What is Hadith Understanding the Teachings of Prophet Muhammad S and Their Authenticity

Islam has two primary sources. First is the Quran and the second source is Prophet Muhammad’s teachings (s). These teachings include his words, actions and silent approval. In Islamic terminology these teachings are called hadith. The word ‘hadith’ literally means news, report or narration. Sometimes the words and actions of the Prophet are referred to as his sunnah. Hadith are needed in order to understand the Quran. For example the Holy Quran will tell us to pray but the hadith will tell us how to pray, The Quran well tell us to pay zakah but the hadith will give its details and so on. Every hadith has two parts to it. The first part is called the sanad سند and the second matn متن. Hammād Sulmah reported from Muhammad Ishāq who reported from Amr Shu’ayb who reported from his father who reported from his father who said: asked, ‘O Messenger of Allāh, should write down everything that hear from you?’ He (the Prophet (s)) said, ‘Yes.’ حماد بن سلمة عن محمد بن إسحاق عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده قال: "قلت يا رسول الله اكتب كل ما أسمع منك؟ قال، نعم. قلت في الرضا والغضب؟ قال: نعم، فإني لا أقول في ذلك إلا الحق Here is an example: In this hadith, the first paragraph is the sanad (chain) سند of the hadith where the reporter Hammad reported from Muhammad who reported from ‘Amr who reported from his father who reported from his father who heard from the Prophet (S). The second paragraph is the matn متن (text) of the hadith. Together they form one hadith. According to the shia if something is reported from companion of Prophet or companion of ma’sum, meaning an Imam and Sayida Fatima but does not go all the way back to them and stops at the companion, then the Shia do not regard it to bear weight as sunnah. For example, saying by Abu Dharr or Abd Allah bin Abbas may be related as what companion said but it does not bear any weight as sunnah. However among the Sunnis, the words of the sahaba (a companion) are also treated as hadith. So they derive laws and act upon what is related from Abu Hurayra or Ibn Mas’ud or A’isha, the wife of the prophet (s) even if that report does not quote the Prophet (s) himself. The sanad is extremely important to scholars. They study the lives of each of the individuals in every hadith to see if they were trustworthy or not and if we can rely on what they reported. This science of studying the reporters and narrators of hadith is called ‘Ilm ar-Rijal (The Science of Men) and goes hand-in-hand with the study of hadith. One of the reasons the scholars don’t just trust anyone who reports hadith is because it is well known fact that during the era of the Banu Umayya and Banu Abbas, thousands of ‘ahadith’ were forged to suit the convenience of the rulers, either to flatter themselves and their predecessors or to slander the Ahlul-Bayt (as) and so on. Allāh has also told us in the Qur’ān not to trust sinful person: you who have believed! If an evil doer (fāsiq) brings you some news, verify it, lest you should harm some people out of ignorance, and then become regretful for what you have done. 49:6 The common view is that the narrator must Muslim and has reached the age of Islamic maturity, sane, have good memory and be A’dil. ‘Adil means someone with integrity, who is not known as being sinful or liar. According to the shia he must be shia ithna ashari and in some cases, narrator who is not Shia Ithna Ashari is also accepted if his report supports and does not contradict other authentic ahadith. This is because there were so many narrations fabricated against the ahlul bayt at the time but we will talk about its history in another lesson. Hadith is divided into few main categories 1. Sahih - This is hadith that has been rendered authentic. The chain of narrators is not broken; they are all trustworthy, good memory, not open sinners and must be just. The shia also add that they also must be imami, meaning shia ithna ashari. 2. Hasan- which means good. This is hadith that has not reached the level of sahih. This means there may be person in the chain of narrators that their reliability has not been affirmed yet. 3. Da’if (Weak) - This is hadith that is neither Sahih, nor Hasan. This could be because one of the narrators has been defamed or because they are unknown or fabricator and so on. There are many other grades of Da’if according to scholars. 4. According to the shia there is fourth main category - Muwwaththaq (Dependable). This is hadith where some narrators are not Shia Ithna Ashari but they have all being praised as being trustworthy. Of course these main categories have additional characteristics and other sub-categories that you may find in hadith studies. Hadith is also classified into “mutawatir” and “ahad”. mutawatir hadith is one that is narrated by so many people that it would be impossible for them all to have agreed to fabricate it. Mutawtir is divided into two types: Mutawatir in words and Mutawatir in meaning For example- this hadith من كذّب عليّ متعمداً فليتبوأ مقعده من النار “Whoever lies about me deliberately should take his seat in the hellfire” is mutawatir in words. This has been narrated by over 70 people in the same wording. Mutawatir in meaning is when there are so many hadiths that agree on the same meaning but differ in words. For example we have so many traditions about the coming of the Mahdi but in different words. Any hadith that is not mutawatir is called hadith ahad also known khabar al wahid. These narrations do not bring about certainty of authenticity on their own unless it is supported by other evidence. These hadiths are also divided into other categories that are listed in hadith studies