Documentation of Hadith

Question 1

Documentation of hadith at the time of the Prophet SWS

Answer 1

• Limited number of hadith were written during the lifetime of the Prophet SWS
• Official documentation started at the time of ‘Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz who was the first compiler of a systematic collection of hadith

Question 2

‘Ilm al-Jarh wa alta’dil

Answer 2

• Defined as the science of criticizing the reporters of hadith
• This rose to study the men involved in the isnad and their integrity
• Earliest remarks go back to Ibn Abbas

Question 3

Hadith terminology and transmission

Answer 3

• Main concern is to provude rules which govern the process of transmitting and communicating hadith
• First to write on this subject was Imam Shafi’

Question 4

Compilation of hadith

Answer 4

-Beginning of second century, scholars started compiling hadith in written form

Question 5

Forms of compilation

Answer 5

1. The Sahifa; booklet. Personal use
2. Juz; collection of hadith handed down on the authority of a single individual. This term also applies to a collection of hadith which deal with one specific subject
3. Risala; collection of hadith which deals with one topic of the 8 topics which the contents of the Jami’ books are classified
4. Musannaf; more comprehensive collection of hadith in which the traditions relating to most or all of the 8 topics are assembled and arranged in various books or chapters, each dealing with a particular topic
5. Musnad; collection of hadith arranged according to the names of the original narrators
6. Jami’; hadith collection containing traditions related to all 8 topics

Question 6

Bukhari

Answer 6

• Contains only sahih, unbroken isnad, narrated by upright individuals, free of defects and narrators met one another
• Took guidance from Al-Zuhri’s book
• Chain of isnad in Bukhari is characterized t orely in the first place on the narration of hadith from the Prophet SWS by a verified companion

Question 7

Sunan compilations

Answer 7

• Contain hadith related to legal rulings (ahkam) and omits material relating to historyical, spiritual, or otherwise
• Hadith collections by Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i and others fall into this