"Compilation of Hadith Shareef":
Hadith refers to information about the Prophet's words, deeds, decisions, qualities or character, both before and after the beginning of his prophethood. Furthermore the meaning of Sunnah includes"words, work, decrees, characteristics ( mental and physical character) or the behaviour of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
Hadith may be Hadith Qudsi (sacred Hadith) which some Muslims regard as the words of Allah SWT, or Hadith sharif (noble Hadith) which are Hazrat Muhammad's SAW own utterances.
Hadith (plural: Ahadith) refers to the recorded sayings, actions, approvals, or disapprovals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They are a key source of Islamic guidance, second only to the Qur'an.
Components of a Hadith:
1. Isnad (Chain of Transmission): The list of narrators who transmitted the Hadith.
2. Matn (Text): The actual content or wording of the Hadith.
Types of Hadith Based on Authenticity:
Sahih (Authentic): Reliable chain and text, free from flaws.
Hasan (Good): Slightly weaker than Sahih, but still acceptable.
Da'if (Weak): Has flaws in the chain or content.
Maudu' (Fabricated): Not attributable to the Prophet ﷺ.
Major Hadith Collections:
Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih Muslim
Sunan Abu Dawood
Jami' al-Tirmidhi
Sunan al-Nasa’i
Sunan Ibn Majah
These six are known as the Kutub al-Sittah (The Six Major Books).
Importance of Hadith in Islam:
Here's a clear and concise note on the Importance of Hadith in Islam:Hadith plays a vital role in the understanding and practice of Islam. It is the second primary source of Islamic teachings after the Qur'an and is essential for interpreting and applying the message of the Qur'an in daily life.
1. Explains the Qur'an
The Qur'an often provides general commands; Hadith offers detailed explanations.
Example: The Qur'an commands Muslims to pray, but Hadith explains how to perform Salah step-by-step.
2. Source of Islamic Law (Shariah)
Hadith forms the basis for many rulings in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), including matters not explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an.
3. Preserves the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition)
Hadith documents the actions, sayings, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which serve as a model for Muslims to follow.
4. Clarifies Islamic Beliefs and Practices
Offers insight into the Prophet’s teachings on beliefs (Aqidah), ethics, worship, social behavior, and more.
5. Strengthens Spiritual and Moral Life
Provides moral lessons and encourages virtues like honesty, patience, and humility through the life and sayings of the Prophet ﷺ.
6. Essential for Understanding the Seerah (Prophetic Biography)
Hadith contains valuable information about the life events, challenges, and character of the Prophet .
Hadith is indispensable in Islam. Without it, Muslims would lack clear guidance on how to implement the teachings of the Qur'an. The Hadith ensures that the message of Islam is preserved and practically lived through the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Stages of compilation of the Hadith:
The compilation of Hadith occured in four main stages:
- During the Prophet's Muhammad SAW lifetime Hadith were memorized but not written down to avoid mixing with Quran Kareem.
- After the Prophet, companions worked to spread and teach Hadith.
- Successors compiled books of Hadith.
- Scholars established the six major Hadith books.
History of Hadith compilation:
The compilation of Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad's SAW sayings and actions, unfolded hn distinct stages. Initially during the Prophet's Muhammad SAW lifetime and shortly after, companions orally transmitted and memorized Hadith, with some recording and compilation by successors of the companions, driven by the need to preserve traditions, driven by the news to preserves traditions as the first generation passed away. Finally, the third stage dyeing the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the Islamic calendar saw the emergence of comprehensive organized collections like the Sahihayn of Bukhari and Muslim, aiming to establish authentic records of the Prophet's Muhammad SAW Sunnah.
1. Early transmission and memorization ( During the Prophet's Muhammad SAW life and shortly after):
- The Prophet Muhammad SAW himself emphasized the importance of his Sunnah, encouraging hua companions to follow his example and teachings.
- Many companions memorized and transmitted Hadith orally, and some individuals like Abu Huraira, Ali, and Abdullah ibn Amr compiles personal collections.
- While some companions wrote down Hadith during his period, there was ni systematic, large-scale compilation yet.
2. Expansion of oral narration and initial written collections(after the Prophet's Muhammad SAW death):
- As the companions began to pass away, the need to preserve the Prophet's Muhammad SAW teachings became more urgent.
- Oral transmission continues to be the primary method of preservation, but more companions started writing down Hadith in personal scrolls and documents.
- Scholars like Abu Bakar al-Hazm and Zuhri were tasked by Umar Abdul Aziz to formally compile Hadith due to increasing prevalence of fabricated reports.
3. Formal compilation and organization into comprehensive collections( 2nd and 3rd centuries AH):
- This period saw the rise of major Hadith scholars who dedicated themselves to collecting, verifying and organizing Hadith.
- Scholars like Bukhari and Muslim compiled the most renowned and authentic collections, known as the Sahihayn.
- These collections along with others aimed to establish record of the Prophet's Sunnah doe Muslims to follow.
4. Compilation of Shia collections( 4th-5th centuries AH and later):
- Shia Muslims also developed their own Hadith collections during this period, including the four books and other works.
- Later, particularly form the 10th/16th century onward, new compilations and classification id Shia Hadith emerged, with some scholars reviving older works
- This era saw the development of "supplements" to existing collections.
Main points of Hadith:
Each Hadith consists of a chain id transmitter, called the isnad, and the actual text that was transmitted called the matn. As we shall see, Hadith, touch upon all aspects of Islamic thought and practice, ranging from law to theology, ethics to hagiography and eschatology to Quranic exegesis.
Types of Hadith:
The four main types of Hadith, according to their reliability in Sunni Islam, are Sahih, Hasan, Daif and Mawdu. Sahih Hadith are considered authentic and reliable, while Hasan Hadith are slightly less strong but still trustworthy, Daif Hadith are weak and not reliable for legal rulings, and Mawdu, Hadith are fabricated and entirely unreliable.
Sahih(Authentic):
These Hadith are deemed to be of the highest degree of authenticity and reliability. They have a continuous chain of narrators whi are known for their trustworthiness, and their content is free from any contradictions of flaws.
Hasan(Good):
Hasan Hadith are also considered acceptable, but they are slightly less strong than Sahid Hadith. They may have minor issues in their chain of narrators is content, but these are not severe enough to invalidate the Hadith.
Daif( weak):
Daif Hadith are those that do not meet the criteria for Sahih or Hasan Hadith. They may have a missing link in the chain of narrators, may be unbelievable or there may be some other issue with the content.
Mawdu(fabricated):
Mawdu Hadith are known to be Prophet Muhammad SAW and are rejected by all scholars.
Five things before 5 Hadith:
Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age , your health before your sickness , your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your busyness, and your life before your deaths.
Main Hadiths:
These four books- Al Kafi, al-Faqih, al- Tahdhib and al-Istibsar- were compiled ana widely used long before their consolidation as the four books. The present study, However takes as it starting point the earliest instance in which the phrase al-kutab al-arbaa ente we at Imami Hadith discourse.
Reasons for the compilation of Hadith:
The Hadith literature was preserved in the memories of companions who were gradually dying naturally or in battles, therefore it was crucial to combine ahadith. This would on account of verbal narrator's, faulty memories, forgetfulness etc.
Who compiled the most Hadiths:
Abu Hurarya is credited with narrating at least 5,374 hadiths. Abu Hurarya continues collecting Hadith after the death of Muhammad SAW from Abu Bakar, Umar, Aisha, Fasl ibn Abbas, Usama ibn Zaid , Ubbayd ibn Ka'b and Ka'b Al- Ahbar.
Different types of Hadith in Urdu:
Hadith, the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad SAW are classified into various types based in authenticity source and other factors. In Urdu, these classifications are often discusses with some types including Sahih( authentic), Hasan(good), Daif(weak) Mutawatir( widely narrated), and Ahad( single narrator) ,among other.
Based of authenticity:
Sahih:
A Sahih Hadith is one with a perfectly sound and unbroken chain of narration( Isnad), with trustworthy narrators throughout and free from any irregularities or hidden flaws.
Hasan :
A Hasan Hadith is similar to Sahih, but the precision and exactness of the narrator's may be slightly less than those in a Sahih Hadith.
Daif:
A Da'if Hadith is one that does not meet the criteria for Sahih or Hasan, due to issues with the chain of narration or tha narrators.
Based in the chain or narration( Isnad):
Mutawatir:
A Hadith narrated by so many narrators at each level of the chain that it's impossible to imagine them all agreeing on a lie.
Ahad:
A Hadith narrated by a limited number of narrators, not reaching the level of Mutawatir.
Musnad:
A Hadith whose chain of narration is connected directly back to the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
Mursal:
A Hadith where a companions name is missing from the chain of narration, and it goes directly from a later narrator to the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
Muallaq:
A Hadith where one or more narrators are missing from the beginning of the chain id narration.
Other important classifications:
Qudsi:
A Hadith where the prophet Muhammad SAW reports something that Allah SWT has said.
Mawdu:
A fabricated Hadith, not to be considered authentic.
These are just some of the main categories of Hadith discussed in Urdu. Understanding these classifications is crucial for studying and applying Hadith in Islamic scholarship.
Methods of compilation of Hadith:
Some companions had, however prepared written collections of traditions for their own personal use. Those companions in particular who had weaker memories used to write them down for memorizing and preservation. These were also dictated to their disciplines.
Second period of compilation of Hadith:
The second period extends from the Prophet's death to the end of the first century Hijrah. The Sahaba were very cautious about relating anything to the Prophet Muhammad SAW, since they had heard him say, "Whoever Lies about me, let him take his place in the hell fire. Many Sahaba and compiled small books of Hadith.
Who was Hadith not compiled:
Historically, some sects of the Kharijities rejected the Hadith. There were some who opposed even the writing down of the Hadith itself for fear that it would compete, or even replace the Quran Kareem. Mutazilities also rejected the Hadiths as the basis for Islamic law, while at the same time accepting the Sunnah and ijma.
Method of Hadith:
It involves the application of external criticism, which examines the the chain of narrators in hadiths, and internal criticism, which scrutinizes the content of the Hadiths. These theories were utilized by Hadith narrators, particularly Imam Bukhari, to distinguish between authentic and unreliable hadiths .
Best compilation of the Hadith:
In the sunni branch of Islam, the canonical Hadith collections are the six books, if which Sahih al-Bukari and Sahih Muslim generally have the highest status.
Stages of compilation of Hadith:
- 1st stage lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
- 2nd stage compilation in the time of Holy Prophets companion.
- Stage 3rd compilation by companions of Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW companion.
First compilation of Hadith:
The earliest known collection of Hadith us Sahifah Hamaan ibn Munabbih, compiled in the late 1st or early 2nd century AH ( approximately 700-800AD). This collection containing 138 Hadith, was derived from Abu Huraira and is considered one of the earliest surviving works of it's kind, according to some Islamic scholars. Other early collections include those by Ali ibn Abi Talib , Salman Farsi, Abu Rafi, and Salim ibn Qays Al- Hilali.
Sahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih:
This collection is notable for being one of the first attempts to systematically record and preserve Hadith. It's a testament to the early efforts of scholars to document the Prophet Muhammad's SAW teachings and practices.
Other early collections:
While Sahifah Hammam is a prominent example, it's important to note that other companions and their followers also compiled Hadith collections during this period. These early efforts laid the foundation for the more extensive and systematic Hadith compilations that would follow.
The Muwatta of Iman Malik:
Another significant early work is the Muwatta of Iman Malik, which while not strictly a "first" in the same sense as Sahifah Hammam, is considered one of the earliest and most important collections of Hadith and legal rulings.
Stages of compilation :
The compilation of Hadith evolved over time, with early scholars focusing in individual collections and later scholars building unpon these foundations to create more comprehensive work's. The process involved various stages, including the documentation of the Hadith, the verification of narrators and the organization of material into different formats.
Significance:
These early collections were crucial in preserving the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and provided a basis for later scholars to develop Islamic jurisprudence and legal systems.
Who wrote the 40 Hadith:
The vastness of his works in these different areas is so great that if an individual decides do study fiqh, Hadith, spiritually or Quran Kareem ; one would need to pass through Imam al-Nawwi . Along with the 40 Hadith, hw authorized Riyad Al Saliheen , Al - Adhkar and commentary of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari.
Hadith did Bukhari compiled:
Experts have estimated the number of full- isnad narrations in the Sahih at 7563 with the number reducing to around 2600 without considerations to repetitions or different versions of the same Hadith. Bukhari chose these narrations from a 600,000 narrations he hd collected over 16 years.
Authentic collection of Hadith:
This work included all the narrators whose ahadith ( plural of Hadith) were recorded in any of the six books i.e Sahih al- Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunnah al- Nada, Sunnah Abi Dawud, Sunnah al-Tirmidi and sunan ibn Majah.
Concept of Hadith:
Hadith is an arabic word, which literally means statement, talk, story, conversation, or communication. It also means new.
" Hadith is a talk and which may be brief or elaborates." Technically Hadith means the narration of the sayings, doings, or approvals of Muhammad SAW.
Compilation of the Ahadith:
- The first stage relates to the period of the Prophet Muhammad SAW till 10A.H.
- The second stage ja approximately from 11AH. This is the period of Sahaba, the companions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
- The third stage is from about 101 to nearly 200 A.H. This is the period of the Tabi'in the disciples of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
- The fourth stage is roughly from 200 A.H. to 300 A H. This is the period of Taba Tabiun the disciples of the disciples.
1st stage
Lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad
During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad SAW there was no pressing need to write down all his statements or to record his actions because he was present and could be consulted at any time.
Though there was no regular compilation if the tradition, for they were not generally recorded in writing. However, they were orally transmitted with great accuracy of detail, thanks to the Arabs exceptionally retentive memories.
Some companies had, however prepared written collections of traditions for their own personal use. Those companions,in particular who had weaker memories used to write them down for memorizing and preservation. These were also dictated to their disciples.
Then there were those companions who had administrative offices arranged fir written copies of traditions, so that they might carry out their duties in the true spirit of Islam. Fir instance, while appointing Amr ibn Hazm as the governor of Yaman, the Prophet Muhammad SAW himself gave him a letter containing the times of prayer, methods of prayer, details of Ablution, booty, taxation,Zakat Etc.
Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW himself encouraged people to write down his words. Abdullah ibn Amr said: " I used to write everything which I heard from the Messenger of Allah SWT with the intention of memorizing it. However, some Quraishites forbade me from doing so a human being whi speaks in anger and pleasure. So I stopped writing and mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah SWT. He pointed with his finger to his mouth and said, " Write! By him in whose hand is my soul, only truth comes out from it ".
At Madina the Prophet Muhammad SAW said appointed some person's to acquire knowledge of Islam. These were called as Ashabb us Suffah . Suffah means shaded area on an area covered by some roof. There was such a small area in the Prophet's mosque designed for residence and educational activities of the poor and needy. Most of the Hadith of that time were compiled and narrated by Ashaab us Suffah and their guide and teacher was the Prophet himself.
2nd stage
Compilation in the time of Holy Prophet Muhammad's SAW companion:
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad SAW his sayings and actions took of a new importance because he was no longer there ot consult when problems arose the companions who knew the Hadith at first hand were gradually passing away. Their number continued to diminish day by day. Therefore, a people became more keen to preserve the precious Hadith literature that have been stored in their memories. The number of converts was also growing and they showed great eagerness to learn as much the traditions as possible. So, the practice of narration on a large scale started during this period.
Abu Hurarya one of the prophet's closest companions is known to have narrated more than 5374 Hadith, more than any other companion. He devoted his entire life in hearing and preserving Hadith of Prophet. Later one of his students Hamam bin Munabah wrote a collection under his supervision knows as Sahifah Hammam bin Munabah.
Abdullah bin Umar transmitted 2630 Hadith and compiled the script called as Sahifah Al Sadiqah. It was written on instructions of Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW.
Ana's bin Malik served the Prophet Muhammad SAW and transmitted many Hadith.He wrote a script called Sahifah Ana's bin Malik.
Abdullah bin Abbas transmitted 1660 Hadith and many of his students transmitted Hadith from him in written form.
Close companions such as Jabir and Ali also compiled the Hadiths. Jabir is said to have compiled 1560 Hadith.
Abu Saeed al- Khudree also narrated 1170 Hadith.
The wives of the Prophet Muhammad SAW were also looked upon as vital custodians of ahadith. The names of Ayesha, Hafsa, Umme Habibah, Mamunah, are famous transmitters. Ayesha which is one of the most important figures is said to have transmitted 2210 Hadith.
Famous works in this stage:
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Amr. ( Saheefah e Sadiqah)
Hazrat Ali. ( Saheefah e Abu Ali).
Hazrat Human bin Munabbih. ( Saheefah e Abu Huraira).
Hazrat Saad bin Ubaidah (book of Saad).
Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah ( book of Jabir).
Stage 3:
Compilation by companions of Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW companion (Tabi'in):
This is the afe of the followers of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. They devoted their entire live to collecting traditions from different centres of learning,with the result that a large number of traditions were preserved. Now it became possible to collect several memories in larger volumes.
Islam had spread into the middle east, India, and north Africa and the narration of Hadith had become widespread, there arose people people who began to invent hadiths. To combat this development, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz ordered the scholars to compile the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. The scholars had already begun composing books containing biographical Data on the various narrators of Hadith in order to expose the liars and fabricators. Abu Bakar ibn Hazm was among those who was directed by the Khalifa to compile Hadith. Umar asked him to write down all the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and of Umar ibn al-Khattab and to pay particular attention to gathering the Hadiths of Amrah bint Abdur Rehman,who was at that time the most respected custodian of the narrations of Aisha.
Mohd. Ibn Shihab Al Zuhri the first regular compiler, was one of the most distinguished traditional. Ibn Shahih Zuhri and Abu Bakar hazm were asked by Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, the ummayyad caliph, to prepare a collection of all available traditions. Umar ibn Abdul Aziz wrote to Abu Bakar Al hazm: "Whatever sayings of the Prophet Muhammad SAW can be found, write them down, fir I fear the loss of knowledge and disappearance of learned men, and do not accept anything but the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and people should make knowledge Public".
Other famous tabein were Saeed ibn al- Mussayab, urwah ibn Zubair,Salim ibn Abdullah ibn Umar and naafi.
The famous Sahifah of Shihab Al Zuhri was compiled in this period. The Sahifah of Abu Huraira student Hammam ibn Munabah known as Sahifah Hammam bin Munabah was also transmitted and compiled in this time of Tabi'in.
Stage 4:
Compilation by companions of the companions of companions of Prophet Muhammad SAW (Taba Tab'iin):
In the period following that of the Tabii ,the Hadiths were systematically collected and written in texts. One of the earliest works was al- Muwatta composed by Malik ibn Ana's. Other books of Hadith were also written by scholars of malik's time, by the likes of Al Awza' I who lived in Syria; Abdullah ibn Al Mubarak of Kjurasan; Hammad ibn Salmah of Basrah and Sufyan Ath- Thawri of Kufah. However, the only work which survived from that time is that of Iman Malik. It could be said that in this period the majority of Hadiths were collected in the various centers of Islam.
There arose in the third century scholars who undertook the task or critical research of Hadiths that were narrated and compiled in the first two centuries. They also grouped the Hadiths which they considered to be accurate according to the branches of Islamic law. For example, from this period is the book Sahih al- Bukhari containing 7275 Hadiths which Al Bukhari chose from 600,000, and Sahih Muslim which contains 9200 Hadiths that Imam Muslim selected from 300,000. Besides these two works of Hadith, there are four other works which became famous during this period. They are the sunan of an-Nasa'i ( died 916 C.E) and sunan of ibn Majah ( died 908 C E).
Conclusion:
The compilation of Hadith represents one of the most significant intellectual and spiritual efforts in Islamic history. It was a meticulous process carried out by early Muslim scholars to preserve the sayings, actions, approvals, and characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.After the Prophet’s death, the need to record Hadiths in written form became increasingly essential due to the rapid expansion of the Muslim world, the passing of knowledgeable companions, and the emergence of fabricated narrations. This led to a structured and scientific approach to Hadith collection and authentication.Key scholars like Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah developed rigorous methodologies to ensure the authenticity of Hadiths. They examined the chain of narrators (isnad) and the text (matn) to verify each narration's reliability and truthfulness.The result of their efforts is the vast Hadith literature that forms the second most important source of Islamic law and guidance after the Qur'an. These compilations have greatly contributed to preserving the teachings of Islam and continue to guide Muslims in faith, practice, and ethics.The compilation of Hadith was a monumental achievement that combined spiritual devotion, intellectual precision, and historical preservation—ensuring that the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would remain alive and accessible for all generations.