص َدابَِة َو ُسن َِّة‬
or the Righteous Caliphs as well, since
the word sunnah also applies to them. َّ
.‫السنَّةَ يُطْلَ ُ َعلَْي ِه‬ ُّ ‫َِِإ َّن‬
 ‫صل‬ ْ َِ
ِ ِ ْ ‫السنَ ُد طَ ِري‬
ُ‫اْلَديْث َوُه َو ِ َجالُه‬ ُْ َّ
A sanad is the pathway1 (or chain) of a
ḥadīth,
ِ
ُ‫الَّذيْ َن َ َوْوه‬
i.e. the group of men who transmitted it.

The term isnād has the same connotation

although it sometimes is used to mean
‫اد ِِبَْْنَاهُ َو َ ْد ََِي ُئ ِِبَْْ ََن‬
ُ َ‫َو ا ِإل ْسن‬
ْ ‫السنَ ِد َو‬
ِ ْ‫اْلِ َكايَِة َع ْن طَ ِري‬ َّ ‫ِذ ْك ِر‬
“the act of mentioning a ḥadīth chain” or
“the act of narrating the pathway of a
ḥadīth text”.
ِ ْ ‫الْح‬
.‫َت‬ َ

ِ
ُ َ‫َت َما انْتَ َوُهق إِلَْيه ا ِإل ْسن‬
.‫اد‬ ُ ْ ‫َو الْ َح‬
The matn of a ḥadīth is what the chain
(sanad) concludes at.3

If no narrator amongst the narrators of a

chain is omitted then the ḥadīth is ‫الرَو ِاة ِم َن‬
ُّ ‫َِِإ ْن ََلْ يَ ْس ُق ْط َا ٍو ِم َن‬
ِ ‫ث مت‬
considered muttaṣil.
The absence of such interruption ‫َّصل َو َُسِث َي َع َد ُم‬ ُ ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ ْ َِ ‫َن‬ ِ ْ َ‫الْب‬
(omitted narrators) is called ittiṣāl.4
ِ ُّ
َ ‫الس ُق ْوط إِت‬
.ً‫ِثصاال‬

ِ ‫و إِ ْن س َق َط و‬
‫احد أ َْو أَ ْكثَ ُر‬
If one or more narrators in a chain,
however, are missing then the ḥadīth is َ َ َ
ُّ ‫ث ُمْن َق ِطع َو َه َذا‬
‫الس ُق ْو ُط‬ ِ ْ َِ
ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬
termed munqatiʿ. Such omission is
termed inqitāʿ (interruption).

.‫إِنِْقطَاع‬
 ِ ِ‫الس ُق ْو ُط إِ َّما أ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن ِم ْن أ ََّو‬
ُّ ‫َو‬
The omission of a narrator sometimes
occurs at the beginning of a chain, and is
subsequently termed muʿallaq. Such an
omission is called taʿlīq (suspension).
‫السنَ ِد َو َُسِث َي ُم َْلَّ ًقا َو َه َذا‬
َّ
‫ا ِإل ْس َقا ُط تَ ْْلِْي ًقا‬

ِ ‫ط َ ْد ي ُكو ُن و‬
‫اح ًدا َو َ ْد‬ ُ ِ ‫السا‬
َّ ‫َو‬
َ ْ َ
And in it the omitted narrators can be one
or more.

‫يَ ُك ْو ُن أَ ْكثَ َر‬

Sometimes the entire sanad is omitted, as ‫السنَ ِد َك َحا ُه َو‬

َّ ‫ف ََتَ ُام‬ ُ ‫َو َ ْد ُْْي َذ‬
is the habit of some ḥadīth compilers who
ِ ُ ‫ا ِ َ ُس ْو‬
َ َ ‫َن يَ ُق ْولُْو َن‬ ِ ‫عادةُ الْح‬
َ ْ ‫صنِثف‬
state [directly] that: “the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him َ ُ ََ
.‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ ِ
peace) said…”

َ ‫اهلل‬

There are numerous taʿlīqāt (plural of

‫ات َكثِْي َرة ِ ِْف تَ َر ِاج ِم‬
ُ ْْ َ‫ق‬
َ ‫ي‬ِ‫و التَّْل‬
‫ص ِدْي ِح الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
taʿlīq) in the chapter headings5 of Ṣaḥīḥ
al-Bukhāri1, and they fall under the ruling ‫ي َو َِلَا ُح ْك ُم‬ َ
of uninterrupted ḥadīth because Bukhāri
adhered to only mention in his book that ِ َ‫ا ِإلتِثص ِا ِ ألَنَّهُ الْتَ َزم ِِف َه َذا الْ ِكت‬
‫اب‬
which was ṣaḥīḥ.2 ْ َ َ
.‫الص ِدْي ِح‬
َّ ِ‫أَالَّ يَأِِْتَ إِالَّ ب‬
 ‫ت ِ ِْف َم ْرتَبَ ِة َم َسانِْي ِد ِه‬
ْ ‫َّوُها لَْي َس‬
ِ
َ ‫َو لَكن‬
They are not, however, at the same rank
as his musnad ḥadīth (connected and
grounded) except for [those taʿlīqāt
ḥadīth which] he mentioned in another
place in his book in connected form
‫إِالَّ َما ذَ َكَر ِمْن َوُها ُم ْسنَ ًدا ِ ِْف َم ْو ِض ٍع‬
‫ثخَر ِم ْن كِتَابِِه‬
(musnad)3.
َ

The taʿliqāt are sometimes differentiated

by the fact that those which Bukhārī
َّ ‫َو َ ْد يُ َفَّر ُق ِِْي َوُها بِأ‬
‫َن َما ذَ َكَر‬
ِ ‫اْلَْزِم َو الْ َح ْْلُ ْوِم َك َق ْولِِه َ َا‬
ْ ‫صْي غَ ِة‬ ِ ِ‫ب‬
mentioned in an absolute or active voice,
such as: “so and so said” or “so and so
mentioned”
‫ُِالَن أ َْو ذَ َكَر ُِالَن‬
‫ت إِ ْسنَ ِاد ِه ِعْن َدهُ َِ ُوُه َو‬ ِ ‫د َّ ِ علَق يُب و‬
indicated that its chain was established in
his view and therefore definitely ṣaḥīḥ,
and as for what he mentioned with ُْ َ َ
wordings of doubt or in the passive
voice4, such as: “it has been said”, “it is ‫صْي غَ ِة‬ِ ِ‫ص ِديح َطْْا و ما ذَ َكره ب‬
َُ َ َ ً ْ َ
ُ ‫ض َو الْ َح ْج ُوُه ْوِ ِ َك ِقْي َل َو يُ َق‬
said” or “it was mentioned”, then
according to him there was some debate
over its authenticity.
ِ ‫ا‬ ِ ْ‫الت َّْح ِري‬
‫َو ذُكَِر َِِف ْي ِص َّدتِ ِه ِعْن َدهُ َكالَم‬

ِ َ‫و لَ ِكنَّهُ لَ َّحا أَو َدهُ ِِف َه َذا الْ ِكت‬

‫اب‬
Since he narrated it in this book (Ṣaḥīḥ al-
Bukhārī), however, it is assumed to have ْ َْ َ
a firm basis, and due to this [the ḥadīth
scholars have] stated that the taʿlīqāt of ‫َصل يَابِت َو ِِلََذا َالُْوا‬ ْ ‫َكا َن لَهُ أ‬
Bukhārī are all uninterrupted (muttaṣil)
‫ص ِدْي َدة‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ل‬
َ ِ ‫ي مت‬
‫َّص‬ ‫ِث‬ ِ ‫ا‬‫خ‬ ‫ب‬ْ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫ات‬ ‫ق‬
َ ‫ي‬ ِ‫تَْل‬
َ ُ َُ ُ ْْ
and ṣaḥīḥ.

When an omission occurs at the end of a

chain5, if it is after a Successor, the
‫السنَ ِد‬ ِ ‫الس ُقو ُط ِمن‬
َّ ‫ثخ ِر‬ ْ ْ ُّ ‫َو إ ْن َكا َن‬
ِ
ḥadīth is termed mursal. This action of
‫ث‬ ِ ْ َِ ‫َِِإ ْن َكا َن ب ْ َد التَّابِِْي‬
omitting a Companion is termed irsāl
ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ ‫ِث‬ َْ
 ِ ِ‫ُم ْر َسل َو َه َذا الْ ِف ْْ ُل إِ ْ َسا ِ َك َق ْو‬
(expedition), i.e. if a Successor said
[directly that]: “The Messenger of Allah

ِ َ َ ‫التَّابِِْ ِثي‬
(may Allah bless him and grant him

ُ‫صلَّق اهلل‬ َ ‫ا ِ َ ُس ْو ُ ِ اهلل‬

peace) said…”6

‫َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬

ِ ِ
َ ْ ‫َو َ ْد ََِيْي ُئ عْن َد الْ ُح َددِثي‬
‫َن الْ ُح ْر َس ُل‬
Sometimes the terms mursal and munqatiʿ
are applied to the same meaning.

.‫َو الْ ُحْن َق ِط ُع ِِبَْْ ًَن‬

Although the first terminological usage is

more popular.
‫ص ِطالَ ُح األ ََّو ُ ِ أَ ْش َوُهُر‬
ْ ‫َو ا ِإل‬

According to the majority of the scholars,

the ruling for mursal ḥadīth is to abstain
‫ف ِعْن َد‬ ُ ُّ‫َو ُح ْك ُم الْ ُح ْر َس ِل الت ََّو‬
‫ُجْ ُوُه ْوِ الْ ُْلَ َح ِاء ألَنَّهُ الَ يُ ْد َى إِ ِن‬
from judgment1,

،َ‫ط يَِقة أ َْو ال‬ ُ ِ ‫السا‬

َّ
because it is not known if the omitted
individual is reliable or not, since the
‫َن التَّابِِْ َّي َ ْد يَ ْرِو ْي َع ِن التَّابِِْ ِثي‬ َّ ‫أل‬
Successors at times narrate from [other]
.‫ات‬ ٍ ‫و ِِف التَّابَِِْن يَِقات و َغي ر يَِق‬
Successors and amongst the Successors
are both reliable and unreliable narrators.
ُْ َْ ْ َ

ٍ ِ‫و ِعْن َد أَِب حنِي َفةَ و مال‬

‫ك الْ ُح ْر َس ُل‬
According to Abū Ḥanīfah and Mālik, the
mursal ḥadīth is accepted َ َ َْ ْ َ
unconditionally2.
.‫َم ْقبُ ْو ِ ُمطْلَ ًقا‬
 ِ َِ‫َو ُه ْم يَ ُق ْولُْو َن إََِّّنَا أَْ َسلَهُ لِ َك َحا‬
They state that [a reliable narrator] only
expedites due to his complete trust and

َّ ‫الْ ُويُ ْو ِق َو ا ِإل ْعتِ َح ِاد أل‬

confidence [in the omitted narrator], since
the discussion is in regards to reliable
narrators. If the ḥadīth was not ṣaḥīḥ
‫َن الْ َكالَ َم ِ ِْف‬
‫ص ِدْي ًدا‬ ِ ِ
according to him, he would not have
expedited and stated: “the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him َ ُ‫الثِث َقة َو لَ ْو ََلْ يَ ُك ْن عْن َده‬
peace) said…” ِ ‫ََل ي رِس ْله وََل ي ُقل َ َا ِ سو ُ ِ ا‬
‫هلل‬ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ُْ ْ
.‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ َ

According to Shāfiʿī if a mursal chain is ِ ُ‫و ِعْن َد الشَّاِِِْي إِ ِن ْاعت‬

‫ض َدبَِو ْج ٍه‬
supported by another chain that is either ‫ِث‬ َ
‫ثخَر ُم ْر َس ٍل أ َْو ُم ْسنَ ٍد َو إِ ْن َكا َن‬
mursal or musnad (connected), even if it is
weak, it will be accepted.3
َ
.‫ضِْْي ًفا ُبِ َل‬َ

Aḥmad has two recorded opinions on this

issue4.
‫َحَ َد َ ْوالَ ِن‬
ْ ‫َو َع ْن أ‬

All of this [discussion] pertains to when it

is known that the habit of that Successor
is not to expedite except through reliable
narrators.
‫ك‬ِ‫َن عاد َة َذل‬ َّ ‫أ‬ ‫م‬ ِ‫و ه َذا ُكلُّه إِ َذا عل‬
َ ََ َُ ُ َ َ
‫التَّابِِْ ِثي أَ ْن الَ يُْرِس َل إِالَّ َع ِن‬

ِ ‫الثِث َق‬
.‫ات‬
 ‫ت َع َادتُهُ أَ ْن يُْرِس َل َع ِن‬ ْ َ‫َو إِ ْن َكان‬
If it is his habit to expedite through both
reliable and unreliable narrators,

ِ ِ
however, then it is unanimously agreed

ُ‫الثِث َقات َو َع ْن َغ ِْي الثِث َقات َِ ُد ْك ُحه‬

upon to abstain from judgment.

.‫اق‬ِ ‫التَّوُّف بِا ِإلتِث َف‬

ُ َ

‫صْيل أ َْزيَ ُد ِم ْن‬ِ ‫َك َذا ِيل و ِِي ِه تَ ْف‬

It has been mentioned as such.1 Further
details exist on this topic and have been ْ ََْ
‫ي ِ ِْف َش ْرِح‬ُّ ‫الس َخا ِو‬
َّ ُ‫ك ذَ َكَره‬ ِ
َ ‫َذل‬
mentioned by Sakhāwī in his
commentary on the Alfiyyah.2

.‫األَلْ ِفيَّ ِة‬

If an omission takes place in the middle

of a chain, then if the omitted narrators
‫الس ُق ْو ُط ِم ْن أَيْنَ ِاء‬
ُّ ‫َو إِ ْن َكا َن‬
ِ ْ َ‫ط ايْن‬
‫َن‬ ُ ِ ‫السا‬
َّ ‫ا ِإل ْسنَ ِاد َِِإ ْن َكا َن‬
are two in number and they are
consecutive, the ḥadīth is termed muʿḍal.

.‫الض ِاد‬
َّ ‫ضالً بَِفْت ِح‬ ِ
َ ْْ ‫ُمتَ َواليًا يُ َس َّحق ُم‬

If there are one or more omissions in ‫اح ًدا أ َْو أَ ْكثَ َر ِم ْن َغ ِْي‬
ِ ‫و إِ ْن َكا َن و‬
َ َ
separate places in a chain, the ḥadīth is
termed munqatiʿ.
.‫اح ٍد يُ َس َّحق ُمْن َق ِط ًْا‬
ِ ‫مو ِض ٍع و‬
َ َْ

According to this definition, munqatiʿ is

one of the categories of non-muttasil ‫َو َعلَق َه َذا يَ ُك ْو ُن الْ ُحْن َق ِط ُع ِ ْس ًحا‬
(broken-chained) ḥadīth.
ِ ‫ِمن َغ ِي الْحت‬
‫َّص ِل‬ ُ ْ ْ
 ‫َو َ ْد يُطْلَ ُ الْ ُحْن َق ِط ُع ِِبَْْ ََن َغ ِْي‬
Sometimes, munqatiʿ connotes the
opposite meaning of muttaṣil and

‫َّص ِل ُمطْلَ ًقا َش ِامالً ِْلَ ِحْي ِع‬ ِ ‫الْحت‬

therefore includes all of the [previously-
mentioned] types [of interrupted ḥadīth,
such as the mursal, muʿḍal, muʿallaq, ُ
‫األَ ْ َس ِام َو ِِبَ َذا الْ َح ْْ ََن َُْي َْ ُل ُم َق َّس ًحا‬
etc…]. According to this definition,
munqatiʿ [is a broad term that] can be
further divided into subcategories (i.e. the
mursal, muʿḍal, etc…).3

Inqitāʿ (breaks in a chain) and narrator-

omission can be realized by recognizing
‫الرا ِو ْي‬َّ ‫ف ا ِإلنِْقطَاعُ َو ُس ُق ْو ُط‬ ُ ‫َو يُ َْْر‬
ِ ِ ِ
‫الرا ِو ْي َو‬ َّ ‫َن‬ َ ْ َ‫ِبَْْ ِرَِة َع َدِم الْ ُحالََاة ب‬
that the narrator and the person he is
narrating from couldn’t have met because
they didn’t live during the same time
ِ
‫اصَرِة أ َْو‬ َ َْ ‫الْ َح ْرِوي َعْنهُ إِ َّما بِ َْ َدم الْ ُح‬
period, didn’t ever really meet, or
because the shaykh did not give
ِ
ُ‫َع َدِم ا ِإل ْجت َح ِاع َو ا ِإل َج َازِة َعْنه‬
permission to the person to narrate from
him. This recognition is governed by
knowledge of history that delineates the
birth and death dates of narrators.
‫َن لِ َح َوالِْي ِد‬
ِ ‫ِبُ ْك ِم ِع ْل ِم التَّا ِيْ ِخ الْحبَ ِث‬
ُ
ِ َ‫َن أَو‬ ِِ ِ ُّ
‫ات‬ ْ ِ ْ ِ‫الرَواة َو َوَِيَاِت ْم َو تَ ْْي‬
As well as the specifics of their study and
travel times.

‫طَلَبِ ِوُه ْم َو إِ ْ ِِتَاِلِِ ْم‬

ِ ِ
Due to which the knowledge of history
became a primary resource and basic ْ ‫صا َ ع ْل ُم التَّا ِيْ ِخ أ‬
‫َصالً َو‬ َ ‫َو ِبَ َذا‬
.‫َن‬ ِ ِ
َ ْ ‫ُع ْح َد ًة عْن َد الْ ُح َددِثي‬
reference for the ḥadīth scholars.4

Amongst the categories of munqatiʿ

‫س‬ َّ‫و ِم ْن أَْس ِام الْحْن َق ِط ِع الْح َدل‬
ḥadīth is the mudallas ḥadīth. The act of ُ ُ ُ َ َ
‫ض ِثم الْ ِحْي ِم َو َِ ْت ِح الالَِّم الْ ُح َش َّد َد ِة‬
َ ِ‫ب‬
omission that occurs in such a ḥadīth is
called tadlīs (concealment, camouflage)
and the one who does it a mudallis
(concealer).
 ‫س َو‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ا ِ ِِل َذا الْ ِفْل التَّ ْدل‬
ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ُ ‫َو يُ َق‬
‫اعلِ ِه ُم َدلِثس بِ َك ْس ِر الالَِّم‬ِ ‫لَِف‬

Tadlīs occurs when a narrator does not ‫ص ْوَتُهُ أَ ْن الَ يُ َس ِثح ْي الَّرا ِو ْي‬
ُ ‫َو‬
‫َشْي َخهُ الَّ ِذ ْي ََِس َْهُ ِمْنهُ بَ ْل يَ ْرِو ْي‬
name the shaykh whom he in fact heard
the ḥadīth from. Rather, he narrates from
the one above his direct shaykh using

‫ع َو‬ َّ ‫َع َّح ْن َِ ْوَهُ بِلَ ْف ٍظ يُ ْوِه ُم‬

َ ‫الس َحا‬
such [ambiguous] wording that deludes
one to believe that it may have been

‫الَ يقطع َك ِذبًا َك َحا يَ ُق ْو ُ ِ َع ْن ُِالَ ٍن‬

heard directly, although it cannot be
conclusively said to be a falsification [due
to the ambiguity of the wording].1 For
example, if the narrator states:
“From (ʿan) so and so” or “so and so .‫َو َ َا ِ ُِالَن‬
said” (as opposed to “I heard so and so
say” or “so and so told
me…”) 2

ِ ‫و التَّ ْدلِْيس ِِف اللُّغَ ِة كِْتحا ُن َعْي‬

‫ب‬
Tadlīs, linguistically, means to hide the
defect of a product in a sales transaction. َ ْ ُ َ
.‫الس ْل َْ ِة ِ ِْف الْبَ ْي ِع‬
‫ِث‬

It is also said to be derived from the

word “dalas” which means the blending of َّ ‫ا ِ إِنَّهُ ُم ْشتَ ِم َن‬
ِ َ‫الدل‬
‫س َو‬ ُ ‫َوَ ْد يُ َق‬
ِ ِ
darkness [with light] or the intensification
ِ
ُ‫ُه َو إِ ْختالَ ُط الظَّالَم َو إِ ْشت َد ُاده‬
of darkness.

Tadlīs in ḥadīth studies is termed as such

because of the shared meaning ‫اْلََف ِاء‬ ِ ‫ك ال ْشِِت‬
ْ ‫اك ِوُه ِحا ِ ِْف‬َ َ
ِ‫َُسِثي بِ َذل‬
َ
of ambiguity.3
 ُ‫ت َعْنه‬ َ َ‫َ َا ِ الشَّْي ُخ َو ُح ْك ُم َم ْن يَب‬
Shaykh [Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī]
states4: “The ruling on the one regarding
whom tadlīs is established is that [his
ḥadīth] should not be accepted from him
‫س أَنَّهُ الَ يُ ْقبَ ُل ِمْنهُ إِالَّ إِ َذا‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫التَّ ْدل‬
except when he explicitly clarifies direct ُ ْ
transmission.”1
.‫ث‬ ِ ‫صَّرح بِالتَّد ِدي‬
ْ ْ َ َ

Shaykh states: “Tadlīs is ḥarām

‫س َحَرام ِعْن َد‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫َ َا ِ الشَّيخ التَّ ْدل‬
(impermissible) according to the Imams. ُ ْ ُْ
.‫األَئِ َح ِة‬

It has been narrated from Wakīʿ3 that he

said: ‘It is not permissible to commit tadlīs
‫ي َع ْن َوكِْي ٍع أَنَّهُ َ َا ِ الَ َِْي ُّل‬ َ ‫ُ ِو‬
of a garment (hide its defects to a
‫س‬ ِ ‫ف بِتَ ْدلِْي‬َ ‫س الث َّْو ِب َِ َكْي‬ ‫ي‬
ْ
ِ‫تَ ْدل‬
customer), so how [can it be permissible
to commit] tadlīs with a ḥadīth?’ Shuʿbah4 ُ
.‫ث؟ َو بَالَ َغ ُش ْْبَة ِ ِْف َذ ِثم ِه‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
ْ َْ
was very severe in its condemnation.”5

‫ف الْ ُْلَ َحاءُ ِ ِْف َبُ ْوِ ِ َِوايَِة‬ ‫ل‬

َ ‫ت‬ ‫اخ‬ َِ ‫و‬
‫د‬
The scholars have differed in regards to
accepting the narration of a person who َ َْ َ
commits tadlīs.
.‫س‬ ِ ‫الْ ُح َدلِث‬

ِ ‫اْلدي‬ ِ
One group amongst the experts of ḥadīth
and fiqh held that tadlīs should be a
‫ث َو‬ ْ َْ ‫ب َِ ِريْ م ْن أ َْه ِل‬ َ ‫َِ َذ َه‬
reason to declare unreliability and that
َّ ‫َن التَّ ْدلِْيس َج ْرح َو أ‬
‫َن‬ َّ ‫الْ ِف ْق ِه إِ ََل أ‬
whoever was known to do it his ḥadīth
َ
‫ف بِِه الَ يُ ْقبَ ُل َح ِديْثُهُ ُمطْلَ ًقا‬
should not be accepted under any
circumstances.
َ ‫َم ْن ُع ِر‬
It has also been said, however, that [such .‫َو ِْي َل يُ ْقبَ ُل‬
a person’s ḥadīth] should be accepted.

The majority [of ḥadīth scholars] adhered ‫س‬ ِ ‫اْلُ ْح ُوُه ْوُ إِ ََل َبُ ْوِ ِ تَ ْدلِْي‬
ْ ‫ب‬ َ ‫َو َذ َه‬
to accept the tadlīs of the one who only
does it from someone reliable (thiqah),
like [Sufyān] Ibn ʿUyaynah6, and to reject ‫س إِالَّ َع ْن يَِق ٍة‬ َّ
ُ ‫ف أَنَّهُ الَ يُ َدل‬ َ ‫َم ْن ُع ِر‬
‫َكابْ ِن ُعيَ ْي نَة َو إِ ََل َ ِثد َم ْن َكا َن‬
the one who conceals [both] weak and
non-weak narrators7, until he clarifies that
he heard it by saying: “I heard” or “He

‫الض َْ َف ِاء َو َغ ِْيِه ْم َح ََّّت‬

ُّ ‫س َع ِن‬ ‫ِث‬
ُ ‫يُ َدل‬
transmitted to us” or “He informed us”.

ِ ِِ ِ ِ
‫ت أ َْو‬ُ ْْ ‫ينص َعلَق ََسَاعه بَِق ْوله ََس‬ َّ
.‫َخبَ َرنَا‬ْ ‫َحدَّيَنَا أ َْو أ‬

Some people are driven to commit tadlīs

by wicked intention, such as concealing
‫س َ ْد يَ ُك ْو ُن‬ ِ ‫ث َعلَق التَّ ْدلِْي‬ ُ ‫اع‬ِ ‫والْب‬
ََ
that one has heard [the report] from a
‫اسد ِمثْ ُل‬ِ َِ ‫َّاس َغرض‬ ِ ‫ن‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ض‬ِ ْ ‫ب‬ِ‫ل‬
shaykh due to the shaykh’s young age
َ ْ َ
ِ ِ‫السح ِاع ِمن الشَّي ِخ ل‬ ِ ‫إِخ َف‬
or due to his lack of fame and status
amongst people.
‫صغَ ِر‬ ْ َ َ َّ ‫اء‬ ْ
‫اه ِه ِعْن َد‬ِ ‫ِسن ِِثه أَو ع َدِم شوُهرتِِه و ج‬
َ َ َْ ُ َ ْ
ِ ‫الن‬
.‫َّاس‬

As for the tadlīs that was committed by

‫س‬ ‫ي‬َ‫ل‬ ‫ر‬ِ ِ
‫ب‬ ‫ا‬‫ك‬َ ‫أل‬
َ ‫ا‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ْ ‫ب‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ِ ‫والَّ ِذي وَع‬
some of the akābir (senior ḥadīth
َ ْ َْ ْ َ َ ْ َ
‫لِ ِحثْ ِل َه َذا بَ ْل ِم ْن ِج َوُه ِة ُويُ ْوِ ِوُه ْم‬
narrators)1, it was not due to [such
intentions], rather it was due to their
confidence in the authenticity of the
report and the absence of need [to
 ‫استِ ْغنَ ٍاء بِ ُش ْوُهَرِة‬ ِ ِ ْ ‫ص َّد ِة‬
ْ ‫اْلَديْث َو‬
ِ ِ‫ل‬
mention the narrator] due to the
popularity of his condition.

.ِ ‫اْلَ ِا‬
ْ

Shumunnī states that it is possible that

the elder heard the ḥadīth from a group ‫َ َا ِ الشَّحين َْْيتَ ِح ُل أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن َ ْد‬
of reliable narrators and also from that
ِ ‫ث ِمن َجاع ٍة ِمن الثِث َق‬
‫ات‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫اْل‬
‫د‬ ْ ‫ع‬ َِ
‫َس‬
man [who was omitted], so he felt no
need to mention him after mentioning َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ
‫استَ ْغ ََن بِ ِذ ْك ِرِه‬
ْ َِ ‫الر ُج ِل‬
َّ ‫ك‬ ِ
َ ‫َو َع ْن َذل‬
one of [the reliable narrators] or after
mentioning all of them due to his

َِ ‫عن ِذ ْك ِر أَح ِد ِهم أَو ِذ ْك ِر‬

‫جْيِْ ِوُه ْم‬
conviction in the authenticity of the
ḥadīth, just as the mursil (narrator of an
expedited ḥadīth)2 does.3 ْ ْ َ َْ
‫ث ِِْي ِه َك ِحا‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ِ ِ ِِ ِ
ْ َْ ‫لتَ َد ُّققه بِص َّدة‬
.‫يَ ْف َْ ُل الْ ُح ْرِس ُل‬

If discrepancy occurs between the

ٍ ْ ‫و إِ ْن وَ َع ِِف إِ ْسنِ ٍاد أ َْو َم‬
‫َت‬
narrators in a chain (isnād) or text (matn) ْ َ َ
‫الرَو ِاة بِتَ ْق ِد ٍْْي َو تَأْ ِخ ٍْي‬
ُّ ‫اختِالَف ِم َن‬
due to the advancement, deferment,
addition, omission, or switching of one
narrator in the place of another or a text ْ
in place of [another] text, or through
‫ان أ َْو إِبْ َد ِا ِ َا ٍو‬ٍ ‫أَو ِزياد ٍة و نُ ْقص‬
distortion in the names of the [narrators
of the] chain, or through [distortion],
َ َ ََ ْ
summation, or omission of parts of the
text, or something similar, then the ḥadīth
ٍ ْ ‫َت َم َكا َن َم‬
‫َت‬ ٍ ْ ‫ثخر أ َْو َم‬ََ ‫َم َكا َن َا ٍو‬
َّ ‫ََسَ ِاء‬
‫السنَ ِد أ َْو‬ ْ ‫ف ِ ِْف أ‬ ٍ ‫ص ِدْي‬
is termed muḍṭarib.
ْ َ‫أ َْو ت‬
ٍ ‫َت أَو بِاختِصا ٍ أَو ح ْذ‬
‫ف‬ ِ ‫ح‬ ْ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ِ ‫أَجز‬
‫اء‬
َ ْ َ ْ ْ ْ َ َْ
.‫ضطَ ِرب‬ ِ ْ َِ ‫أَو ِمثْ ِل َذلِك‬
ْ ‫ث ُم‬ ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ َ ْ
If reconciliation [of a discrepancy in a
muḍṭarib ḥadīth] is possible then [good], َّ‫اْلَ ْح ُع َِبِ َوُها َو إِال‬
ْ ‫َِِإ ْن أ َْم َك َن‬
and if not then cessation [from judgment
.‫ف‬ُ ُّ‫َِالت ََّو‬
on the ḥadīth’s strength is necessary]1.

َّ ‫َو إِ ْن أ َْد َ َج‬

‫الرا ِو ْي َكالََمهُ أ َْو َكالَ َم‬
If a narrator interpolates his speech or
the speech of someone else, such as a
Companion or Successor, [into the ḥadīth
ً‫اب أ َْو تَابِِْ يق َمثَال‬ ِِ
‫ص َد ِ ي‬ َ ‫َغ ِْيه م ْن‬
text] for any particular reason, such as to
clarify the language (wording), to explain

‫ان اللُّغَ ِة أ َْو‬

ِ ‫اض َكب ي‬ ِ ٍ ‫لِغَر‬
َ َ ِ ‫ض م َن األَ ْغَر‬
a meaning, to restrict unrestricted
wording, or something of that sort, then
the ḥadīth is termed mudraj. َ
‫تَ ْف ِس ٍْي لِْل َح ْْ ََن أ َْو تَ ْقيِْي ٍد لَْل ُحطْلَ ِ أ َْو‬
.‫ث ُم ْد َج‬ ِ ْ َِ ‫ََن ِو َذلِك‬
ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ َ ْ

‫صل‬
ْ َِ

‫تَ ْنبِْيه‬

This discussion leads us to [the issue of] ‫ث يَْن َجُّر إِ ََل َِوايَِة‬ ُ ‫َو َه َذا الْ َحْب َد‬
‫ث َو نَ ْقلِ ِه بِالْ َح ْْ ََن‬
ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
narrating and transmitting a ḥadīth
through its meaning (non-verbatim
transmission). ْ َْ

‫اختِالَف‬ ِ ‫و ِِي‬
‫ه‬
ْ ْ َ
On this issue, there is a difference of
opinion.
 ‫َِاألَ ْكثَ ُرْو َن َعلَق أَنَّهُ َجائِز ِمَّ ْن ُه َو‬
The majority hold the opinion that it is
permissible [to transmit ḥadīth non-

ِ ‫َسالِْي‬ ِ ‫اَل بالْْربِي ِة و م‬ ِ‫ع‬

verbatim] only for someone who is
knowledgeable in Arabic, proficient in the
manners and modes of speech, special
‫ب‬ َ ْ‫أ‬ ‫ِف‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫اه‬ َ َ ََ َ َ َ
constructions, and the meanings
‫ب َو‬ ِ ‫اص التَّراكِْي‬‫ِث‬ ‫و‬ ‫خ‬
َ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ َِ‫الْ َكال‬
(mafhūmāt) of speech, so that he does not
err by way of addition or omission of َ َ َ
meanings.
‫اب لِئَالَّ ُُيْ ِط َئ‬
ِ َ‫اْلِط‬
ْ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫م ْفوُهوم‬
َُْ َ
ٍ ‫بِ ِزياد ٍة و نُ ْقص‬
‫ان‬ َ َ ََ

ِ ‫و ِيل جائِز ِِف م ْفرد‬

ِ ‫ات األَلْ َف‬
‫اظ‬ ََ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ
It is, however, also claimed that non-
verbatim transmission is permissible only
with singular words and not compounded
ِ ‫دو َن الْحرَّكب‬
‫ات‬
words.
َ َُ ُْ

ِ ِ ِ
It is also claimed by others only to be
permissible for the one who accurately ُ‫ضَر أَلْ َفاظَه‬ ْ ‫َو ْي َل َجائز ل َح ِن‬
َ ‫استَ ْد‬
‫ف ِِْي ِه‬ِ ‫ح ََّّت ي تح َّكن ِمن التَّصُّر‬
recalls the words of the ḥadīth such that
he is able to [properly] change [the ḥadīth
wording without distorting the meaning].
َ َ َ َ ََ َ

‫اِن‬ِ َْ ‫ظ َم‬ ُ ‫ف‬

َ ‫ْي‬
َ ‫ن‬ ‫ح‬ ِ‫و ِيل جائِز ل‬
Others claim that it is only permissible in
the case of the one who had memorized َ ْ َْ َ َْ َ
the meanings of the ḥadīth but forgot its
exact wording, since permissibility is due ‫لضُرْوَِة‬َّ ِ‫ث َو نَ ِس َي أَلْ َفاظَ َوُها ل‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
ْ َْ
‫َح َك ِام َو أ ََّما َم ِن‬ ِ
ْ ‫ِ ِْف َِْتصْي ِل األ‬
to the necessity of benefiting from its
rulings. As for the one who remembers
the exact wording, it is not permissible for

‫ضَر األَلْ َفا َظ َِالَ ََيُ ْوُز لَهُ لِ َْ َدِم‬َ ‫استَ ْد‬
him due to the absence of necessity.
ْ
‫الضُرْوَِة‬
َّ
 .‫اْلََوا ِز َو َع َد ِم ِه‬ ُ َ‫اْلِال‬
ْ ‫ف ِ ِْف‬ ْ ‫َو َه َذا‬
Note that this difference of opinion is in
regards to permissibility and
impermissibility.

As for the preference of narrating ‫أ ََّما أ َْولَ ِويَّةُ َِوايَِة اللَّ ْف ِظ ِم ْن َغ ِْي‬
verbatim, this is an agreed-upon stance
based upon the statement [of the Prophet
(may Allah bless him and grant him ‫ف ِِْي َوُها َِ ُحتَّ َف َعلَْي ِه لَِق ْولِِه‬ ٍ ‫تَصُّر‬
َ
َّ َ‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم ن‬
peace)]: “May Allah enlighten the face of
the individual who heard my speech,
protected it, and then conveyed it as he
ً‫ضَر اهللُ ْام ِرأ‬ َ
‫اها َِأ ََّد َاها َك َحا ََِس َع‬ ِ
َ ‫ََس َع َم َقالَِ ِْت َِ َو َع‬
heard it.”1 As for nonverbatim
transmission, it has occurred in the Six
Books (the Six Authentic Ḥadīth
Collections) as well as in others.2
‫اْلَ ِديْث َو النَّ ْقل بِالْ َح ْْ ََن َوا ِع ِ ِْف‬ ْ
.‫الست َِّة َو َغ ِْيَها‬
‫ب ِث‬ ِ ُ‫الْ ُكت‬

ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
‫ث بِلَ ْف ِظ َع ْن‬
ʿAnʿanah is to narrate a ḥadīth with the
wording: “From so and so, from so and ْ َْ ُ‫َو الْ َْْن َْنَةُ َِوايَة‬
‫ُِالَ ٍن َع ْن ُِالَ ٍن َو الْ ُح َْْن َْ ُن َح ِديْث‬
so (ʿan fulān ʿan fulān)”. The muʿanʿan
report is a ḥadīth narrated through the
use of ʿanʿanah.
.‫ي بِطَ ِريْ ِ الْ َْْن َْنَ ِة‬
َ ‫ُ ِو‬

[For the narrators to have] lived in the

same era is a condition for the ‫اصَرةُ ِعْن َد‬ ِ
َ َْ ‫َو يُ ْشتَ َر ُط ِ ِْف الْ َْْن َْنَة الْ ُح‬
‫ُم ْسلِ ٍم َو اللّ ِعْن َد الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
[acceptance of] ʿanʿanah ḥadīth according
to Muslim, while [evidence of] the
narrators having met physically is a
‫ي َو‬
condition of Bukhāri. According to
‫ثخ ِريْ َن َو ُم ْسلِم َ َّد‬ ‫م‬ٍ‫األَخ ُذ ِعْند َو‬
another group of scholars, [it is a َ ْ َ ْ
.‫الرِثد َو بَالَ َغ ِِْي ِه‬
condition for evidence to exist that a
narrator actually] learnt from the other.1
Muslim refuted both groups severely and َّ ‫َش َّد‬َ ‫َن أ‬ ِ ْ ‫َعلَق الْ َف ِريْ َق‬
exaggerated in doing so.2
The ʿanʿanah of a mudallis is
unacceptable.3
Every marfūʿ ḥadīth whose chain is
muttaṣil (uninterrupted) is termed musnad.
This is the popular and relied upon
[usage of the term musnad].
Some scholars label every muttaṣil ḥadīth
musnad, even if it is mawqūf or maqtūʿ.
Some scholars call every marfūʿ ḥadīth
musnad, even if it is mursal, muʿḍal, or
munqatiʿ.
.ِ ٍ‫س َغْي ُر َم ْقبُ ْو‬
ِ ‫َو َعْن َْنَةُ الْ ُح َدلِث‬
ٍ ‫و ُك ُّل ح ِدي‬
ِ ‫ث مرُِوٍع سنَ ُده مت‬
‫َّصل‬
ُ َ ْ َْ ْ َ
ُ َ
.‫َِ ُوُه َو ُم ْسنَد‬
‫َه َذا ُه َو الْ َح ْش ُوُه ْوُ الْ ُح ْْتَ َح ُد َعلَْي ِه‬
ِ ‫ضوُهم يس ِثحي ُك َّل مت‬
‫َّص ٍل‬
ُ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
‫ُم ْسنَ ًدا َو إِ ْن َكا َن َم ْوُ ْوًِا أ َْو‬
‫َم ْقطُْو ًعا‬
‫ع ُم ْسنَ ًدا َو‬ َ ‫ض ُوُه ْم يُ َس ِثح ْي الْ َح ْرُِ ْو‬
ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
‫ضالً أ َْو‬ َ ْْ ‫إِ ْن َكا َن ُم ْر َسالً أ َْو ُم‬
‫ُمْن َق ِط ًْا‬
‫صل‬
ْ َِ
 ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ِ
‫ث الشَّاذُّ َو‬ ْ َْ ‫َو م ْن أَْ َس ِام‬
Amongst the categories of ḥadīth are the
shādhdh (anomalous), munkar (unfamiliar),
and muʿallal (defective) ḥadīth.
.‫الْ ُحْن َكُر َو الْ ُح َْلَّ ُل‬

Shādhdh lexically means the one who

separated from a group and abandoned ‫َو الشَّاذُّ ِ ِْف اللُّغَ ِة َم ْن تَ َفَّرَد ِم َن‬
.‫اع ِة َو َخَر َج ِمْن َوُها‬
it.

َ ‫اْلَ َح‬
ْ

Legally, [shādhdh] is a ḥadīth that is

narrated in contradiction to what the
‫ي َُمَالًِفا لِ ِحا‬ِ
‫و‬
َ ُ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬
َ ‫ح‬
ِ ‫ال‬
َ ِ ‫و ِِف ا ِإلص‬
‫ط‬ ْ ْ َ
reliable narrators narrated.
.‫ات‬
ُ ‫َ َواه الثِث َق‬

.‫َِِإ ْن ََلْ يَ ُك ْن َُواتُهُُ يَِقةً َِ ُوُه َو َم ْرُد ْود‬

If the narrators [in the contradictory
ḥadīth] are not reliable the ḥadīth should
be rejected
(mardūd).

If they are reliable, then the solution [to

the contradiction] is to give preference [to
‫َو إِ ْن َكا َن يَِقةً َِ َسبِْي لُهُ الت َّْرِجْي ُح ِِبَِزيْ ِد‬
‫ضْب ٍط أ َْو َكثْ َرِة َع َد ٍد َو‬ ٍ ِ
one of the differing ḥadīth] based upon
strength of memory, retention and
accuracy, greater numbers, or other
َ ‫ح ْفظ َو‬
reasons of preference.
.‫ات‬ِ ‫وجوٍه أُخر ِمن التَّرِجيد‬
َ ْ ْ َ ََ ْ ُ ُ

The ḥadīth which is preferred is then ‫اجح يُ َس َّحق َُْم ُف ْوظًا َو الْ َح ْر ُج ْو َح‬
ُ ‫الر‬ َّ َِ
termed maḥfūẓ1 and that which was
preferred over is termed shādhdh.
.‫َشاذًّا‬
 ‫ضِْْيف‬
َ ُ‫َو الْ ُحْن َكُر َحديْث َ َواه‬
A munkar report is a ḥadīth which a weak
person narrates in opposition to someone

.ُ‫ف ِمْنه‬ ِ ِ
who is weaker than him.2

ُ َْ ‫َض‬
ْ ‫َُمَال ًفا ل َح ْن ُه َو أ‬

ُ ‫َو ُم َقابِلُهُ الْ َح ُْْرْو‬

.‫ف‬
The opposite of [a munkar ḥadīth] is a
maʿrūf ḥadīth.3

The narrators in both munkar and maʿrūf

ḥadīth are weak, although one of them ‫ف كِالَ َ َاويْ ِوُه َحا‬ُ ‫َِالْ ُحْن َكُر َو الْ َح ُْْرْو‬
‫ف ِم َن‬ ِ
will be weaker than the other.

ُ َْ ‫َض‬
ْ ‫َح ُد ُُهَا أ‬
َ ‫ضْْيف َو أ‬ َ
.‫اآلخَر‬
َ

‫َو ِ ِْف الشَّاذِث َو الْ َح ْد ُف ْو ِظ َ ِوى‬

The narrators in both shādhdh and maḥfūẓ
ḥadīth, however, are strong, although
one of them will be stronger than the
ِ
َ ‫َح ُد ُُهَا أَْ َوى م َن‬
.‫اآلخَر‬ َ‫أ‬
other.

ِ ‫و الشَّاذُّ والْحْن َكر مرجوح‬

‫ان َو‬
In comparison, then, shādhdh and munkar
ḥadīth are the rejected forms of the
َ ْ ُ َْ ُ ُ َ
ِ ‫ف ِاجد‬
.‫ان‬ َ َ ُ ‫الْ َح ْد ُف ْو ُظ َوالْ َح ُْْرْو‬
ḥadīth while mahfūẓ and maʿrūf ḥadīth are
the preferred forms.

Some scholars1 did not stipulate in

shādhdh and munkar ḥadīth the condition ‫ض ُوُه ْم ََلْ يَ ْش َِِتطُْوا ِِف الشَّاذِث َو‬
ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
that there be disparity with another
‫ثخَر َ ِويًّا‬ ٍ
‫و‬ ‫ا‬
‫ر‬ ِ‫الْحْن َك ِر َ ي َد الْحخالََف ِة ل‬
َ َ َُ ْ ُ
narrator, be he strong or weak. Rather,
they claimed that the shādhdh ḥadīth is
simply that which a reliable narrator
‫الوا الشَّاذّ َما‬ َ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ف‬
ً ‫ي‬ ِْ‫َكا َن أَو ض‬
related independently, without any
ْ َ َْ ْ
 ِ
ُ‫َ َواهُ الثِث َقةُ َو تَ َفَّرَد بِه َو الَ يُ ْو َج ُد لَه‬
accepted ḥadīth in agreement with [its
wording and meaning] or supporting it.

ِ ْ‫أَصل مواِِ و م‬
.ُ‫اضد لَه‬ َ ُ َ َُ ْ

This [definition] would thus be applicable

to the ṣaḥīḥ [fard ḥadīth2] of a reliable ‫ص ِادق َعلَق ِرد يقة صديح‬ َ ‫َو َه َذا‬
َ‫ض ُوُه ْم ََلْ يَ ْْتَِ ُربْوا الثِث َقةَ َو ال‬
narrator.3 Some scholars4 did not
consider the existence of a reliable
narrator or even disparity in the ḥadīth ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
.‫الْ ُح َخالََف َة‬
[as conditions in defining a shādhdh
ḥadīth].

ُّ ِ‫ص ْوهُ ب‬
‫الص ْوَِة‬ ُّ ُ‫ك الْ ُحْن َكر ََلْ َُي‬ ِ
Some scholars, however, did not specify
the definition of a munkar ḥadīth to the
َ ‫َو َك َذل‬
‫ث الْ َحطْ ُْ ْو ِن‬ ِ
َ ْ‫الْ َح ْذ ُك ْوَِة َو ََسُّْوا َحدي‬
previously mentioned application. Rather,
they labeled the ḥadīth of the one

‫بِِف ْس ٍ أو ِرط غفلة و كثرة غلط‬

discredited by fisq, excessive negligence,
and frequent mistakes as munkar as well.

.‫ُمْن َكًرا‬

َّ ‫ص ِطالَ َحات الَ َم َش‬

َ‫احة‬ ِ
‫إ‬ ِ ‫و ه ِذ‬
‫ه‬
This is [an issue of] of nomenclature,
however, in which there can be no ْ َ َ
argumentation.
.‫ِِْي َوُها‬

‫َو الْ ُح َْلَّ ُل بَِفْت ِح الالَِّم إِ ْسنَاد ِِْي ِه ِعلَل‬

A muʿallal ḥadīth is [defined by] a chain
that contains impairing defects and
subtle, uneasily discernible reasons to
‫ضة َخ ِفيَّة َ ِاد َحة ِ ِْف‬ َ
ِ ‫و أَسباب َغ‬
‫ام‬ َْ َ
‫اق الْ َح َوُهَرةُ ِم ْن‬ ْ ‫الص َّد ِة يَتَ نَبَّهُ َِلَا‬
ُ ‫اْلُ َّذ‬
degrade the authenticity of a ḥadīth. The
well-versed and experienced scholars of ‫ِث‬
 ‫الشأْ ِن َكِإ ْ َس ٍا ِ ِ ِْف‬
َّ ‫أ َْه ِل َه َذا‬
this science are privy to [these defects],
such as expediency (irsāl) in the
apparently uninterrupted (mawṣūl), or the
fact that a ḥadīth is really mawqūf where it ٍ ْ‫الْحوصوِ ِ و و‬
‫ف ِ ِْف الْ َح ْرُِ ْوِع َو‬
appears marfūʿ, or similar such situations. َ َ ُْ ْ َ
ِ
َ ‫ََْن ِو َذل‬
.‫ك‬

‫صُر ِعبَا ََة الْ ُح َْلِث ِل بِ َك ْس ِر‬

ِ َ‫و َ ْد ي ْقت‬
At times, the articulation of an extractor

َ َ
of impairing defects (muʿallil) falls short
of establishing evidence for his claim5 just
ِ ْ ‫الالَِّم عن إِ َام ِة‬
ُ‫اْلُ َّجة َعلَق َد ْع َواه‬
as a money changer falls short in
articulating evidence for the defects in
a dīnār and dirham.6
َ َْ
‫الصْي َرِِف ِ ِْف نَ ْق ِد الدِثيْنَا ِ َو ا ِثلد ْ َه ِم‬
َّ ‫َك‬

When a narrator transmits a ḥadīth and

another narrator transmits a ḥadīth in
‫َو إِ َذا َ َوى َا ٍو َح ِديْثًا َو َ َوى َا ٍو‬
‫ثخُر َح ِديْثًا ُم َواِِ ًقا لَهُ يُ َس َّحق َه َذا‬
corroboration with it, then the
corroborating ḥadīth is called a mutābiʿ. َ
ِ ‫صي غَ ِة اس ِم الْ َف‬
ِ ِْ
‫اع ِل‬ ْ ْ ِ‫يث ُمتَابِ ًْا ب‬ ُ ‫اْلَد‬

This is what the ḥadīth scholars mean

when the say: “So and so corroborated ‫َو َه َذا َم ْْ ََن َما يَ ُق ْو ُ ِ الْ ُح َددِثيُ ْو َن‬
ِ ُ ‫تَابَ َْهُ ُِالَن َو َكثِْي ًرا َما يَ ُق ْو‬
this ḥadīth.” Bukhāri frequently mentions
in his Ṣaḥīḥ, as well as others, that:
“[Such and such ḥadīth] has

‫ص ِدْي ِد ِه َو يَ ُق ْولُْو َن َو‬ ُّ ِ ‫الْبُ َخا‬

َ ‫ي ِ ِْف‬
corroborative chains (mutābiʿāt)”.

.‫لَهُ ُمتَابِ َْات‬

The effect of corroboration is to
‫ب التَّ ْق ِويَةَ َوالتَّأْيِْي َد‬‫ج‬ِ‫والْحتاب ْةُ ي و‬
strengthen and support a ḥadīth.
ُ ُْ َ َ َُ َ

A corroborative ḥadīth doesn’t have to be ‫َوالَيَ ْلَزُم أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن الْ ُحتَابِ ُع ُمسا ِويًا ِ ِْف‬
equal in status to the original ḥadīth.
‫َص ِل‬ ِِ
ْ ‫الْ َح ْرتَبَة لأل‬
Even if it is lesser in status, it will be still
suitable for corroboration.
‫صلُ ُح لِْل ُحتَابَ َْ ِة‬
ْ َ‫َوإِ ْن َكا َن ُد ْونَهُ ي‬

Corroboration (mutābaʿah) can occur with

‫س‬ِ ‫َو الْ ُحتَابَ َْةُ َ ْد يَ ُك ْو ُن ِ ِْف نَ ْف‬
‫الرا ِوي َو َ ْد يَ ُك ْو ُن ِ ِْف َشْي ٍخ َِ ْوَهُ َو‬
the same narrator1 or it can be with the
shaykh above him2, and the first (type) is
more complete and perfect than the
َّ
second since weakness in the beginning
َّ ‫َّاِن أل‬
‫َن‬ ِ ‫األ ََّو ُ ِ أ َََتُّ َوأَ ْك َحل ِمن الث‬
of the chain3 is more common and ْ َ ُ
frequent.
‫ب‬ ‫ل‬
َ ‫غ‬
ْ َ
‫أ‬‫و‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ث‬ ‫ك‬ْ َ
‫أ‬ ِ َ‫الْوهن ِِف أ ََّوِ ِ ا ِإلسن‬
‫اد‬
ُ َ ُ َ ْ ْ َ ََ

If the corroborative ḥadīth agrees with

the original ḥadīth in word and in
‫َص َل ِ ِْف اللَّ ْف ِظ‬
ْ ‫ابع إِ ْن َواَِ َ األ‬ ُ َ‫َوالْ ُحت‬
‫ا ِ ِمثْ لَهُ َو إِ ْن َواَِ َ ِ ِْف‬
meaning the words mithlahu are used.
However, if the corroboration is in the
meaning and not the wording then the
ُ ‫َو الْ َح ْْ ََن يُ َق‬
words naḥwahu are used.
ُ ‫الْ َح ْْ ََن ُد ْو َن اللَّ ْف ِظ يُ َق‬
ُ‫ا ِ ََْن َوه‬

In mutābaʿah, it is a condition that the two ‫َو يُ ْشتَ َر ُط ِ ِْف الْ ُحتَابَ َْ ِة أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن‬
ḥadīth be from the same Companion.
‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫اب و‬ ‫ي‬
َ ََ ْ ِ ‫د‬ ‫ص‬ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫ان‬
‫م‬ ِ َ‫ح ِدي ث‬
ْ َ
 ِ ْ َ‫ص َدابِي‬ ِ
ُ‫ا ِ لَه‬
ُ ‫َن يُ َق‬ َ ‫َو إِ ْن َكانَا م ْن‬
Now, if the two corroborative ḥadīth are
from different Companions, the
corroborating ḥadīth is called a shāhid.
‫اهد ِم ْن‬ ِ ‫ا ِ لَه ش‬ ِ
َ ُ ُ ‫َشاهد َك َحا يُ َق‬
It is said, for example: “This ḥadīth has a
shāhid from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah”

‫ا ِ لَهُ َش َو ِاهد‬ ِ ‫ح ِدي‬

or: “this report has attestations
(shawāhid)”, or: “the ḥadīth of so and so ُ ‫َب ُهَريْ َرَة َو يُ َق‬ِ‫أ‬ ‫ث‬
ْ ْ َ
attests to it”.
ِ
‫ث ُِالَ ٍن‬ ُ ْ‫َو يَ ْش َوُه ُد بِِه َحدي‬

Some scholars of ḥadīth specify the word

mutābiʿ to mean only that corroboration
َ‫ص ْو َن الْ ُحتَابَ َْة‬
ُّ ُ‫ض ُوُه ْم َُي‬
ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
that is in the wording (lafẓ) and the shāhid ِ ‫بِالْحواَِ َق ِة ِِف اللَّ ْف ِظ و الش‬
‫َّاه َد ِ ِْف‬
to that corroboration that is in meaning َ ْ َُ
‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫اب و‬ ِ ِ ‫الْحَْن سواء َكا َن‬
(maʿnā), whether or not the corroboration
was from one Companion or two.
َ ‫ي‬ ‫د‬َ ‫ص‬
َ ‫ن‬ْ ‫م‬ َ ََ َْ َ
ِ ْ َ‫ص َدابِي‬
‫َن‬ ِ
َ ‫أ َْو م ْن‬

Sometimes the terms shāhid and mutābiʿ ِ ‫و َ ْد يطْلَ الش‬

‫َّاه ُد َو الْ ُحتَابِ ُع ِِبَْْ ََن‬
are used synonymously, and [the reason ُ ُ َ
ِ‫اح ٍد و األَمر ِِف َذل‬
َ ْ ُ ْ َ ِ ‫َو‬
for this
synonymous application] is clear.4 The
process of investigating the paths of
‫ك بَ ِثَن َو تَتَبُّ ُع‬
‫ص ِد‬ ِ‫ث و أَسانِي ِدها ل‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ِ
transmission of a ḥadīth and its multiple
chains with the intention of discovering a
mutābiʿ or shāhid is called iʿtibār. ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َْ ‫طُُرق‬
‫ق‬َ
‫َّاه ِد يُ َس َّحق‬
ِ ‫مْ ِرَِ ِة الْحتابِ ِع والش‬
َ َُ ْ َ
. َ ‫ا ِإل ْعتِبَا‬

‫صل‬
ْ َِ
 ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
‫ث يَالَيَة‬ ْ َْ ‫َص ُل أَْ َس ِام‬
ْ ‫َو أ‬
The original division of ḥadīth [based
upon the strength of its chains] is into
three types: ṣaḥīḥ
(sound), ḥasan (fair), and ḍaʿīf (weak).2
‫ضِْْيف‬ َ ‫صدْيح َو َح َسن َو‬
ِ
َ

‫ف‬ ِ َّ ‫الص ِديح أ َْعلَق مرتَب ٍة و ال‬

The ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth is of the highest level of
strength, the ḍaʿīf the lowest, and the
ُ ‫ضْْي‬ َ َ َْ ُ ْ َّ َِ
ḥasan in between.
‫اْلَ َس ُن ُمتَ َو ِثسط‬
ْ ‫أ َْد ََن َو‬

All the other types of ḥadīth which have ِ ‫و سائِر األَ ْس ِام الَِِّت ذَ َكرت د‬
‫اخلَة‬
been previously mentioned are َ ُْ َ ُ َ َ
‫ِ ِْف َه ِذ ِه الثَّالَيَِة‬
subsumed within these three types.

‫ت بِنَ ْق ِل َع ْد ٍ ِ تَ ِثام‬ ِ َّ َِ
ُ ُ‫الصدْي ُح َما يَثْب‬
A ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth is that which is established
by the transmission of an upright and

‫الضْب ِط َغْي ُر ُم َْلَّ ٍل َوالَ َش ٍاذ‬

thoroughly accurate person and which is
neither defective nor anomalous. َّ

‫ات َعلَق َو ْج ِه‬ ‫ف‬َ ‫الص‬

‫ِث‬ ِ ‫َِِإ ْن َكانَت ه ِذ‬
‫ه‬
If these attributes (i.e. being upright and
accurate without anomaly or subtle ُ َ ْ
‫الص ِدْي ُح لِ َذاتِِه‬
َّ ‫َّح ِام َِ ُوُه َو‬ ِ
َ ‫الْ َك َحا ِ َوالت‬
impairing defect) are complete and
perfect, then the ḥadīth is considered
ṣaḥīḥ li dhātihi (ṣaḥīḥ-in-itself).

‫ص ْوٍ َو ُوِج َد َما‬ ِ‫و إِ ْن َكا َن ِِي ِه ن‬

If there is some sort of inadequacy in
these characteristics, but various other
paths of transmission can make up for
ُ
ُ ُْ ْ ‫ع‬ ‫و‬ َ
the inadequacy, then the ḥadīth is
‫ص ْوَ ِم ْن َكثْ َرِة الطُُّرِق‬ ‫ق‬
ُ ‫ل‬
ْ ‫ا‬ ‫ك‬ ِ‫ََيب ر َذل‬
considered ṣaḥīḥ li ghayrihi (ṣaḥīḥ ُ َ ُ ُْ
‫الص ِدْي ُح لِغَ ِْيِه‬
through corroboration).
َّ ‫َِ ُوُه َو‬
 ‫اْلَ َس ُن لِ َذاتِِه‬
When [such supportive paths of
transmission] are not found the ḥadīth is
considered ḥasan li dhātihi (ḥasan-in- ْ ‫َِِإ ْن ََلْ يُ ْو َج ْد َِ ُوُه َو‬
itself).

ُ ِ‫َوَما ُِِق َد ِِْي ِه الشََّرائ‬

‫ط الْ ُح ْْتَبَ َرةُ ِ ِْف‬
ِ َّ
‫ضا َِ ُوُه َو‬ ً ْْ َ‫الصدْي ِح ُكالًّ أ َْو ب‬
‫ف‬ ِ َّ
ُ ‫الضْْي‬

ِ َّ ‫و‬
َ ‫ف إِ ْن تَ َْد‬
Now, if the paths of transmission of a
ḍaʿīf ḥadīth become numerous and the ‫َّد طُُرُهُ َو ْانَبَ َر‬ ُ ‫الضْْي‬ َ
weakness of the ḥadīth is therefore
mended3 [through corroboration] the
ḥadīth will be considered ḥasan li ghayrihi ‫ض ْْ ُفهُ يُ َس َّحق َح َسنًا لِغَ ِْيِه‬
َ
(ḥasan through corroboration).1

Although apparently it is possible for all

‫َن ّّ ُه ََيُ ْوُز أَ ْن‬ َّ ‫اهُر َكالَِم ِوُه ْم أ‬ ِ َ‫و ظ‬
of the above-mentioned attributes of the
ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth2 to be deficient in a ḥasan َ
ḥadīth, the correct and researched ِ ‫الص َف‬
‫ات الْ َح ْذ ُك ْوَِة ِ ِْف‬ ‫جْي ُع ِث‬ َِ ‫ي ُكو َن‬
understanding is that only such a ْ َ
deficiency is considered in fair ḥadīth that
‫اْلَ َس ِن لَ ِك َّن‬
ْ ‫صا ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫الص ِدي ِح نَا‬
is due to slightness of accuracy, while the
remaining attributes should remain as ً ْ َّ
they are.3
‫صا َن الَّ ِذي ْاعتُِ َرب‬ َ ‫ق‬ ْ ُّ
‫الن‬ َّ
‫َن‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ي‬
َْ ْ
ِ ‫التَّد‬
‫ق‬
‫الضْب ِط َو‬ َّ ‫اْلَ َس ِن إََِّّنَا ُه َو ِِِب َّف ِة‬ ْ ‫ِ ِْف‬
.‫ات ِبَ ِاِلَا‬ ِ ‫الص َف‬‫بَا ِي ِث‬
 ِ ِ ‫والْْ َدالَةُ ملَ َكة ِِف الشَّخ‬
ُ‫ص َِْتحلُه‬
ʿAdālah is a faculty in an individual that
induces him to adhere to taqwā (God-
consciousness)1 and murūʾah (a sense of
ْ َ َ َ
honor).
‫َعلَق ُمالََزَم ِة التَّ ْق َوى َو الْ ُحُرْوءَ ِة‬

ِ ‫َع َح ِا‬ ِ ‫و الْحراد بِالتَّ ْقوى‬

Taqwā means to avoid evil deeds, such
as shirk (association with God), fisq ْ ‫اب األ‬ ُ َ‫اجتن‬ ْ َ ُ َُ َ
‫السيِثئَ ِة ِم َن الش ِْثرِك َوالْ ِف ْس ِ َوالْبِ ْد َع ِة‬
(moral corruption), and bidʿah (repugnant
innovation)2. َّ

In avoiding minor sins there is a ‫الصغِْي َرِة‬

َّ ‫اب َع ِن‬ ِ َ‫و ِِف ا ِإل ْجتِن‬
َ
‫اط ِه‬
ِ ‫ِخالَف و الْحختَا ع َدم ا ْشِِت‬
difference of opinion, the preferred

َ ُ َ ُ ُْ َ
opinion being that it is not a condition [for
ʿadālah] due to its being outside the realm
ِ ِِ ِ
‫صَر َا‬ ْ ‫ْلُُرْوجه َع ِن الطَّا َة إِالَّ ا ِإل‬
of ability, except in the case of
persistence upon [minor sins], as

‫َعلَْي َوُها لِ َك ْونِِه َكبِْي َرة‬

persistence upon them is a major sin.

The meaning of murūʾah is that one be ِ ْْ َ‫َو الْ ُحَر ُاد بِالْ ُحُرْوءَ ِة التَّنَ ُّزهُ َع ْن ب‬
‫ض‬
free from any vile acts and defects that
are contrary to the basic requisite of high
ambition and general moral excellence, ‫ص الَِّ ِْت ِه َي‬ ِ ِ‫س َو النَّ َقائ‬ ِ ِ‫اْلَ َسائ‬ ْ
‫ضق ا ِْلِ َّح ِة َو الْ ُحُرْوءَ ِة‬ ُ َ‫ِخال‬
such as certain permissible but lowly
acts, i.e. eating or drinking in a market,
urinating on a road, etc….3 َ َ‫ف ُم ْقت‬
ِ ‫ض الْحباح‬
‫ات الدَّنِيَّ ِة‬ ِ
َ َ ُ ِ ْْ َ‫مثْل ب‬
‫الس ْو ِق َو‬ ُّ ‫َكاألَ ْك ِل َو الش ُّْر ِب ِ ِْف‬
ِ
‫ك‬َ ‫الْبَ ْوِ ِ ِ ِْف الطَِّريْ ِ َو أ َْمثَ ِا ِ َذل‬
 ‫َع ُّم‬
َ ‫الرَوايَةَ أ‬ ‫َن َع ْد َ ِ ِث‬ َّ ‫َو يَْنبَغِي أَ ْن أ‬
ْ
It should be known that integrity in
relation to transmission (of ḥadīth) is

ِ َ ‫َّوُه َاد ِة َِِإ َّن َع ْد‬ ِ

َ ‫م ْن َع ْد ِ الش‬
ِ
more general than
integrity in testimony (shahādah) because

ِ ‫الش‬
integrity in testimony is specific to free
men while integrity in transmission
(riwāyah) includes both free men and
ِ ُ ‫اْلُِثر َو َع ْد‬ ْ ِ‫ص ْوص ب‬ ُ َْ‫َّوُه َادة َم‬
َ
ْ ‫الرَوايَِة يَ ْش َح ُل‬
‫اْلَُّر َو الْ َْْب َد‬
slaves.4
‫ِث‬

Ḍabṭ (accuracy) is the ability to memorize

what one hears in such a manner that
‫ظ الْ َح ْس ُح ْوِع‬ ُ ‫ضْب ِط ِح ْف‬َّ ْ‫َو الْ ُحَر ُاد بِال‬
one is fully able to recall it and then
ِ ِ َ‫ات َوا ِإل ْختِال‬ِ ‫و تَثْبِيتُه ِمن الْ َفو‬
prevent it from wholly or partially fading
from one’s memory. َ َ ُْ َ
‫ضا ِِه‬ ِ ‫ث ي تَح َّكن ِم ِن‬ ِ
َ ‫است ْد‬ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ‫ي‬
ْ ‫ب‬
َ

Accuracy is of two types:

‫الص ْد ِ َو‬
َّ ‫ط‬ُ ‫ضْب‬ ِ ‫و هو ِسح‬
َ ‫ان‬
1. Accuracy in memory َ ْ َُ َ
ِ َ‫ط الْ ِكت‬
2. Accuracy in composition
1
‫اب‬ ُ ‫ضْب‬
َ

Accuracy in memory is attained through ‫ب َو َو ْعيِ ِه‬ ِ ِ‫الص ْد ِ ِِب ْف ِظ الْ َقل‬
َّ ‫ط‬ ُ ‫ضْب‬
َ َِ
‫صيَانَتِ ِه ِعْن َدهُ إِ ََل‬
ِ ِ‫اب ب‬ ِ َ‫ط الْ ِكت‬
memorization and retention in the heart,
while accuracy in composition is attained
through preservation [of one’s writings] ُ ‫ضْب‬
َ ‫َو‬
.‫ت األ ََد ِاء‬ ِ ْ‫و‬
until the time of transmission.
َ

‫صل‬
ْ َِ
 ُ‫أ ََّما الْ َْ َدالَةُ َِ ُو ُج ْوهُ الْطَّ ْْ ِن الْ ُحتَ َْلَّ َقة‬
There are five causes of aspersion in
ʿadālah (integrity):

‫ِِبَا َخَْس‬

1. Falsehood (kidhb)
‫األ ََّو ُ ِ بِالْ َك ِذ ِب‬

‫ِثوُه ِام ِه بِالْ َك ِذ ِب‬

َ ‫َو بِات‬
2. Accusation of falsehood (ittihām bi ‘l-
kidhb)

ِ ‫ث بِالْ ِفس‬
ُ
ِ‫و الثَّال‬
3. Moral Corruption (fisq) ْ َ

‫اْلَ َوُهالَ ِة‬

ْ ِ‫الرابِ ُع ب‬
َّ ‫َو‬
4. Being unknown (jahālah)

‫س بِالْبِ ْد َع ِة‬ ِ ‫اْل‬

ُ َْ ‫َو‬
‫ام‬
5. Innovation (bidʿah)

‫ت‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ي‬

َ ‫ه‬َّ
‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ي‬ ِ
‫و‬ ‫ا‬
‫الر‬
َّ ‫ب‬ِ ِ ‫و الْحراد بِ َك‬
‫ذ‬
Kidhb in respect to a narrator means that
his lying about prophetic statements has ََ ُ ُ َُ َ
been established either through the liar’s
‫اهلل‬ ‫ق‬ َّ
‫ل‬ ‫ص‬ ‫ي‬‫ِث‬ ِ
‫و‬ ‫َّب‬
‫ن‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ث‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ْ ‫ِف‬ِ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬‫ذ‬ِ ‫َك‬
own acknowledgement or through other
ُ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُُ
ِ ‫علَي ِه و سلَّم إِ َّما بِِإ ْ را ِ الْو‬
external evidences.
‫اض ِع أ َْو‬ َ َ َ َ َ َْ
‫ك َو الْ َقَرائِ ُن‬ ِ
َ ‫َغ ِْي َذل‬
 ‫ث الْ َحطْ ُْ ْو ِن بِالْ َك ِذ ِب‬ ِ
ُ ْ‫َو َحدي‬
The ḥadīth of such a liar is termed
mawḍūʿ (spurious; forged).
‫ض ْو ًعا‬
ُ ‫يُ َس َّحق َم ْو‬

If it is established that someone has ‫ت َعْنهُ تَ َْ ُّح ُد الْ َك ِذ ِب ِ ِْف‬َ َ‫َو َم ْن يَب‬
purposefully lied about a ḥadīth, even if it
‫ث َو إِ ْن َكا َن ُوُ ْو ُعهُ ِ ِْف الْ ُْ ْح ِر‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
occurred [only] once in his lifetime and
even if he repented from it, his ḥadīth will ْ َْ
ِ
َ ‫اب ِم ْن َذل‬
‫ك ََلْ يُ ْقبَ ْل‬ َ َ‫َمَّرًة َو إِ ْن ت‬
never be accepted, unlike the one who
bears false witness if he repents.

‫الزْوِ إِ َذا‬ ُّ ‫اه ِد‬ ِ‫فش‬ ِ

َ ِ َ‫َحديْثُهُ أَبَ ًدا ِِِبال‬
‫اب‬
َ َ‫ت‬

ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
This is the meaning of the term “mawdūʿ
ḥadīth” in the nomenclature of the ḥadīth
‫ض ْوِع ِ ِْف‬
ُ ‫ث الْ َح ْو‬ ْ َْ ِ‫َِالْ ُحَر ُاد ب‬
ِ ِ
ُ‫َن َه َذا الَ أَنَّه‬ َ ْ ‫اصطالَ ِح الْ ُح َددِثي‬
scholars, not that [the narrator’s] lying
has necessarily been established and
realized in the ḥadīth in question.1
ْ
‫ك ِ ِْف َه َذا‬ ِ‫يَبت َك ِذبه و علِم َذل‬
َ َ ُ َ ُُ َ َ
‫ص ْو ِص ِه‬ ِ
‫ِب‬ ‫ث‬ِ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫اْل‬
‫د‬
ُ ُ ْ َْ

The issue of forgery is conjectural (based

on supposition and not conclusive), and
‫ض ِع‬ْ ‫اْلُ ْك ُم بِالْ َو‬
ْ ‫َو الْ َح ْسأَلَةُ ظَنِث يَّة َو‬
to pass judgment of spuriousness (waḍʿ)
‫س‬ ‫ي‬َ‫ل‬‫و‬ ‫ب‬ ِ ِ‫و ا ِإلِِِْت ِاء ِب ْك ِم الظَّ ِثن الْغَال‬
and lying on a ḥadīth is by way of
َ َْ ُ َ َ
ِ ِ ‫إِ ََل الْ َقطْ ِع و الْي ِق‬
َ ‫َن بِ َذل‬
dominant probability2. It is not possible to
claim spuriousness conclusively and with
certainty [on every ḥadīth of a liar] since
‫ك َسبِْيل‬ َْ َ
‫ص ُد ُق‬ْ َ‫ب َ ْد ي‬ َ ‫َِِإ َّن الْ َك ُذ ْو‬
liars sometimes also speak the truth.
This therefore refutes what has been said ‫َو ِِبَ َذا يَْن َدِِ ُع َما ِْي َل ِ ِْف َم ْْ ِرَِ ِة‬
ِ ‫ض ِع بِِإ ْ را ِ الْو‬
concerning the realization of the forgery
of the forger through his confession: that
it is possible that his confession also be a
‫اض ِع أَنَّهُ ََيُ ْوُز أَ ْن‬ َ َ ْ ‫الْ َو‬
ِ
ُ‫يَ ُك ْو َن َكاذبًا ِ ِْف َه َذا ا ِإل ْ َرا ِ َِِإنَّه‬
lie. His truthfulness (attestation to lying)
is but known through dominant
probability, and were it not for this fact it
would not permissible to kill the
confessor to murder, nor stone the َ‫ب الظَّ ِثن َو لَ ْو ال‬ ِ ِ‫ف ِص ْد ُهُ بِغَال‬ ُ ‫يُ َْْر‬
‫غ َ ْت ُل الْ ُح ِقِثر بِالْ َقْت ِل َو‬ ِ
admitter to fornication.
َ ‫ك لَ َحا َسا‬ َ ‫َذل‬
.‫الزنَا َِاِْ َوُه ْم‬‫ف بِ ِث‬ ِ ‫الَ جم الْحْ ِِت‬
َْ ُ ُ ْ َ

As for suspicion of falsehood, it applies to
when a narrator is famous for and known
to lie in general conversation, even if it is
not proven that he has lied in the
prophetic traditions.
‫الرا ِوي بِالْ َك ِذ ِب َِبِأَ ْن‬َّ ‫ِثوُه ُام‬
َ ‫َو أ ََّما ات‬
‫يَ ُك ْو َن َم ْش ُوُه ْوًا بِالْ َك ِذ ِب َو َم ُْْرْوًِا‬
ِ ‫َّاس و ََل ي ثْب‬ ِ
ْ ُ َ ْ َ ِ ‫بِه ِ ِْف َكالَِم الن‬

ُ‫ت َكذبُه‬
ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
‫ث النَّبَ ِو ِث‬
‫ي‬ ْ َْ ‫ِ ِْف‬

Similar to it in ruling is to narrate that

ِ ‫و ِِف ح ْك ِح ِه ِوايةُ ما ُُيَالِف َو‬
‫اع َد‬
which contradicts the known and
necessary principles of Islamic law. َ ُ َ ََ ُ ْ َ
‫ضُرْوِيَّةً ِ ِْف الش َّْرِع َك َذا ِْي َل‬
َ ً‫َم ْْلُ ْوَمة‬

This category of ḥadīth is called matrūk ‫َو يُ َس َّحق َه َذا الْ ِق ْس ُم َمْت ُرْوًكا َك َحا‬
(abandoned). For example, they say: “His
ḥadīth is matrūk,” orb“so and so is matrūk
in ḥadīth”.
‫ا ِ َح ِديْثُهُ َمْت ُرْوك َو ُِالَن َمْت ُرْو ُك‬ ُ ‫يُ َق‬
ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
‫ث‬ ْ َْ
 ‫ت‬ْ ‫ص َّد‬ َ َ‫الر ُج ُل إِ ْن ت‬
َ ‫اب َو‬ َّ ‫َو َه َذا‬
If such a man repents and his repentance
is true, and signs of truthfulness become
apparent from him it will be permissible to
ِ ِ ‫تَوب تُه و ظَوُهرت أَما ات ِث‬
accept his ḥadīth.
ُ‫الص ْدق مْنه‬ ُ َ َ ْ ََ َ ُ َْ
‫ث‬ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
ْ َْ ُ‫َج َاز ََسَاع‬

ِ ِ ِ
In the case of one who lies only ‫َحيَانًا‬
ْ‫بأ‬ ُ ‫َو الَّذ ْي يَ َق ُع مْنهُ الْ َكذ‬
ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ِِ ِ
occasionally or rarely in his [everyday]

‫ث النَّبَ ِو ِث‬
‫ي‬ ْ َْ ‫نَاد ًا ِ ِْف َكالَمه َغ ِْي‬
speech – and not in the prophetic
traditions – such lying will not effectively

‫ك َغْي ُر ُم َؤيِثٍر ِ ِْف تَ ْس ِحيَ ِة َح ِديْثِ ِه‬ ِ

label his ḥadīth mawḍūʿ or matrūk, even
though it is clear disobedience [of Allah].1
َ ‫َِ َذل‬
ِ
‫ت‬ْ َ‫ض ْوِع أَ ِو الْ َحْت ُرْوك َو إِ ْن َكان‬ ُ ‫بِالْ َح ْو‬
ً‫صيَة‬ِ ْ‫م‬
َْ

The term fisq (moral corruption) implies ‫َو أ ََّما الْ ِف ْس ُ َِالْ ُحَر ُاد بِِه الْ ِف ْس ُ ِ ِْف‬
moral corruption in deeds and not in
belief, for corruption in belief falls under
‫ك‬ ِ‫الْْح ِل دو َن ا ِإلعتِ َق ِاد َِِإ َّن َذل‬
bidʿah (innovation).2 َ ْ ُْ َ َ
‫اخل ِ ِْف الْبِ ْد َع ِة‬
ِ‫د‬
َ

The term bidʿah is used most often in

relation to creed, and kidhb (lying) -
‫َو أَ ْكثَ ُر َما يُ ْستَ ْْ َح ُل الْبِ ْد َعةُ ِ ِْف‬
though it is included in fisq – is
‫ب َو إِ ْن َكا َن‬ ‫ذ‬ِ ‫ا ِإلعتِ َق ِاد و الْ َك‬
considered separate due to its aspersion ُ َ ْ
ِ َ‫اخالً ِِف الْ ِفس ِ ل‬ ِ‫د‬
being more severe and extreme.
‫َّوُه ْم َعد ُّْوُه‬
ُ ‫ن‬ ‫ك‬ ْ ْ َ
 ‫َصالً َعلَق ِح َد ٍة لِ َك ْو ِن الطَّ ْْ ِن بِِه‬ ْ‫أ‬
ُ َ‫َش ُّد َو أَ ْغل‬
‫ظ‬ َ‫أ‬
4- Jahālah of a Narrator:

‫ضا‬ً ْ‫الرا ِوي َِِإنَّهُ أَي‬

َّ ُ‫َو أ ََّما َج َوُهالَة‬
It is additionally a cause of aspersion in a
ḥadīth for a narrator to be unknown

ِ ِ ْ ‫سبب لِلطَّْ ِن ِِف‬

(jahālat al-rāwī).

ْ‫اْلَديْث ألَنَّهُ ََل‬ ْ ْ ََ

‫ف‬ِ ‫ي ْر‬
َْ ُ
Since his name and identity are not ُ‫ف َحالُهُ َو أَنَّه‬ ْ ‫اَسُهُ َو َذاتُهُ ََلْ يُ َْْر‬ْ
‫يَِقة أ َْو َغْي ُر يَِق ٍة َك َم َّا يَ ُق ْو ُ ِ َح َّديَِ ْين‬
known, therefore his condition [as a valid
transmitter of ḥadīth] is also not known,
as well as whether he is reliable or
‫ِن َشْيخ‬ ِ ْ ‫َ ُجل َو أ‬
ْ ‫َخبَ َر‬
unreliable. [In such a situation, it is
ambiguously said, for example]: “a man
related to me” or “a shaykh informed me”.

‫ث‬ ِ
Such a person who is mentioned with
ambiguous wording is called mubham.
ُ ْ‫َو َه َذا يُ َس َّحق ُمْب َوُه ًحا َو َحدي‬
The ḥadīth of the mubham is
unacceptable unless he is a Companion,
‫الْ ُحْب َوُه ِم َغْي ُر َم ْقبُ ْوٍ ِ إِالَّ أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن‬
ِ ‫ص َدابِيًّا ألَنَّ ُوُه ْم ُع ُد ْو‬
since all Companions are ʿādil (upright
and possessing integrity).
َ

If the narrator who is relating from a

mubham relates words that indicate
‫َو إِ ْن َجاءَ الْ ُحْب ِوُه ُم بِلَ ْف ِظ الت َّْْ ِديْ ِل‬
‫ِن َع ْد ِ أ َْو َح َّديَِ ْين‬ ِ ْ ‫َك َحا يَ ُق ْو ُ ِ أ‬
ْ ‫َخبَ َر‬
integrity, such as if he says “an upright
person informed me” or “a reliable person
related to me”, then there is a difference
‫اختِالَف‬ ِ ‫يَِقة َِِفي‬
‫ه‬
ْ ْ
of opinion.
 ‫َص ُّح أَنَّهُ الَ يُ ْقبَ ُل ألَنَّهُ ََيُ ْوُز أَ ْن‬
َ ‫َو األ‬
The sounder opinion is that such a ḥadīth
should still not be accepted, because it is

ِ ‫يَ ُك ْو َن َع ْدالً ِِف ْاعتِ َق ِاد ِه الَ ِ ِْف نَ ْف‬

possible that the mubham is upright in the
mubhim’s (obscurer) opinion but not in
reality.
‫س‬
‫األ َْم ِر‬
.‫ك إِ َمام َح ِاذق ُبِ َل‬ ِ
َ ‫َو إِ ْن َ َا ِ َذل‬
If a proficient imam says it, however, the
ḥadīth should be accepted.

5- Bidʿah (Innovation):

ِ ِ
ُ ‫َوأ ََّما الْبِ ْد َعةُ َِالْ ُحَر ُاد بِه ْاعت َق‬
‫اد أ َْم ٍر‬
Bidʿah1 is to believe in an innovation that
opposes what is well-known in the
religion and what has been related from
‫ف ِ ِْف‬ َ ‫ف َما ُع ِر‬ ِ َ‫ُُْم َد ٍث علَق ِخال‬
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) and his َ
Companions, based on a form of doubt ِ ِ ِ‫الدِثي ِن و ما جاء ِمن سو‬
‫اهلل‬
and false interpretation, not by way of ُْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ
‫َص َدابِِه‬ ِ
ْ ‫صلَّق اهللُ َعلَْيه َو َسلَّ َم َو أ‬
refusal and rejection, for that would be
kufr (disbelief).
َ
ِ ْ‫بِنَ ْوِع ُشْب َوُه ٍة و تَأْ ِويْ ٍل الَ بِطَ ِري‬
َ
‫ك ُك ْفر‬ ِ‫جدوٍد و إِنْ َكا ٍ َِِإ َّن َذل‬
َ َ ُْ ُ

According to the majority of scholars, the ‫ث الْ ُحْبتَ ِد ِع َم ْرُد ْود ِعْن َد‬ ِ
ُ ْ‫َو َحدي‬
ḥadīth of an innovator should be rejected.
‫اْلُ ْح ُوُه ْو‬
ْ
According to some scholars2, however, if
ِ ‫ض إِ ْن َكا َن مت‬
‫َّص ًفا‬ ِ ْ ‫ب‬ْ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫د‬
َ ‫ن‬
ْ ِ ‫و‬
‫ع‬
the innovator is [generally] characterized
ُ ْ َ َ
ِ ‫ص ْد ِق اللَّوُهج ِة و ِصيانَِة اللِثس‬ ِ ِ‫ب‬
by truthfulness in speech and
the preservation of his tongue [from
lying], then his ḥadīth can be accepted.
‫ان‬ َ َ َ َ ْ
‫ُبِ َل‬
Some scholars have stated that if the ‫ض ُوُه ْم إِ ْن َكا َن ُمْن ِكًرا أل َْم ٍر‬ ُ ْْ َ‫ا ِ ب‬َ َ ‫َو‬
‫ُمتَ َواتٍِر ِ ِْف الش َّْرِع َو َ ْد ُعلِ َم‬
innovator denies a mutawātir (mass-
transmitted) sharīʿah issue which is
necessarily known to be a part of the

‫الضُرْوُِة َك ْونُهُ ِم َن الدِثيْ ِن َِ ُوُه َو‬

َّ ِ‫ب‬
religion, then he [and his ḥadīth] should
be rejected.

‫َم ْرُد ْود‬

‫َو إِ ْن ََلْ يَ ُك ْن ِِبَ ِذ ِه ِث‬

‫الص َف ِة يُ ْقبَ ُل َو‬
If he is not of this description, however,
then he can be accepted even if

‫ضْب ٍط‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫إِ ْن َك َّفَرهُ الْ ُح َخال ُف ْو َن َم َع ُو ُج ْود‬
opponents declare him a disbeliever, [on
the condition of] the presence of
precision, scrupulousness, fear of Allah,

‫اط َو ِصيَانٍَة‬ ٍ ‫و و ٍع و تَ ْقوى و احتِي‬

caution, and preservation.
َ ْ َ َ َ ََ َ

The preferred opinion, however, is that if

ِ ‫و الْحختَا أَنَّه إِ ْن َكا َن د‬
‫اعيًا إِ ََل‬
he propagates his innovation and
advertises it, then he shall be rejected.
َ ُ ُ ُْ َ
‫بِ ْد َعتِ ِه َو ُمَرِثو ًجا لَهُ ُ َّد‬

‫ك ُبِ َل إِالَّ أَ ْن‬ ِ

If that is not the case, then he can be َ ‫َو إِ ْن ََلْ يَ ُك ْن َك َذل‬
‫ي َشْيئًا يُ َق ِثوي بِِه بِ ْد َعتَهُ َِ ُوُه َو‬
accepted, except if he narrates

َ ‫يَ ْرِو‬
something
that supports [and strengthens] his
innovation, in which case the ḥadīth will
definitely be rejected. ‫َم ْرُد ْود َطْ ًْا‬
In summary, the imams differ in respect to
accepting the ḥadīth of the people of
‫اْلُ ْحلَ ِة األَئِ َّحةُ َمُْتَلِ ُف ْو َن ِ ِْف أَ ْخ ِذ‬
ْ ِ‫َو ب‬
‫ث ِم ْن أ َْه ِل الْبِ َد ِع َواأل َْه َو ِاء َو‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
bidʿah and ahwā’(desires) and the people
of deviated sects.
ْ َْ
‫الزائِغَ ِة‬
َّ ‫ب‬ ِ ‫اب الْح َذ ِاه‬ ِ ‫أَ ب‬
َْ
َ
‫َخ َذ‬ ِ ‫احب ج ِام ِع األ‬ ِ ِ ‫ا‬
The author of Jāmiʿ al-Usūl said, “A group
of imams of ḥadīth took from the َ ‫ُص ْو ِ أ‬ ُ َ ُ ‫ص‬ َ َ َ ‫َو‬
‫ث ِم ْن ِِْرَ ِة‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫َج‬
ْ َْ ‫اعة م ْن أَئ َّحة‬
Khawārij sect, Qadaris, Shīʿites, Rāfiḍī
Shīʿites, and all the other people of ََ
ِ
innovation and desires.
‫َن إِ ََل الْ َق ْد ِ َو‬ َ ْ ِ‫اْلََوا ِ ِج َو الْ ُحْنتَسب‬
ْ
ِ ‫صد‬ ِ
‫اب‬ َ ْ َ‫ض َو َسائ ِر أ‬ ِ ِْ‫الر‬ َّ ‫َّشيُّ ِع َو‬
َ ‫الت‬
‫الْبِ َد ِع َو األ َْه َو ِاء‬

‫ثخُرْو َن َو‬ ِ
Another group exercised caution and
abstained from taking any ḥadīth from
َ ‫اعة‬ َ َ‫احتَا َط َج‬ ْ ‫َو َد‬
these sects, and each of them had their
reasons.”
‫ث ِم ْن َه ِذ ِه‬ ٍ ‫تَوَّعوا ِمن أَخ ِذ ح ِدي‬
ْ َ ْ ْ ُْ َ
‫الْ ِفَرِق َو لِ ُك يل ِمْن ُوُه ْم نِيَّات انْتَ َوُهق‬

ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
‫ث ِم ْن‬ َّ ‫ك أ‬
There is no doubt that taking ḥadīth from
these sects is [permissible only] after ْ َْ ‫َخ َذ‬ ْ ‫َن أ‬ َّ ‫َو الَ َش‬
‫َه ِذ ِه الْ ِفَرِق يَ ُك ْو ُن بَ ْْ َد التَّ َدِثري َو‬
investigation and acquisition of the truth.

ِ ‫صو‬
‫اب‬ ِ‫ا ِإلست‬
َْ ْ
 ‫ك ا ِإل ْحتِيَا ُط ِ ِْف َع َدِم‬ ِ
َ ‫َو َم َع َذل‬
Even though precaution is in not taking
them since it has been established that
these sects used to fabricate ḥadīth in
order to promote their deviant opinions
and would admit to it after repenting and
‫َن َه ُؤالَ ِء‬
َّ ‫ت أ‬َ َ‫َخذ ألَنَّهُ َ ْد يَب‬
ِ ‫األ‬
ْ
recanting. And Allah knows best.
‫ث‬ ِ ‫الْ ِفر َق َكانُوا يضْو َن األ‬
َ ْ‫َحادي‬ َ ُْ َ َ ْ َ
‫لِتَ ْرِويْ ِج َم َذ ِاهبِ ِوُه ْم َو َكانُ ْوا يُِقُّرْو َن بِِه‬
.‫بَ ْْ َد الت َّْوبَِة َو الُّر ُج ْوِع َو اهللُ أ َْعلَ ُم‬
Causes of Aspersion Related to ‫صل‬ ْ َِ
Accuracy:

The causes of aspersion related to accuracy

are also five:
‫الضْب ِط‬
َّ ِ‫َوأ ََّما ُو ُج ْوهُ الطَّ ْْ ِن الْ ُحتَ َْلَّ َقةُ ب‬
‫ضا َخَْ َسة‬ ً ْ‫َِ ِوُه َي أَي‬

‫َح ُد َها َِ ْر ُط الْغَ ْفلَ ِة‬

1. Excessive heedlessness (farṭ al-ghaflah)

َ‫أ‬

2. Frequent error (kathrat al-ghalaṭ)

‫َو يَانِْي َوُها َكثْ َرةُ الْغَلَ ِط‬

3. Contradiction of the reliable narrators

ِ ‫و يَالِثُوُها َُمَالََفةُ الثِث َق‬
‫ات‬
(mukhālafat al-thiqāt)
َ َ

4. Delusion (wahm)
‫َو َابِ ُْ َوُها الْ َوْه ُم‬
 .‫اْلِ ْف ِظ‬
ْ ُ‫َو َخ ِام ُس َوُها ُس ْوء‬
5. Poor memory (sūʾ al-ḥifẓ)

1,2- Farṭ al-Ghaflah (Excessive

Heedlessness) and Kathrat al-Ghalaṭ
(Frequent Error):

Excessive heedlessness and frequent error ‫أ ََّما َِ ْر ُط الْغَ ْفلَ ِة َو َكثْ َرةُ الْغَلَ ِط‬
ِ ‫َِحتَ َقا ِب‬
are both close in meaning and import.
‫ان‬ َ ُ

ِ ‫السح ِاع و َِت ُّح ِل ا ْْل ِدي‬

‫ث‬ َ َ َ َّ ‫َِالْغَ ْفلَةُ ِ ِْف‬
Heedlessness relates to hearing and
retaining the ḥadīth, while error relates to ْ َ
‫ط ِِف ا ِإل َْسَ ِاع َو األ ََد ِاء‬
narration and transmission.

ُ َ‫َو الْغَل‬
3- Mukhālafat al-Thiqāt (Contradiction of
Reliable Narrators):

Contradiction of what the reliable narrators ‫ات ِ ِْف ا ِإل ْسنَ ِاد أَ ِو‬ِ ‫و َُمَالََفةُ الثِث َق‬
َ
‫ِثد ٍة‬ ٍ ‫َت ي ُكو ُن علَق أ ََْن‬
َ َ َُ َ َ ْ َ ِ ْ ‫الْ َح‬
have related in the sanad or the matn can be
of a variety of types. It necessitates
anomaly (shudhūdh) and resultantly becomes
‫د‬ْ ‫ت‬ ‫م‬ ‫اء‬
ُّ ِ‫تَ ُك ْو ُن ُم ْوِجبَة ل‬
‫لش ُذ ْوِذ‬
a cause of aspersion in relation to
accuracy.

This is due to the fact that the cause of

opposition to the reliable narrators is solely
‫َو َج ْْلُهُ ِم ْن ُو ُج ْوِه الطَّ ْْ ِن الْ ُحتَ َْلَّ َق ِة‬
ِ ‫َن الْب‬ ِ ‫الضب ِط ِمن ِجوُه‬
‫ث َعلَق‬ َ ‫اع‬ َّ ‫أ‬ ‫ة‬ َ ْ ْ َّ ِ‫ب‬
due to a lack of [or deficiency in] accuracy,
memory, and the ability to protect the ḥadīth
َ
‫الضْب ِط‬ ِ ‫َُمَالََف ِة الثِث َق‬
from change and alteration.
َّ ‫ات إََِّّنَا ُه َو َع َد ُم‬
 ‫الصيَانَِة َع ِن التَّغَ ُِّي‬
‫اْلِْف ِظ َو َع َدِم ِث‬
ْ ‫َو‬
‫َو التَّْب ِديْ ِل‬
4- Wahm (Delusion):
ِ ‫و الطَّْن ِمن ِجوُه ِة الْوْه ِم و النِثسي‬
‫ان‬
In regards to aspersion due to delusion
(wahm) and forgetfulness (nisyān) by which
َْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ
[a narrator] falls into error in narration and
therefore relates based upon his wahm, ‫َخطَأَ ِبِِ َحا َو َ َوى َعلَق‬ ْ ‫الَّ َذيْ ِن أ‬
If such aspersion can be discovered through
‫َسبِْي ِل الت ََّوُّه ِم‬
ِ
‫ك‬َ ‫ص َل ا ِإلطِثالَعُ َعلَق َذل‬ َ ‫إِ ْن َح‬
proofs indicative of impairing defects and
causes of rejection, then the ḥadīth will be
muʿallal (defective).

‫بَِقَرائِ َن َدالَ ٍة َعلَق ُو ُج ْوِه ِعلَ ٍل َو‬

ً‫ث ُم َْلِثال‬ ِ ْ ‫اب َ ِادح ٍة َكا َن‬ ٍ ‫َسب‬
ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ َ َْ ‫أ‬

This is the most obscure science of ḥadīth

‫ث َو‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
ْ ‫م‬ِ‫و ه َذا أَ ْغحض علُو‬
(difficult to comprehend) and also the most
delicate.
ْ َ ُْ ُ َ َ َ
‫أ ََد ِث َوُها‬
Only those who have been granted true
understanding, vast memory, and a
‫َو الَ يَ ُق ْوُم بِِه إِالَّ َم ْن ُ ِز َق َِ ْوُه ًحا َو‬
complete knowledge of the status of
ِ ِ‫ِح ْفظًا و ِاس ًْا و َم ْْ ِرَِةً تَ َّامةً ِِبَ َّ ات‬
‫ب‬
narrators and the states of the chains and
texts of ḥadīth, like the early predecessors
َ َ َ
(mutaqaddimīn) from amongst the masters of
this science, can stand up to the task. ‫َسانِْي ِد َو الْ ُحتُ ْو ِن‬ َ ‫أل‬ ‫ا‬ ِ ‫الرو ِاة و أَحو‬
ِ ‫ا‬َ ْ َ َ ُّ
ِ ‫َن ِمن أَ ب‬ ِ
They ended with Dāraqutnī and it is said
that no equal ever succeeded him in this
affair. And Allah knows best.
‫اب َه َذا الْ َف ِثن‬ َ ْ ْ َ ْ ‫َكالْ ُحتَ َقدِثم‬
ِ
ِ ‫ا‬
ُ ‫ين َو يُ َق‬ ‫إِ ََل أَن انْتَ َوُهق إِ ََل الدَّا َ ُطِْ ِث‬
 ‫ََلْ يَأْ ِت بَ ْْ َدهُ ِمثْ لَهُ ِ ِْف َه َذا األَ ْم ِر َو‬
.‫اهللُ أ َْعلَ ُم‬

5- Sūʾ al-Ḥifẓ (Poor Memory):

‫اْلِْف ِظ َِ َقالُْوا إِ َّن الْ ُحَر َاد‬

ْ ُ‫َو أ ََّما ُس ْوء‬
[According to the scholars,] poor memory
implies that a narrator’s mistakes in
transmission exceed his accuracy and that
his heedless errors and forgetfulness exceed
‫ب َعلَق‬ َ‫ل‬ ‫غ‬
ْ َ
‫أ‬ ‫ه‬
ُ ‫ت‬
ُ ‫اب‬ ‫ص‬
َ ِ‫بِِه أَ ْن الَ ي ُكو َن إ‬
his memory and precision.
َ َ ْ َ
‫َخطَِأ ِه َو ِح ْفظُهُ َو إِتْ َقانُهُ أَ ْكثَ َر ِم ْن‬
‫َس ْوُه ِوِه َو نِ ْسيَانِِه‬

ِ
In other words, if errors and forgetfulness
surmount or equal his accuracy and ُ‫يَ ْْ ِ ْين إِ ْن َكا َن َخطَأُهُ َو ن ْسيَانُه‬
precision, he will be considered of poor
‫ص َوابِِه َو إِتْ َقانِِه‬ ِ‫أَ ْغلَب أَو مسا ِويا ل‬
memory.
َ ً َُ ْ َ
ْ ‫اخالً ِ ِْف ُس ْوِء‬
‫اْلِْف ِظ‬ ِ ‫َكا َن د‬
َ

ِ
ُ‫ص َوابُهُ َو إِتْ َقانُه‬
َ ‫َِالْ ُح ْْتَ َح ُد َعلَْيه‬
What is necessary, therefore, is the
predominance of a narrator’s
accuracy and precision.

‫َوَكثْ َرتُ ُوُه َحا‬

 ‫اْلِْف ِظ إِ ْن َكا َن الَزم َحالِِه ِ ِْف‬ ْ ُ‫َو ُس ْوء‬
If poor memory characterizes a narrator at all
times throughout his life, his ḥadīth will not
be considered reliable.
ِ ‫ات و مد‬
َ‫َّة ُع ْح ِرِه ال‬ ِ َ‫جي ِع األَو‬ َِ
ُ َ ْ ْ
‫يُ ْْتَبَ ُر ِبَ ِديْثِ ِه‬
‫ضا‬ ِ ِ ْْ َ‫َو ِعْن َد ب‬
ً ْ‫َن َه َذا أَي‬ َ ْ ‫ض الْ ُح َددِثي‬
According to some of the muḥaddithīn this
type of ḥadīth will fall under the category of
shādhdh.
‫اخل ِ ِْف الشَّاذِث‬ ِ‫د‬
َ

If poor memory appears suddenly due to

external circumstances, such as loss of ‫ض ِمثْ ِل‬ ٍ ِ ‫اْلِْف ِظ لِ َْا‬
ْ ُ‫َو إِ ْن طََرأَ ُس ْوء‬
‫ب كِ َِرب ِسن ِِثه‬ ِ َ‫اْلَاِِظَِة بِسب‬ ِ ِ ٍ َ‫اختِال‬
retention due to senility and old age, loss of
sight, or loss of one’s books [of recorded
ḥadīth], then such a person will be called a َ ْ ‫ِف‬
ْ ْ
mukhtaliṭ (narrator affected by memory loss).
ِ ‫اب بص ِرِه أَو َِو‬
‫ات ُكتُبِ ِه َِ َوُه َذا‬ ِ ‫أَو َذ َه‬
َ ْ َ َ ْ
‫يُ َس َّحق َمُْتَلِطًا‬

What a narrator related before ikhtilāṭ

(memory loss) and loss of retention will be ‫َِ َحا َ َوى َ ْب َل ا ِإل ْختِالَ ِط َو‬
‫ا ِإل ْختِالَ ِ ِ ُمتَ َحيِث ًزا َع َّحا َ َواهُ بَ ْْ َد َه ِذ ِه‬
accepted if it can be distinguished from
what he related after this state. If it cannot be
distinguished [from what was related after

‫اْلَ ِا ِ ُبِ َل َو إِ ْن ََلْ يَتَ َحيَّ ْز تَ َوُّف َو‬

ikhtilāṭ] then [the scholars] refrain from ruling
on the ḥadīth. Likewise will be the case
if [the situation] is vague.
ْ
‫ك‬ ِ‫إِ ِن ا ْشتبه َِ َك َذل‬
َ َ ََ
 ‫َو إِ ْن ُوِج َد ِِلََذا الْ ِق ْس ِم ُمتَابِ َْات َو‬
If corroborative ḥadīth (mutābiʿāt) and
attestations (shawāhid) exist for this type of
ḥadīth, it will improve from the status of

َّ ‫َش َو ِاهد تَ ْرَق ِم ْن َم ْرتَبَ ِة‬

‫الرِثد إِ ََل‬
rejection to acceptance and preference.

‫ان‬ِ ‫الرجد‬ ُّ ‫و‬ ِ‫الْ َقب و‬

ِ
َ ْ َ ُْ
‫ث الْ َح ْستُ ْوِ َو‬ِ ‫و ه َذا ح ْكم أَح ِادي‬
This is also the ruling for the
ḥadīths of the mastūr (concealed), mudallis ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ
(misrepresenter), and mursil (omitter)
narrators. .‫س َو الْ ُح ْر َس ِل‬ِ َّ‫الْ ُح َدل‬

‫صل‬
ْ َِ
Chapter Six: Gharīb, ʿAzīz,
Mashhūr, and Mutawātir Ḥadīth

Gharīb, ʿAzīz, Mashhūr, and Mutawātir

(Rare, Scarce, Well-Known, and Mass-
Transmitted
Ḥadīth):

‫الص ِدْي ُح إِ ْن َكا َن َا ِويْ ِه‬

َّ ‫ث‬ ِْ
If a ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth1 is being transmitted by a
single narrator [at any level of the chain] it ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬
is termed gharīb.
ِ‫و‬
‫اح ًدا يُ َس َّحق َغ ِريْبًا‬ َ

ِ ْ َ‫و إِ ْن َكا َن ايْن‬

If the narrators are [a minimum of] two [at
any level of the chain, the ḥadīth] is termed
ʿazīz. ‫َن يُ َس َّحق َع ِزيْ ًزا‬ َ

If the narrators are more than [two at each ‫َو إِ ْن َكانُ ْوا ألَ ْكثَ َر يُ َس َّحق َم ْش ُوُه ْوًا َو‬
level of the chain, the ḥadīth] is termed
mashhūr or mustafīḍ (well-circulated).
‫ضا‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫مست‬
‫ف‬
ً ْ َْ ُ
If the narrators of a ḥadīth reach such ‫ت َُواتُهُ ِ ِْف الْ َكثْ َرِة إِ ََل أَ ْن‬ ْ َ‫َو إِ ْن بَلَغ‬
abundance [at each level of the chain] that
it is deemed impossible for them to have
collectively conspired upon a lie the ḥadīth is ‫يَ ْستَ ِدْي َل الْ َْ َادة تَ َواطُ ُئوُه ْم َعلَق‬
‫الْ َك ِذ ِب يُ َس َّحق ُمتَ َواتًِرا‬
termed mutawātir.

‫ضا‬ ُ ْ‫َو يُ َس َّحق الْغَ ِري‬

ً ْ‫ب َِ ْرًدا أَي‬
Fard (Unique Ḥadīth):
The gharīb (rare) ḥadīth is also called fard.

ِ ِ ِ
ُ‫َو الْ ُحَر ُاد بِ َك ْون َا ِويْه َواح ًدا َك ْونُه‬
What is meant by the narrator being unique
is that he is alone at any particular level of

‫اح ٍد ِم َن‬ ِ ‫ك و لَو ِِف مو ِض ٍع و‬ ِ‫َك َذل‬

the chain [and not necessarily that
uniqueness exists at every level of the
chain]. Such a ḥadīth is [more specifically] َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ
‫ا ِإل ْسنَ ِاد لَ ِكنَّهُ يُ َس َّحق َِ ْرًدا نِ ْسبِيًّا‬
called fard nisbī (relatively-unique).

If the singularity (uniqueness) exists at

every level of the chain, the ḥadīth is called
‫َو إِ ْن َكا َن ِ ِْف ُك ِثل َم ْو ِض ٍع ِمْنهُ يُ َس َّحق‬
‫َِ ْرًدا ُمطْلَ ًقا‬
fard muṭlaq (absolutely-unique).

‫َن أَ ْن يَ ُك ْونَا ِ ِْف‬ ِ ْ َ‫و الْحر ُاد بِ َكوِنِِحا ايْن‬

َ ْ َُ َ
What is meant by narrators being two (and
therefore the ḥadīth being ʿazīz) is that there
ِ
‫ك‬َ ‫ُك ِثل َم ْو ِض ٍع َك َذل‬
are at least two narrators at every level [of
the chain].

If there is only a single narrator at any level

[of the chain], for example, then the ḥadīth ‫اح ٍد َمثَالً ََْل‬ ِ ‫َِِإ ْن َكا َن ِِف مو ِض ٍع و‬
َ َْ ْ
will not be ʿazīz but gharīb.
‫ث َع ِزيْ ًزا بَ ْل َغ ِريْبًا‬ ِ ْ ‫ي ُك ِن‬
ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ َ
Based upon this principle, the meaning of
considering abundance in a mashhūr ḥadīth is
ِ ‫اس َم ْْ ََن ْاعتِبَا‬ ِ َ‫َو َعلَق َه َذا الْ ِقي‬
that there should be more than two narrators
at every level [of the chain]. This is the intent
behind the statement: “The minority governs
‫الْ َكثْ َرِة ِ ِْف الْ َح ْش ُوُه ْوِ أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن ِ ِْف‬
ِ ْ َ‫ُك ِثل َمو ِض ٍع أَ ْكثَر ِم ِن ايْن‬
the majority in this science”.2 So understand.
‫َن َو َه َذا‬ َ ْ
‫َم ْْ ََن َ ْوِلِِ ْم إِ َّن األََ ِثل َحاكِم َعلَق‬
Gharābah (Rarity) and Ṣihhah
‫األَ ْكثَ ِر ِ ِْف َه َذا الْ َف ِثن َِاِْ َوُه ْم‬
(Soundness):

ِ َ‫َن الْغَرابَةَ الَ تُن‬

‫اِف‬ َّ ‫أ‬ ‫ر‬ ِ‫و علِم ِمَّا ذُك‬
َُ َ
It should be known from the aforementioned
that rarity (gharābah) does not necessarily
ْ َ َ
ِ ْ ‫الص َّدةَ و ََيوز أَ ْن ي ُكو َن‬
contradict soundness (ṣiḥḥah). It is possible
for a ḥadīth to be both sound (ṣaḥīḥ) and rare
(gharīb) if all of the individual narrators of the ‫ث‬
ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ‫ِث‬
‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫ص ِديدا َغ ِري با بِأَ ْن ي ُكو َن ُك ُّل و‬
ḥadīth are reliable.

َ ْ َ ًْ ً ْ َ
ً‫ِم ْن ِ َجالِِه يَِقة‬
When Gharīb Implies Shādhdh:

The term gharīb, however, is occasionally

used to mean shādhdh (anomalous) –
ْ ‫الشاذِث أ‬
‫َي‬ َّ ‫ب َ ْد يَ َق ُع ِِبَْْ ََن‬ُ ْ‫َو الْغَ ِري‬
anomaly – and therefore is a type of
aspersion in a ḥadīth. This is what the author
of al-Maṣābīḥ1means when he ‫ُش ُذ ْو ًذا ُه َو ِم ْن أَْ َس ِام الطَّ ْْ ِن ِ ِْف‬
ِ ِ‫ث َو َه َذا ُه َو الْ ُحَر ُاد ِم ْن َ ْو‬ ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬
says, “this ḥadīth is gharīb (anomalous),”

ْ َْ
which he mentions by way of criticism.

‫صابِْي ِح ِم ْن َ ْولِِه َه َذا‬ ِ ‫اح‬

َ ‫ب الْ َح‬
ِ‫ص‬
َ
ِ ْ‫َح ِديْث َغ ِريْب لِحا َ َا ِ بِطَ ِري‬
َ
‫الطَّ ْْ ِن‬
Some scholars explain that the term shādhdh
[simply indicates] singularity of the narrator ‫َّاس يُ َف ِثسُرْو َن الشَّاذَّ ِِبُْفَرِد‬ ِ ‫ض الن‬ ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
‫الرا ِوي ِم ْن َغ ِْي ْاعتِبَا ِ َُمَالََفتِ ِه‬
without taking into consideration his

َّ
opposition to [other] reliable narrators, as has
been defined previously.

ِ ِ
َ َ‫للثِث َقات َك َحا َسب‬
‫ص ِدْيح‬ ِ ‫و ي ُقولُو َن‬
They therefore [oftentimes] state that a

َ ‫صدْيح َشاذ َو‬ َ ْْ َ َ

“ḥadīth is ṣaḥīḥ (sound) and shādhdh (rare)” or
that a “ḥadīth is ṣaḥīḥ (sound) and not
shādhdh (rare)”.
‫َغْي ُر َشاذي‬
‫اِف‬ِ َ‫ضا الَ يُن‬ ‫َي‬‫أ‬ ‫َن‬ ْ ‫ح‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬ ‫ِب‬ِ ُ‫الش ُذوذ‬
According to this meaning then, being
shādhdh, like rarity (gharābah), will not ْ ً ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُّ َِ
contradict soundness (ṣiḥḥah). Only when the
term is used in the context of aspersion ‫الص َّدةَ َكالْغََرابَِة َو الَّ ِذ ْي يُ ْذ َكُر ِ ِْف‬ ‫ِث‬
(criticism) will it indicate a ḥadīth that
opposes [what was reported by] reliable ِ ‫م َق ِام الطَّْ ِن هو َُمَالِف لِلثِث َق‬
.‫ات‬
narrators.
َُ ْ َ
Chapter Seven: The Levels of Weak,
Sound and Other Ḥadīth, and Some
Terminology Particular to Imam
‫صل‬
ْ َِ
Tirmidhī

Ḍaʿīf (Weak Ḥadīth):

A ḍaʿīf ḥadīth is a ḥadīth in which the
considered conditions of soundness and ‫ف ُه َو الَّ ِذ ْي ُِِق َد‬ ُ ْ ‫ي‬ِْ‫الض‬
َّ ‫ث‬ ‫ي‬
ُ ْ َْ
ِ ‫اْل‬
‫د‬
‫لص َد ِة َو‬ ُ ِ‫ِِْي ِه الشََّرائ‬
fairness are completely or partially absent
and whose narrator(s) have been criticized
due to an anomaly (shudhūdh), disclaim ‫ط الْ ُح ْْتَبَ َرةُ ِ ِْف ا ِث‬
‫ضا َو يُ َذ ُّم َا ِويْ ِه‬
(nakārah), or impairing defect (ʿillah).1

ً ْْ َ‫اْلُ ْس ِن ُكالًّ أ َْو ب‬ ْ

‫بِ ُش ُذ ْوٍذ أ َْو نَ َكا ٍَة أ َْو ِعلَّ ٍة‬
 ِ ِ
ُ ‫َو ِبَ َذا ا ِإل ْعتبَا ِ يَتَ َْد‬
‫َّد أَْ َس ُام‬
According to this understanding, the
categories of ḍaʿīf ḥadīth are numerous and
are abundant both independently and
compounded [due to the presence and
absence of the conditions of soundness].2 ‫ف َو يَ ْكثُ ُر أَِْ َر ًادا َو تَ ْركِْيبًا‬
ِ ‫الضِْْي‬
َّ

ْ ‫الص ِدْي ِح َو‬ ِ‫و مرات‬

Levels of Ṣaḥīḥ and Ḥasan Ḥadīth:
The varying levels of the ṣaḥīḥ and ḥasan
ḥadīth, both in-itself and through-
‫اْلَ َس ِن‬ َّ ‫ب‬ ُ ََ َ
corroboration, are in accordance with the
‫ضا بِتَ َف ُاو ِت‬ ‫َي‬‫أ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ُه‬ ِ‫لِ َذاِتِِحا و لِغ ِي‬
varying levels and ranks in perfection of the
qualities taken into consideration in ً ْ َ َْ َ َ
understanding [the ṣaḥīḥ and ḥasan ḥadīth]
ِ ‫ات ِ ِْف َك َح ِا‬ ِ ‫الد ج‬ ِ ِ‫الْحرات‬
while obviously comprising the fundamental
characteristics of being ṣaḥīḥ and ḥasan.3 َ َ َّ ‫ب َو‬ ََ
‫ات الْ ُح ْْتَبَ َرِة الْ َحأْ ُخ ْو َذ ِة ِ ِْف‬
ِ ‫الص َف‬
‫ِث‬
‫َم ْف ُوُه ْوَمْي ِوُه َحا َم َع ُو ُج ْوِد ا ِإل ْشِ َِت ِاك ِ ِْف‬
ْ ‫الص َّد ِة َو‬
‫اْلُ ْس ِن‬ ‫َص ِل ِث‬ ْ‫أ‬

[Scholars of ḥadīth and Islamic

jurisprudence] have precisely delineated and
‫الص َّد ِة َو‬
‫ب ِث‬ ِ
َ ‫ضبَطُْوا َمَرات‬ َ ‫َو الْ َق ْوُم‬
‫َعيَّ نُ ْوَها َو ذَ َكُرْوا أ َْمثِلَتَ َوُها ِم َن‬
defined the levels of ṣiḥḥah (soundness).
They have mentioned examples of chains
and said regarding them: “Although

‫َسانِْي ِد َو َالُْوا اسم الْ َْ َدالَة َو‬ َ ‫األ‬

integrity and accuracy are found in the
narrators of [all] the chains, some of the
chains are superior to others.”

‫الضْبط يَ ْش ُح ُل ِ َجا َِلَا ُكلَّ َوُها َو لَ ِك َّن‬ َّ

‫ض‬ٍ ْْ َ‫ض َوُها َِ ْو َق ب‬َ ْْ َ‫ب‬
 ‫َسانِْي ِد َعلَق‬ َ ‫َو أ ََّما إِطْالَ ُق أ‬
َ ‫َص ِثح األ‬
The Soundest Chain:
A difference of opinion exists regarding the
consideration of a specific chain as being the
most ṣaḥīh and authentic of all chains.
‫ص َعلَق ا ِإلطْالَ ِق َِِفْي ِه‬
ٍ ‫ص ْو‬ ٍ
ُ َْ‫َسنَد َم‬
‫اختِالَف‬ ْ

‫َسانِْي ِد َزيْ ُن‬

Some scholars claimed that the most

َ ‫َص ُّح األ‬

َ ‫ض ُوُه ْم أ‬
ُ ْْ َ‫َِ َق َا ِ ب‬
authentic chain is: “Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn from his
father from his grandfather.”
ِ ‫الْْابِ ِدين عن أَبِي ِه عن جد‬
‫ِثه‬ َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ َْ َ

It is also said that the most authentic chain ‫َو ِْي َل َمالِك َع ْن نَاِِ ٍع َع ِن ابْ ِن ُع َحَر‬
is: “Mālik from Nāfiʿ from Ibn ʿUmar.”

It is also said that the most authentic chain

ٍِ ‫ي َع ْن َس‬
‫اَل َع ِن ابْ ِن‬ ُّ ‫َو ِْي َل‬
ُّ ‫الزْه ِر‬
is: “Zuhrī from Sālim on the authority Ibn
ʿUmar.” ‫ُع َحَر‬

In truth, it is not permissible to declare any

specific chain as conclusively the soundest
‫اْلُ ْك َم َعلَق إِ ْسنَ ٍاد‬
ْ ‫َن‬َّ ‫اْلَ ُّ أ‬
ْ ‫َو‬
of all chains. Nevertheless, there are highest
categories of soundness and a number of ‫َص ِثديَّ ِة َعلَق ا ِإلطْالَ ِق‬
َ ‫ص بِاأل‬ ٍ ‫ص ْو‬ُ َْ‫َم‬
chains fall into these categories.
ِ ِ ‫َن ِِف ِث‬ ِ ِ
‫ب‬
ُ ‫الص َّدة َمَرات‬ ْ َّ ‫َغْي ُر َجائ ٍز إالَّ أ‬
‫َسانِْي ِد يَ ْد ُخ ُل‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫ُع ْليَا َو عدَّة م َن األ‬
‫ِِْي َوُها‬
 ٍ
‫َص ُّح‬ َ ‫َو لَ ْو ُيِث َد بَِقْيد بِأَ ْن يُ َق َا ِ أ‬
If [judgment] is restricted to stating that a
chain is the most sound chain of such and
such city or in such and such chapter of
ḥadīth or on such and such a topic, it will be
ِ ‫أَسانِْي ِد الْب لَ ِد الْ ُفالَِِن أَو ِِف الْب‬
‫اب‬
valid. And Allah knows best.
َ ْ ْ َ َ
‫الْ ُفالَِِن أ َْو ِ ِْف الْ َح ْسأَلَ ِة الْ ُفالَنِيَّ ِة‬
.‫ص ُّح َو اهللُ أ َْعلَ ُم‬ِ‫ي‬
َ

Some Unique Terminology of Imam

Tirmidhī:
‫صل‬
ْ َِ

It is the habit of Tirmidhī1 in his Jamiʿ [al-

Tirmidhī]2 to state: “[this is] a ḥasan, ṣaḥīḥ
‫ِم ْن َع َاد ِة التِث ْرِم ِذ ِث‬
‫ي أَ ْن يَ ُق ْوَ ِ ِ ِْف‬
،‫ص ِدْيح‬ ِ ِِ ِ
َ ‫َجامْه َحديْث َح َسن‬
ḥadīth,”
“[this is] a gharīb, ḥasan ḥadīth”, or “[this is] a

‫ َح ِديْث‬،‫َح ِديْث َغ ِريْب َح َسن‬

ḥasan, gharīb, ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth”.

‫ص ِدْيح‬ َ ‫َح َسن َغ ِريْب‬

There can be no doubt about the possibility

of combining fairness (ḥusn) and soundness
ْ ‫اجتِ َح ِاع‬
‫اْلُ ْس ِن‬ ْ ‫َو الَ ُشْب َوُهةَ ِ ِْف َج َوا ِز‬
(ṣiḥḥah) in that a ḥadīth can be
ḥasan li dhātihi (ḥasan-in-itself) but also ṣaḥīḥ ‫الص َّد ِة بِأَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن َح َسنًا لِ َذاتِِه َو‬
‫َو ِث‬
‫ص ِدْي ًدا لِغَ ِْيِه‬
li ghayrihi (ṣaḥīḥ-through-corroboration).

‫اجتِ َح ِاع الْغََرابَِة َو‬ ‫ِف‬ِ ‫ك‬ ِ‫و َك َذل‬

Similarly, it is possible to combine gharābah
(rarity) and ṣiḥḥah (soundness), as we have ْ ْ َ َ
mentioned previously.
‫َسلَ ْفنَا‬
‫أ‬ ‫ا‬‫ح‬ ‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫الص َّد‬
‫ة‬ ‫ِث‬
ْ َ
As for the combination of gharābah (rarity)
and ḥusn (fairness), the scholars have
ْ ‫اجتِ َحاعُ الْغََرابَِة َو‬
‫اْلُ ْس ِن‬ ْ ‫َو أ ََّما‬
‫ي ْاعتَبَ َر ِ ِْف‬ َّ ‫َن التِث ْرِم ِذ‬
َّ ‫َِيَ ْستَ ْش ِكلُ ْونَهُ بِأ‬
deemed [this term usage] as problematic and
vague, since Tirmidhī considered fairness
(ḥusn) to be [contingent on]
ِ
‫ف يَ ُك ْو ُن‬ َ ‫ُّد الطُُّرق َِ َكْي‬ َ ‫اْلُ ْس ِن تَ َْد‬ ْ
the multiplicity of paths of transmission,
which would bring into question how the
ḥadīth could [also] be rare (gharīb).
‫َغ ِريْبًا‬

ِ ‫َن اعتِبا تَْد‬

‫ُّد الطُُّرِق‬ ِ
َ َ َ ْ َّ ‫َو َُيْيبُ ْو َن بِأ‬
[The scholars] respond by stating that
considering numerous paths of transmission
as a condition for the ḥasan ḥadīth is not an

‫س َعلَق ا ِإلطْالَ ِق بَ ْل‬ ِ ْ ‫ِ ِْف‬

َ ‫اْلُ ْسن لَْي‬
absolute rule; rather it is simply a type of
[ḥasan ḥadīth].

ِ ِ
ُ‫ِ ِْف ْس ٍم مْنه‬
When the declaration [of Imam Tirmidhī]
upon a ḥadīth combines both fairness and ْ ‫اجتِ َح ِاع‬
‫اْلُ ْس ِن َو‬ ْ ِ‫ث َح َك َم ب‬ ُ ‫َو َحْي‬
ِ ِ
rarity, then the definition of the term ḥasan is
of a different type of ḥasan.
‫ثخُر‬
َ ‫الْغََرابَة الْ ُحَر ُاد ْسم‬

‫ك إِ ََل‬ ِ‫و َ َا ِ ب ْضوُهم أَنَّه أَشا بِ َذل‬

Other scholars stated that [the intent of the
statement is that Imam Tirmidhī] is simply َ َ َ ُ ْ ُُ َْ َ
pointing out the difference in paths of
‫ض‬ِ ْْ َ‫ف الطُُّرِق بِأَ ْن َجاءَ ِ ِْف ب‬ ِ َ‫اختِال‬
transmission, that in some paths of
transmission it is rare (i.e. gharīb ْ
and ḥasan together) and in some it is not rare ِ ْ ‫الطُّرِق َغ ِري با و ِِف ب‬
‫ض َوُها َح َسنًا‬
(just ḥasan).
ْ َ ْ َ ًْ ُ

It has also been said that [when Tirmidhī

uses the particle wāw (usually meaning ‫ك َو‬ ُّ ‫َو ِْي َل الْ َو ُاو ِِبَْْ ََن أ َْو بِأَنَّهُ يَ ُش‬
‫يَتَ َرَّد ُد ِ ِْف أَنَّهُ َغ ِريْب أ َْو َح َسن لِ َْ َدِم‬
“and”) here, he] implies the meaning “or” and
that [Tirmidhī], due to lack of absolute
certainty in knowledge, is

‫َم ْْ ِرَِتِ ِه َج ْزًما‬

doubtful [of the status of the ḥadīth] and is
therefore hesitant about whether the report is
gharīb or ḥasan.
It is also said that the meaning of ḥasan here
‫س‬ ‫ي‬
ْ ‫ل‬
َ ‫ا‬َ‫ن‬ ‫وُه‬
ُ ‫ه‬َ ِ ‫اْلَ َس‬
‫ن‬ ْ ِ‫و ِْيل الْحر ُاد ب‬
is not the technical meaning but the lexical
one, implying “that which one’s intrinsic َ َُ َ َ
nature inclines towards”. This opinion,
‫ي ِِبَْْ ََن‬ ‫و‬ِ ‫غ‬
َ ُّ
‫ل‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ل‬ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ح‬ِ َ‫مْنَاه ا ِإلص ِطال‬
however, is very farfetched.
1 ّ َ ْ ُ َْ
ِ ُ ‫َما ََيِْي ُل إِلَْي ِه الطَّْب ُع َو َه َذا الْ َق ْو‬
.‫بَِْْيد ِجدًّا‬

Chapter Eight: Legal Argumentation

Using Ṣaḥīḥ, Ḥasan, and Ḍaʿīf Ḥadīth
‫صل‬
ْ َِ

ْ ِ‫َح َك ِام ب‬
‫اْلََِرب‬ ِ‫ا ِإلحت‬
ْ ‫اج ِ ِْف األ‬ ‫ج‬
Legal Argumentation (Derivation of
Rulings) Using Ṣaḥīḥ and Ḥasan Ḥadīth:
ُ َْ
‫الص ِدْي ِح َُْم َحع َعلَْي ِه‬
[The permissibility of] deriving proofs for legal
rulings (legal argumentation) from sound
ḥadīth is unanimously agreed upon, َّ
as is [deriving proofs] from ḥasan ḥadīth
according to the majority of the
‫اْلَ َس ِن لِ َذاتِِه ِعْن َد َعا َّم ِة‬ْ ِ‫ك ب‬ ِ
َ ‫َو َك َذل‬
‫الْ ُْلَ َح ِاء‬
scholars.

ِ ‫الص ِدْي ِح ِِف ب‬

‫اب‬ َّ ِ‫َو ُه َو ُم ْل َد ب‬
[The ḥasan ḥadīth] is appended to the ṣaḥīḥ
ḥadīth in respect to the permissibility of َْ
‫اج َو إِ ْن َكا َن ُد ْونَهُ ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫ا ِإل ْحتِ َج‬
deriving proofs from it although lesser than
the [ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth] in status.

‫الْ َح ْرتَبَ ِة‬

Additionally, a ḍaʿīf ḥadīth which reaches the

level of ḥasan-through-corroboration (ḥasan li
‫ف الَّ ِذ ْي بَلَ َغ‬
ُ ْ ‫ي‬ ِْ‫الض‬
َّ ‫ث‬ ُ ‫ي‬ ‫د‬ِ ‫اْل‬
ْ َْ ‫َو‬
‫اْلَ َس ِن لِغَ ِْيِه‬ ِ ‫بِت ْد‬
ْ ‫ُّد الطُُّرِق َم ْرتَبَ ِة‬
ghayrihi) due to its numerous paths of

ََ
transmission is also unanimously agreed
upon [as permissible for legal

‫ضا َُْم َحع‬ ً ْ‫أَي‬

argumentation].
Legal Argumentation Using Ḍaʿīf Ḥadīth:

‫ف‬ ِ َّ ‫ث‬ ِ ْ ‫َن‬ َّ ‫َو َما ا ْشتَ َوُهَر أ‬

َ ‫الضْْي‬ َ ْ‫اْلَدي‬
The popular understanding that a ḍaʿīf ḥadīth
is reliable in respect to the virtues of actions
(faḍā’il al-aʿmāl) refers to individually ḍaʿīf

‫َع َح ِا ِ الَ ِ ِْف‬ ْ ‫ضائِ ِل األ‬ َ َِ ‫ُم ْْتَبَ ر ِ ِْف‬

ḥadīth (ḍaʿīf ḥadīth that have no
corroboration) and not the combination of

‫ِغ ِْيَها الْ ُحَر ُاد ُم ْفَرَداتُهُ الَ ََْم ُح ْو ُع َوُها‬

ḍaʿīf ḥadīth, since they will be considered to
be in the category of ḥasan ḥadīth (due
to corroboration) and not ḍaʿīf ḥadīth1 as the
imams of ḥadīth have clarified.
‫اْلَ َس ِن الَ ِ ِْف‬ ْ ‫اخل ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫ألَنَّه د‬
َُ
ُ‫صَّر َح بِِه األَئِ َّحة‬ ِ ِ َّ
َ ‫الضْْيف‬

‫ف‬ ِ َّ ‫ا ِ ب ْضوُهم إِ ْن َكا َن‬

ُ ‫الضْْي‬ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ‫َو‬
Some scholars have said that if a ḍaʿīf ḥadīth
is weak due to poor memory, confusion

‫اختِالَ ٍط أ َْو‬ ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
(ikhtilāṭ), or misrepresentation (tadlīs),

ْ ‫م ْن ج َوُهة ُس ْوء ح ْفظ أ َْو‬

despite the presence of honesty and
reliability, then the ḥadīth can be

‫س َم َع ُو ُج ْوِد ِث‬
‫الص ْد ِق َو الدَّيَانَِة‬ ٍ ‫تَ ْدلِْي‬
reinforced by the corroboration of numerous
paths of transmission (otherwise the ḥadīth
will be too weak to accept corroboration).

ِ ‫ي ْنجِرب بِت ْد‬

‫ُّد الطُُّرِق‬ ََ ُ َ َ
If the weakness is due to suspicion of lying
(ittihām bi ‘l-kidhb), anomaly (shudhūdh), or
‫ِثوُه ِام الْ َك ِذ ِب‬
‫ات‬
َ َ ْ
ِ ‫و إِ ْن َكا َن ِمن ِجوُه‬
‫ة‬ َ
َ‫اْلَطَِأ ال‬
ْ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫الش ُذ ْوِذ أ َْو ُِ ْد‬
ُّ ‫أَ ِو‬
excessive mistakes (faḥsh al-ghalaṭ) however,
the report cannot be reinforced by the
presence of numerous paths of transmission

‫ث‬ ِ ْ ‫ُّد الطُّرِق و‬ ِ ‫ي ْنجِرب بِت ْد‬

ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬
and it will be therefore judged as ḍaʿīf,
though it can be practiced upon in
َ ُ ََ ُ َ َ
‫ف َو َم ْْ ُح ْو ِ بِِه‬ َّ ِ‫َُْم ُك ْوم َعلَْي ِه ب‬
respect to the virtues of actions. 2
ِ ْْ ‫الض‬
ْ ‫ضائِ ِل األ‬
ِ ‫َع َح ِا‬ َ َِ ‫ِ ِْف‬
 ‫َو َعلَق ِمثْ ِل َه َذا يَْنبَغِ ْي أَ ْن ُْْي َح َل َما‬
Based on this consideration should the
statement “the appendage
of a ḍaʿīf report to a ḍaʿīf report does not
provide reinforcement” be understood.
Otherwise, this statement is clearly incorrect, ‫ف‬ِ ‫الضِْْي‬َّ ِ‫ف ب‬ ِ ‫الضِْْي‬َّ ‫َن ُْلُْو َق‬ َّ ‫ِْي َل أ‬
ِ َ‫الَ ي ِفي ُد ُوًة و إِالَّ َِوُه َذا الْ َقو ُ ِ ظ‬
so reflect.1
‫اهُر‬ ْ َ َ ّ ُْ
.‫الْ َف َس ِاد َِتَ َدبَّْر‬
Chapter Nine: The Ranks, Number,
and Collections of Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth
‫صل‬
ْ َِ
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī:
[

Once it has been established that] the ṣaḥīḥ ‫الص ِدْي ِح َو‬ َّ ‫ب‬ ِ‫لَ َّحا تَ َفاوتَت مرات‬
ُ ََ ْ َ
ḥadīth vary in rank and status and that some
ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth are sounder than others,
‫ض‬ ٍ ْْ َ‫َص ُّح ِم ْن ب‬ َ ‫ض َوُها أ‬
ُ ْْ َ‫اح ب‬ُ ‫الص َد‬ ‫ِث‬
it should also be known that it has been ِ‫َن الَّ ِذ ْي تَ َقَّر ِعْن َد ُجْوُه ْو‬ َّ ‫اعلَ ْم أ‬
ْ َِ
established amongst the majority of َ
‫ص ِدْي َح الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬ ِ
traditionists (muḥaddithīn) that the Ṣaḥīḥ 1of
Bukhārī is foremost in rank amongst all
other compilations of ḥadīth to the extent that
‫ي‬ َ ‫َن‬ َّ ‫َن أ‬
َ ْ ‫الْ ُح َددِثي‬
‫صنَّ َف ِة‬ ِ ُ‫ُم َقدَّم َعلَق َسائِِر الْ ُكت‬
they have said that the most ṣaḥīḥ book after

َ ‫ب الْ ُح‬
the Book of Allah is the Ṣaḥīḥ of Bukhārī.2

ِ َ‫ب ب ْْ َد كِت‬
‫اب‬ َ ِ ُ‫َص ُّح الْ ُكت‬ َ ‫َح ََّّت َالُْوا أ‬
‫ص ِدْي ُح الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
‫ي‬ َ ‫اهلل‬
ِ

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
Some scholars of the Western Islamic world
(Al-Maghrib, which consisted of Andalusia ‫ص ِدْي َح‬ ِ
َ ‫ض الْ َحغَا ِبَة َ َّج ُد ْوا‬ُ ْْ َ‫َو ب‬
‫ص ِدْي ِح الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬ ِ‫مسل‬
and West
Africa) gave preference to the Ṣaḥīḥ of
Muslim over the Ṣaḥīḥ of Bukhārī.3
‫ي‬ ‫ق‬
َ َ ُْ ‫ل‬
َ ‫ع‬ ٍ
‫م‬
 ‫اْلُ ْح ُوُه ْوُ يَ ُق ْولُْو َن إِ َّن َه َذا ِِْي َحا‬
ْ ‫َو‬
The majority of scholars, however, state that
this [preference] referred to the excellence of
[Muslim’s] elucidation, placement,
and arrangement, as well as the care taken
‫ان َو َج ْوَد ِة‬ ِ ‫ي رِجع إِ ََل حس ِن الْب ي‬
by him to indicate and comment on fine
ََ ْ ُ ُ َْ
ِ ِ‫ب و ِ َعايَِة َد َائ‬ ِ ‫ض ِع و التَّرتِْي‬
points within the chains.

َ ْ َ ْ ‫الْ َو‬
‫ات ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫اس ِن النِث َك‬ِ ‫ات و َُم‬ ِ
َ َ َ ‫ا ِإل َشا‬
‫َسانِْي ِد‬ َ ‫األ‬

These [considerations, however,] are off

‫ث َو‬ِ ‫و ه َذا خا ِج ع ِن الْحبد‬
topic, since the discussion is on authenticity
and strength and those factors related to َ َْ َ َ َ َ
them.
‫الص َّد ِة َو الْ ُق َّوِة َو َما‬
‫الْ َكالَ ُم ِ ِْف ِث‬
‫يَتَ َْلَّ ُ ِبِِ َحا‬

And truly no book can equal the Ṣaḥīḥ of

Bukhārī in this respect. The thorough
‫ص ِدْي َح‬َ ‫س كتَاب يُ َسا ِو ْي‬
ِ ‫و لَي‬
َ ْ َ
ِ ‫اب بِ َدلِْي ِل َك َح ِا‬
ِ ‫ي ِِف َه َذا الْب‬ ِ
realization of all the characteristics required

َ ْ ‫الْبُ َخا ِث‬

for the soundness of its narrators attests to
this.

‫الص َّد ِة ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫ِث‬

‫ت ِ ِْف ِث‬ ْ ‫الص َفات الَِّ ِْت ْاعتُِ َرب‬
‫ِ َجالِه‬

Some scholars hesitated to give preference

to one over the other4, but the truth lies with ‫َح ِد ُِهَا‬
‫أ‬ ‫ح‬ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ج‬ِ‫و ب ْضوُهم تَوَّف ِِف تَر‬
َ ْ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُُ َْ َ
ْ ‫اآلخ ِر َو‬
the first opinion.
ِ ُ ‫اْلَ ُّ ُه َو األ ََّو‬ َ ‫َعلَق‬
Muttafaq ʿAlayhi (Agreed-Upon Ḥadīth):

‫ي َو‬ُّ ِ ‫ث الَّ ِذ ْي اتَّ َف َ الْبُ َخا‬ ِْ ‫و‬

ُ ْ‫اْلَدي‬
A report that is narrated by both Bukhārī and
Muslim [in their Ṣaḥīḥs] is termed muttafaq
ʿalayhi. َ
‫ُم ْسلِم َعلَق ََتْ ِرَِْي ِه يُ َس َّحق ُمتَّ َف ًقا‬
‫َعلَْي ِه‬

Shaykh [Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī additionally]

stated that the condition [for a ḥadīth to be
‫ا ِ الشَّْي ُخ بِ َش ْر ِط أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن َع ْن‬
َ َ ‫َو‬
‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫اب و‬
َ ‫ص َد ِ ي‬
considered agreed upon] is that it should be
narrated from the same Companion.1
َ

ِ ‫و َالُوا ََْمحوع األَح ِادي‬

‫ث الْ ُحتَّ َف َق ِة‬ ْ َ ُ ُْ ْ َ
[Scholars] have stated that
the total amount of agreed-upon ḥadīth is

‫ان َو يَلَثُ ِحائٍَة َو ِستَّة َو‬

ِ ‫علَي وُها أَلْ َف‬
two thousand three hundred and twenty-six

َْ َ
(2,326).2

‫ِع ْشُرْو َن‬

Ranks of the Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth3:
Generally, preference is given to [a ḥadīth]
that:
ِ ‫اْلحلَ ِة ما اتَّ َف علَي ِه الشَّيخ‬
‫ان‬ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُْ ِ‫َو ب‬
1. The two Shaykhs (Bukhārī and Muslim)
agree upon over other [ḥadīth]

‫ُم َقدَّم َعلَق َغ ِْيِه‬

2. Then to what Bukhārī alone narrates
ُّ ِ ‫ُُثَّ َما تَ َفَّرَد بِِه الْبُ َخا‬
‫ي‬
3. Then to what Muslim alone narrates ‫ُُثَّ َما تَ َفَّرَد بِِه ُم ْسلِم ُُثَّ َما َكا َن‬
‫ي َو ُم ْسلِ ٍم‬ ‫َعلَق َش ْر ِط الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
4. Then to a ḥadīth that meets the conditions
of Bukhārī and Muslim
5. Then to a ḥadīth that meets the conditions
of Bukhārī
‫ُُثَّ َما ُه َو َعلَق َش ْر ِط الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
‫ي‬
6. Then to a ḥadīth that meets to conditions ‫ُُثَّ َما ُه َو َعلَق َش ْر ِط ُم ْسلِ ٍم‬
‫ُُثَّ َما ُه َو َ َواهُ ِم ْن َغ ِْيِه ْم ِم َن األَئِ َّح ِة‬
of Muslim

7. Then to a ḥadīth that has been narrated by

‫الَّ ِذيْ َن الْتَ َزُم ْوا ِث‬

other Imams who have adhered to [the

ُ‫ص َّد ُد ْوه‬ َ ‫الص َّد َة َو‬

accepted conditions of] soundness (ṣiḥḥah)
and have declared the ḥadīth to be ṣaḥīḥ.1
There are therefore a total of seven
categories.2 ‫َِاألَ ْ َس ُام َسْب َْة‬
Meaning of the Phrase: “The Conditions

‫ي َو ُم ْسلِ ٍم‬ ‫َو الْ ُحَر ُاد بِ َش ْر ِط الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬

of Bukhārī and Muslim”:
What is meant by [the phrase] “the conditions
of Bukhārī and Muslim” is that the narrators
of a ḥadīth should be characterized by the
ِ ِ ُ ‫الرج‬
attributes that the narrators of Bukhārī and
Muslim are
‫َن‬
َ ْ ‫ا ِ ُمتَّصف‬ َ ‫أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن ِث‬
ُ ‫ف ِِبَا ِ َج‬
ِ ‫ا‬ ِ ِ ‫بِ ِث‬
ُ ‫الص َفات الَِّ ِْت يَتَّص‬
characterized with, including accuracy,
integrity, and the absence of anomaly,
unfamiliarity, and heedlessness.

َّ ‫ي َو ُم ْسلِ ٍم ِم َن‬
‫الضْب ِط َو‬ ‫الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
‫الش ُذ ْوِذ َو النَّ َكا َِة َو‬
ُّ ‫الْ َْ َدالَ ِة َو َع َدِم‬
‫الْغَ ْفلَ ِة‬

Some say that the intent of the phrase “the

conditions of Bukhārī and Muslim” is the
‫ي َو‬ ‫َو ِْي َل الْ ُحَر ُاد بِ َش ْر ِط الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
‫ُم ْسلِ ٍم ِ َجا ُِلَُحا أَنْ ُف ُس ُوُه ْم َو الْ َكالَ ُم‬
narrators [of Bukhārī and Muslim]
themselves. This is, in fact, a long discussion
which I have mentioned in the
introduction to Sharḥ Sifr al-Saʿādah3 (A
Commentary on the Book of Bliss).4 ‫ِ ِْف َه َذا طَ ِويْل ذَ َك ْرنَاهُ َِْف ُم َق ِثد َم ِة‬
.‫الس َْ َاد ِة‬
َّ ‫َش ْرِح ِس ْف ِر‬
Imams Bukhārī and Muslim and
Encompassing Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth:

‫صل‬
ْ َِ

ِ ‫الص ِديدةُ ََل تَ ْند‬

‫ص ْر ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫األ‬
َ ْ َ ْ َّ ‫ث‬ ُ ْ‫َحادي‬
Ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth are not exclusive to Ṣaḥīḥ al-
Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. [Bukhārī and
Muslim] did not encompass all the existing َ
ِ ‫ص ِدْي ِح الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
ْ‫ي َو ُم ْسل ٍم َو ََل‬
ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth although their books are
exclusive to ṣāḥīḥ ḥadīth.
َ
ِ ‫يستَ و‬
In fact, they did not even include in their
books all the ḥadīth that they possessed nor
that met their conditions, besides those ‫اح ُكلَّ َوُها بَ ْل ُُهَا‬ َ ‫د‬
َ ‫الص‬
‫ِث‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ع‬ ْ َْ
‫صَر ِان ِ ِْف ِث‬ ِ ‫مْند‬
ḥadīth that others possessed.
‫اح‬
ِ ‫الص َد‬ َ ُ
‫اح الَِّ ِْت ِعْن َد ُُهَا َو َعلَق‬ ُ ‫الص َد‬ ‫َو ِث‬
ِ
‫ضا ََلْ يُ ْوَِد ُاُهَا ِ ِْف‬ ً ْ‫َش ْرط ِوُه َحا أَي‬
‫ضالً َع َّحا ِعْن َد َغ ِْيُِهَا‬ ْ َِ ‫كِتَابَْي ِوُه َحا‬

Bukhārī said: “I have not related in my book

‫اب‬ ِ ‫ت‬
َ ِ‫ي ما أَو ْدت ِِف ك‬ ُّ ِ ‫َ َا ِ الْبُ َخا‬
except that which is ṣaḥīḥ, and I have
ْ ْ ُ َ ْ َ
‫ت َكثِْي ًرا‬
certainly left out many ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth.”5

ُ ‫ص َّح َو لَ َق ْد تَ َرْك‬َ ‫َه َذا إِالَّ َما‬

‫اح‬ ‫ِم َن ِث‬
ِ ‫الص َد‬
 ِ ِ
ُ ‫َو َ َا ِ ُم ْسلم الَّذ ْي أ َْوَ ْد‬
‫ت ِ ِْف َه َذا‬
Muslim said: “The ḥadīth that I have related
in this book are ṣaḥīḥ, but I do not say that
what I have left out is weak.”6

‫ص ِدْيح َو‬ ِ ِ ‫اب ِمن األ‬ ِ َ‫الْ ِكت‬

َ ‫َحاديْث‬ َ َ
‫ضِْْيف‬ َ ‫ت‬ ُ ‫الَ أَُ ْو ُ ِ َما تََرْك‬

‫َو الَ بُ َّد أَ ْن يَ ُك ْو َن ِ ِْف َه َذا الت َّْرِك َو‬

[It can be assumed that] there must be a
specific reason for their exclusion or mention
of a ḥadīth, either due to soundness or due

‫ص ا ِإليْ َرا ِد َو‬

ِ ‫صْي‬ ِ ْ‫ان وجه ََت‬ ِ
ُ ْ َ َ‫ا ِإلتْ ي‬
to various other reasons.

‫الت َّْرِك إِ َّما ِم ْن ِج َوُه ِة ِث‬

‫الص َّد ِة‬
‫ُخَر‬ ِ
َ ‫أ َْوَم َقاص َد أ‬

‫ي‬
ُّ ‫اهلل الن ِْثي َسابُ ْو‬ِ ‫اْلاكِم أَب و عب ِد‬
َْ ْ ُ ُ َْ ‫َو‬
Al-Ḥākim Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Nīsābūrī authored
a book which he named al-Mustadrak (the

‫َّف كِتَابًا ََسَّاهُ الْ ُح ْستَ ْد َ َك ِِبَْْ َ َْن‬

َ ‫صن‬
Emendation)1, implying that he mentioned in
the book the ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth that were left out by
Bukhārī and Muslīm. He [attempted to] َ
‫ي َو ُم ْسلم ِم َن‬ ُّ ِ ‫َن َما تََرَكهُ الْبُ َخا‬َّ ‫أ‬
correct and amend [the two Ṣaḥīḥs by
mentioning ḥadīth that had not been
mentioned in them].
ِ َ‫اح أَو َدهُ ِِف َه َذا الْ ِكت‬
‫اب‬ ْ َ ْ ِ ‫الص َد‬ ‫ِث‬

Some of the [amended ḥadīth] were in

accordance with the conditions of [Imam] ‫ض َوُها َعلَق‬
ُ ْْ َ‫استَ ْد َ َك ب‬
ْ ‫َو تَالَ ََف َو‬
ِ ْ ‫َشر ِط الشَّْي َخ‬
Bukhārī, some were in accordance with the
conditions of [Imam] Muslim, and others
were not in accordance with the conditions of
‫ض َوُها َعلَق‬
ُ ْْ َ‫َن َو ب‬ ْ
either.
‫ض َوُها َعلَق َغ ِْي‬ ْ ‫ب‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ُه‬ِ ‫شر ِط أَح ِد‬
ُ َْ َ َ َ َْ
‫َش ْر ِط ِوُه َحا‬
 ِ َّ ِ ‫َو َ َا ِ إِ َّن الْبُ َخا‬
ْ‫ي َو ُم ْسل ًحا ََل‬
He states, “Bukhārī and Muslim have not
ruled that there are no ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth other

‫ص ِدْي َدة‬ ِ ‫َْي ُكحابِأَنَّه لَيس أ‬

than what they have mentioned in their two

َ ‫ث‬ ُ ْ‫َحادي‬
books.”
َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ
ِ ْ َ‫َخر َجاهُ ِِف َه َذيْ ِن الْ ِكتَاب‬
‫َن‬ ْ َ ْ ‫َغْي َر َما أ‬

He [also] stated that: “a sect of innovators

has appeared in our times that has slandered
‫ص ِرنَا َه َذا‬ ْ ‫ث ِ ِْف َع‬ َ ‫ا ِ َ ْد َح َد‬ َ َ ‫َو‬
‫ِِْرَة ِم َن الْ ُحْبتَ ِد َع ِة أَطَالُْوا أَلْ ِسنَتَ ُوُه ْم‬
the Imāms of the religion (dīn) by saying that
the collective amount of ḥadīth that are
considered ṣaḥīḥ by them do not reach even
ِِ
َ ‫بِالطَّ ْْ ِن َعلَق أَئ َّحة الدِثيْ ِن بِأَ َّن ََْم ُح ْو‬
‫ع‬
some ten thousand.”

ِ ِ ‫ما ص َّح ِعْن َد ُكم ِمن األ‬

ْ‫َحاديْث ََل‬ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫ف‬ ٍ َ‫ي ب لُ ْغ زهاء عشرِة ثال‬
َ َ َ َ َ ُ َْ

‫َو نَ َق َل َع ِن الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬

It has been transmitted from Bukhārī that he
said: “I have memorized one hundred
thousand of the ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth and two
ِ ‫ي أَنَّهُ َ َا‬
hundred thousand of the non-ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth.”
‫ف‬ ِ ْ‫اح ِمائَةَ أَل‬ ِ ‫الص َد‬ ‫ت ِم َن ِث‬ ْ‫ظ‬ ِ‫ح‬
‫ف‬
Apparently, and Allah knows best, he meant
“ṣaḥīḥ” according to his own conditions. ُ َ
‫اح ِمائَ َ ِْت‬ ِ ‫الص َد‬‫ث َو ِم ْن َغ ِْي ِث‬ ٍ ‫ح ِدي‬
ْ َ
‫اهُر َواهللُ أ َْعلَ ُم أَنَّهُ يُِريْ ُد‬ ِ َّ‫ف و الظ‬ ِ
َ ْ‫أَل‬
‫الص ِدْي َح َعلَق َش ْر ِط ِه‬
َّ
The total amount of what has been narrated
ِ َ‫و مْب لَ ُغ ما أَو َد ِِف َه َذا الْ ِكت‬
‫اب َم َع‬
in his book [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī], including
repetition, is seven thousand two hundred ْ َْ َ َ َ
and seventy-five (7,275) ḥadīth. After
‫ان َو‬ِ َ‫ف و ِمائَت‬ ٍ َ‫التَّ ْكرا ِ سب ْةُ ثال‬
omitting the repetitive ḥadīth,
َ َ َْ َ
‫َخَْس َو َسْب ُْ ْو َن َح ِديْثًا َو بَ ْْ َد‬
they become four thousand (4,000).1

‫ف‬ٍ َ‫ف التَّ ْكرا ِ أَ ب ْةُ ثال‬ ِ ‫ح ْذ‬

َ َْ َ َ

Other scholars from amongst the Imams [of

ḥadīth] have also authored collections of
‫اآلخُرْو َن ِم َن األَئِ َّح ِة‬
َ ‫َّف‬ َ ‫صن‬َ ‫َو لََق ْد‬
ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth, such as the Ṣaḥīḥ of Ibn
‫ص َدْي ِح ابْ ِن ُخَزَْيَة‬ ِ ‫ِصد‬
Khuzaymah2, who is called “the Imam of the
Imams”. َ ‫احا مثْ َل‬ ً َ
ُ ‫الَّ ِذ ْي يُ َق‬
‫ا ِ لَهُ إِ َم ُام األَئِ َّح ِة‬

He is the shaykh of Ibn Ḥibbān3, who said in

his praise: “I have not seen anyone on the ‫ا ِ ابْ ُن‬ َ َ ‫َو ُه َو َشْي ُخ ابْ ِن ِحبَّان َو‬
‫ت َعلَق َو ْج ِه‬ ِِ ِ ِ
face of the earth better in the

ُ ْ‫حبَّان ِ ِْف َم ْدحه َما َأَي‬

science of the prophetic tradition nor better in
memorizing the sound wording [of ḥadīth]

‫اع ِة‬ ِ
َ َ‫َح َس ُن ِ ِْف صن‬ ِ َْ‫األ‬
than him, as if all the prophetic traditions and

ْ ‫َح ًدا أ‬
َ‫ضأ‬
reports were right before his eyes.”

‫ص ِدْي َد ِة‬ ِ ‫ظ لِألَلْ َف‬

َّ ‫اظ ال‬ ْ ‫السنَ ِن َو أ‬
ُ ‫َح َف‬ ُّ
‫ث ُكلَّ َوُها‬ ِ ‫السنَن و األ‬ َّ ‫ِمْنهُ َكأ‬
َ ْ‫َحادي‬
َ َ َ ُّ ‫َن‬
‫ب َعْينِه‬ َ‫ص‬ ْ ُ‫ن‬

[Likewise, there is] the Ṣaḥīḥ4 of Ibn Ḥibbān,

the student of Ibn Khuzaymah and a reliable,
‫ص ِدْي ِح ابْ ِن ِحبَّان تِْل ِحْي ِذ ابْ ِن‬ ‫ل‬ْ‫ث‬
َ َ َ‫م‬ِ‫و‬
trustworthy, eminent Imam of deep
ِ َِ ‫خزَْيَة يَِقة يَبت‬
‫اضل إِ َمام َِ َّوُهام‬ َ َُ
understanding.
Al-Ḥākim once said: “Ibn Ḥibbān was from
the vessels of knowledge, language, ḥadīth, ‫ان ِم ْن‬ ِ َّ‫اْلاكِم َكا َن ابن ِحب‬
ُْ ُ َْ ِ ‫ا‬ َ َ ‫َو‬
‫ث َوالْ َو ْع ِظ‬ِ ‫اْل ِدي‬ ِ ِ ِِ
and religious exhortation. He was from

ْ َْ ‫أ َْوعيَة الْْ ْل ِم َواللُّغَة َو‬

amongst the men of intellect.”

‫َو َكا َن ِم ْن ُع َقالَ ِء ِث‬

ِ ‫الر َج ِا‬

ِ ‫اك ِم أَِب عب ِد‬

‫اهلل‬ ِ ‫اْل‬ ِ ‫و ِمثْل‬
[Likewise, there is] the Ṣaḥīḥ of the
trustworthy Ḥāfiẓ al-Ḥākim Abū ʿAbdullāh al- َْ ْ َْ ‫صدْي ِح‬ َ َ َ
‫اْلَاِِ ِظ الثِث َق ِة الْ ُح َس َّحق‬
ْ ‫ي‬ ‫الن ِْثي َسابُ ْوِ ِث‬
Nīsābūrī that is [more commonly] called the
Mustadrak.

‫بِالْ ُح ْستَ ْد َ ِك‬

ِ ِ
ُ ‫َو َ ْد تَطََّر َق ِ ِْف كتَابِه َه َذا التَّ َس‬
‫اهل‬
Leniency in ḥadīth ruling found its way into
his book, however, and the scholars have

‫َخ ُذ ْوا َعلَْي ِه َو َالُْوا ابْن ُخَزَْيَة َو‬

held it against him, saying that “Ibn

َ ‫َو أ‬
Khuzaymah and Ibn Ḥibbān are
stronger and more established than al-Ḥākim

‫ابْن ِحبَّان أ َْم َك ُن َو أَْ َوى ِم َن‬

and they are better and sharper in
[understanding] the ḥadīth chains and texts.1

‫ف ِ ِْف‬ ِ ْ
ُ َ‫َح َس ُن َو أَلْط‬ ْ ‫اْلَاك ِم َو أ‬
‫َسانِْي ِد َو الْ ُحتُ ْو ِن‬
َ ‫األ‬

[Likewise, there is] the al-Mukhtārah2 of Ḥāfiẓ

Ḍiyāʾ al-Dīn al-Maqdisī3, who also ‫َو ِمثْ َل الْ ُح ْختَا َِة لِْل َداِِ ِظ ِضيَ ِاء‬
ِ ‫الدِثي ِن الْح ْق ِد‬
transmitted ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth that are not found in
the two Ṣaḥīḥs (of Bukhārī and Muslim).
‫ضا َخَّر َج‬ ‫َي‬
‫أ‬ ‫و‬‫ه‬ ‫و‬
ً ْ َ ُ َ ‫ْ َ ِث‬‫ي‬ ‫س‬
ِ ْ ‫الص ِدْي َد‬
‫َن‬ َّ ‫ت ِ ِْف‬ ْ ‫احا لَْي َس‬ ً ‫ص َد‬
ِ
 ‫َح َس ُن ِم َن‬ ِ
ْ ‫َو َالُْوا كتَابهُ أ‬
The scholars have said that “his book is
better than the Mustadrak.”

‫الْ ُح ْستَ ْد َ ِك‬

[Likewise there are] the Ṣaḥīḥs of Ibn

ʿAwānah1 and Ibn al-Sakan2 as well as the ‫ص ِدْي ِح ابْ ِن َع َوانَة َو ابْ ِن‬ ِ
َ ‫َو مثْ َل‬
Muntaqā of Ibn Jārūd3.
‫الس َكن َو الْ ُحْنتَ َقق إلبْ ِن َجا ُ ْود‬
َّ

All of these books were [meant to be]

‫صة‬َّ َ‫ب ُكلُّ َوُها َمُْت‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ك‬ُ ‫ل‬
ْ ‫ا‬ ِ ‫و ه ِذ‬
‫ه‬
exclusive to ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth, although a group of
scholars have criticized [them], some out of ُ ُ َ َ
‫اعةً انْتَ َق ُد ْوا‬ ِ ِ ‫الصد‬ ِ
َ َ‫اح َو لَك َّن َج‬ َ ‫ب ِث‬
bigotry and some justly.4 And above every
person of knowledge is the All-Knowing, and

‫صاًِا َو َِ ْو َق ُك ِثل ِذ ْي‬

Allah knows best.

َ ْ‫صبًا أ َْو إِن‬ُّ َْ َ‫ت‬

.‫ِع ْل ٍم َعلِْيم َو اهللُ أ َْعلَ ُم‬

Chapter Ten: The Six Famous Ḥadīth

Collections
The Six Books:
‫صل‬
ْ َِ

The six famous canonical books of ḥadīth in

Islam, called the Ṣiḥāḥ Sitt, are: ‫الستَّةُ الْ َح ْش ُوُه ْوَةُ الْ ُح َقَّرَةُ ِ ِْف‬
‫ب ِث‬ ُ ُ‫الْ ُكت‬
1. The Ṣaḥīḥ of Bukhārī
2. The Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim
3. The Jāmiʿ of Tirmidhī ‫اح‬
ُ ‫الص َد‬ ‫ا ِ َِلَا ِث‬ ُ ‫ا ِإل ْسالَِم الَِّ ِْت يُ َق‬
‫ص ِدْي ُح الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬ ِ ‫الست‬
4. The Sunan of Abū Dāwūd
5. [The Sunan] of Nasāʾī
6. The Sunan of Ibn Mājah
‫ي َو‬ ‫ي‬
َ َ ُ ‫ِث‬ ‫ه‬
‫ي َو‬ ‫اْلَ ِام ُع لِلتِث ْرِم ِذ ِث‬ْ ‫ص ِدْي ُح ُم ْسلِ ٍم َو‬ َ
 ‫َّسائِ ِثي َو‬ ْ ِ‫السنَ ُن أل‬
َ ‫َب َد ُاوْوَد َو الن‬ ُّ
‫اجة‬ َ ‫ُسنَ ُن ابْ ِن َم‬

ِ ِ ‫وص‬
ْ ِ ِ‫ُص ْو‬
‫اختَ َا‬ ُ ‫ب َجام ِع األ‬‫اح‬
ُ َ َ
The author of Jāmiʿ al-Usūl, however, chose
the Muwaṭṭa [as the sixth of the books in

َ‫الْ ُح َوطَّأ‬
place ofSunan Ibn Mājah].

In the [last] four books all types of ḥadīth can

‫ب األَْبَ َْ ِة أَْ َسام‬ ِ ُ‫و ِِف َه ِذ ِه الْ ُكت‬
be found: ṣaḥīḥ, ḥasan, and ḍaʿīf. That they
aretermed “six ṣaḥīḥ collections” is due to the ْ َ
predominance [of ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth in them].
‫اح َو‬ ِ ‫الص َد‬ ‫ث ِم َن ِث‬ ِ ‫ِمن األَح ِادي‬
ْ َ َ
‫اف َو تَ ْس ِحيَتُ َوُها‬ِ ْ‫ض‬ ِ ِْ
َ ‫اْل َسان َوال ِث‬
ِ ‫ت بِطَ ِريْ ِ التَّ ْغلِْي‬
‫ب‬ ‫الس ِث‬
‫اح ِث‬ ‫بِ ِث‬
ِ ‫الص َد‬

‫ث‬ ِ ‫احب الْحصابِي ِح أ‬ ِ ‫و ََسَّق‬

[It should be noted that] the author of
Maṣābīḥ [al-Sunnah] (Imam Baghawī) termed َ ْ‫َحادي‬ َ ْ َ َ ُ ‫ص‬ َ َ
the ḥadīth related by those other than
‫ان َو ُه َو َ ِريْب‬ ِ ‫اْلِس‬
ْ ِ‫َن ب‬
ِ ْ ‫َغ ِْي الشَّْي َخ‬
Bukhārī and Muslim as ḥasan, and in this
usage he either meant [that the ḥadīth in َ
them are predominantly ḥasan] or he meant
the linguistic meaning of “good, fair”, or ‫ِمن َه َذا الْ َو ْج ِه َ ِريْب ِم َن الْ َح ْْ ََن‬
‫اص ِطالَح َج ِديْد ِمْن ُه‬
he simply intended to formulate a new term.

ْ ‫ي أ َْوُه َو‬ ‫اللُّغَ ِو ِث‬

Some scholars have said that the book of

Dārimī1 is more appropriate and deserving to
‫ض ُوُه ْم كِتَاب الدَّا ِِم ِثي‬
ُ ْْ َ‫ا ِ ب‬
َ َ ‫َو‬
ِ ُ‫َحرى و أَلْيَ ُ ِِبَ ْْلِ ِه َس ِادس الْ ُكت‬
‫ب‬ َ َْ ‫أ‬
be the sixth

َ
of the [canonical ḥadīth] books because its
narrators are less weak and the presence of
 ‫ض ْْ ًفا َو ُو ُج ْوَد‬َ ‫َن ِ َجالَهُ أََ ُّل‬ َّ ‫أل‬
munkar and shādhdh ḥadīth in it is rare. It also
has lofty chains and more thulāthiyāt (chains
containing only three narrators between the
author and the Messenger of Allah, may
Allah bless him and grant him ‫ث الْ ُحْن َكَرِة َو الشَّاذَّ ِة نَ ِاد‬ ِ ‫األَحادي‬
َْ َ
‫َسانِْي ُد َعالِيَة َو يُالَيِيَّاتُهُ أَ ْكثَ ُر‬
peace) than the thulāthiyāt of Bukhārī.

َ ‫َو لَهُ أ‬
ِ َّ‫ِمن يُالَيِي‬
‫ات الْبُ َخا ِ ِث‬
‫ي‬ ْ

‫ب‬ ِ ُ‫ات ِمن الْ ُكت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ك‬ُ ‫ذ‬ْ ‫ح‬ ‫ل‬
ْ ‫ا‬ ِ ‫و ه ِذ‬
‫ه‬
The above-mentioned books are amongst
the most popular books [of ḥadīth], otherwise َ ُ َْ َ َ َ
ِ ُ‫ب و َغْي رَها ِمن الْ ُكت‬ ِ
‫ب‬ َ ُ َ ُ‫أَ ْش َوُهُر الْ ُكت‬
there are many other famous books.

‫َكثِْي َرة َش ِوُهْي َرة‬

‫اب َجْ ِع‬ ِ َ‫السي و ِط ُّي ِِف كِت‬
Suyūṭī has narrated from many books,
ْ ْ ُ ُّ ‫َو لََق ْد أ َْوَ َد‬
‫ب َكثِْي َرًة يَتَ َجا َوُز‬ ٍ ُ‫اْلَو ِام ِع ِم ْن ُكت‬
exceeding in fact fifty, in the book Jamʿ al-

َْ
Jawāmiʿ. They consist of ṣaḥīḥ, ḥasan, and
ḍaʿīf ḥadīth.

‫اح َو‬ ِ ‫الص َد‬ ‫َن ُم ْشتَ ِحلَ ٍة َعلَق ِث‬ ِ ِ

َ ْ ‫ِبَ ْحس‬
ِ ْ‫الض‬
‫اف‬ ِ ِْ
َ ‫اْل َسان َو ِث‬
He said: “I did not mention in
[this book] a ḥadīth that is characterized as
‫ت َِ ْي َوُها َح ِديْثًا‬ ُ ‫ا ِ َما أ َْوَ ْد‬ َ َ ‫َو‬
‫ض ِع اتَّ َف َ الْ ُح َددِثيُ ْو َن‬ ْ ‫َم ْو ُس ْوًما بِالْ َو‬
fabricated and that the scholars of ḥadīth
have agreedupon its abandonment and

‫َعلَق تَ ْركِ ِه َو َ ِثد ِه َو اهللُ أ َْعلَ ُم‬

rejection.” And Allah knows best.2

‫ب الْ ِح ْش َك ِاة ِ ِْف‬ ِ ‫و ذَ َكر ص‬

‫اح‬
ُ َ َ َ
‫اعةً ِم َن األَئِ َّح ِة‬ ‫ج‬َ ِِ‫ِدي باج ِة كِتَاب‬
‫ه‬
ََ َ َْ
 ‫ي َو ُم ْسلِم َو‬ ‫َن َو ُه ُم الْبُ َخا ِ ُّ‬ ‫ِِ‬
‫الْ ُحْتقن ْ َ‬
‫ا ِإل َم ُام َمالِك َو ا ِإل َم ُام الشَّاِِِْ ُّي َو‬
‫ي َو‬‫َحَ ُد بْ ُن َحْنبَل َو التِث ْرِم ِذ ُّ‬ ‫ا ِإل َم ُام أ ْ‬
‫اجة َو‬ ‫أَب و داوود و الن ِ‬
‫َّسائ ُّي َو ابْ ُن َم َ‬ ‫ُْ َ ُْ َ َ َ‬
‫ين َو الْبَ ْي َوُه ِق ُّي َو‬ ‫ِ‬
‫الدَّا ِم ُّي َو الدَّا َ ُطِْ ُّ‬
‫َجَ َل ِ ِْف ِذ ْك ِر َغ ِْيِه ْم‬ ‫َ ِزيْن َو أ ْ‬

‫اب ُم ْفَرٍد‬‫َحوا َِلُم ِِف ِكتَ ٍ‬

‫َو َكتَْب نَا أ ْ َ ْ ْ‬
‫ََسَ ِاء‬
‫ُم َس ًّحق بِا ِإل ْك َح ِا ِ بِ ِذ ْك ِر أ ْ‬
‫اهلل الت َّْوِِْي ُ َو ُه َو‬‫الرج ِا ِ و ِمن ِ‬
‫ِث َ َ َ‬
‫الْ ُح ْستَ َْا ُن ِ ِْف الْ َحْب َدأِ َو الْ َحآ ِ ِ ‪َ +‬و‬
‫ََسَ ِاء ِث‬
‫الر َج ِا ِ‬ ‫ا ِ ِ ِْف أ ْ‬
‫أ ََّما ا ِإل ْك َح ُ‬
‫ب الْ ِح ْش َك ِاة َِ ُوُه َو ُم ْل َد ِ ِْف‬ ‫اح ِ‬‫لِص ِ‬
‫َ‬
‫اب‪.‬‬‫ثخ ِر َه َذا الْ ِكتَ ِ‬ ‫ِ‬