Hadith or Hadis is an Arabic word. It is a noun; its plural is Ahadith or Ahadis. Its meaning is a speech, report or description. In Islam Hadith means written account of and about Muhammad (SAS) Quran is word of Allah while Hadith is word about Muhammad (SAS) Quran records divine messages of Allah through the tongue of Prophet Muhammad (SAS). Hadith records the words of and about Muhammad (SAS). It records the action (Fa’al) of Muhammad (SAS), His sayings (Qaul) and His character (Haal). Hadith qudusi are the words of Muhammad (SAS) about an explanation of an Ayah in his own words.
During lifetime of Muhammad (SAS) what was listened, seen and observed by the companions, Sahaba and Muhajirs about Muhammad (SAS) was remembered and memorized. This memorized knowledge of Hadith was transformed by first generation of followers to next generation and it was transformed verbally and was in circulation in the community at the time of recording Hadith in written form.
During Hz. Usman (RZ) Khilafat the task of recording Hadith was under taken. The present day’s books of Hadith are recorded two hundred to three hundred fifty years after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (SAS) the authenticity of these Hadiths is questioned by many scholars of Islam.
A Hadith is information and written text and it consist of two parts, first part contains the chain of narration (Isnad) and second part contains the subject (Matan). Chain of narration gives the up to date record of how the Hadith has come from original source, Muhammad (SAS) via different mediators at the time of recording Hadith. The second part describes actual subject of Hadith which is to be transfer and convey to the reader / listener.
There are two types of Hadith on the basis of original source that is Sunni Hadith and Shia Hadith. Sunni Hadith is the Hadith recorded by scholars of Sunni sector of Islam. There are six main Sunni books of Hadith as follows:
Sunni scholar of Islam prefers Hz. Abu Bakr (RZ), Hz. Ayasha siddiqa (RZ) as reliable source of Sunni Hadith and rejects other sources.
Shia Hadith is those Hadith which are recorded by Shia sector of Islam. There are four main books of Shia Hadith. These are as follows:
A Shia scholar of Islam prefers those Hadith whose originator is Hz. Ali (RZ), Muhammad’s (SAS) family and their supporters and others are rejected.
Hadith is main source of Islamic jurisprudence that is law of Shariyat, both for Shia and Sunni madhahab. Those Hadith which does not contradict Quran are accepted and considered true and those which contradict Quran and not similar with the words and theme of Quran are not accepted.
Hadith is only source for physical aspect of Salat (Prayer), Zikr (Meditation), Zakat (Charity) etc. Quran only mentions it but Hadith describes its practical aspects. As Quran is the original source of knowledge if any problem arises due to difference in Hadiths then those Hadiths are referred and compared with the word and theme of Quran and solution is found in the Quran.
Hadith are further divided into Sahih, Hasan, Daif (Jahif), Mutawatir Moudu (Fabricated), Munkar (Rejected) Hadith.
Hadith is also source of different Tafsirs (Commentary) of Quran and also books of Sirat of Prophet Muhammad (SAS). First tafsir of Quran is written by Muhammad Ibn Zarir al Tabari. He has used most of the Hadith in this commentary to explain the Ayah of Quran. Early Islamic history can also learned from Hadith.
As salaamu alikum brother in faith,
ReplyDeleteMishqat sharif is not among the six main books of Hadith (Sihah sitta). Nasai is the hadis book which you missed.
Kindly update.
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