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Authentication of Hadiths

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Compilers of Hadiths made a number of checks to confirm the reliability of the narrator and the authenticity of the Hadith they related.

📄 Parts of Hadith

• Isnad and Matn are the two parts of a Hadith that constitute its structure.

Isnad (Chain of Narrators)

• The first part consists of a chain of narrators, this is called isnad which means ‘support’ as it is the authority for establishing the genuineness of Hadiths.

• When the compilers of Hadiths examined the line of transmitters they ensured that the transmitters of authentic Hadiths were widely known to have met the people before and after them and that the last person in the chain was a companion of the Prophet.

Muhammad ibn Al-Muthanna reported from Abdul Wahhab, from Ayyub, from Abu Qilaabah, from Malik that the Prophet (pbuh) said ‘Pray as you see me praying.’ (Agreed).

• In this Hadith as in other Hadiths the list of narrators constitutes the sanad. The shorter the sanad the higher the chances of it being accurate.

• Also, to establish the genuineness of a Hadith the sanad needs to be unbroken leading back to the Prophet (pbuh).

Prerequisites

• The first person in the chain must know the Prophet directly

• The narrator must be a Muslim of firm faith.

• The chain of narrators must be complete and continuous (Not broken).

• The narrator must be known for his truthfulness and honesty.

• Have a good memory.

• He should be at an age where he understands the significance of what he hears and realises that the slightest change may change the meaning of the Hadith.

• He should report exactly as he heard the Hadith.

Importance of Isnad

• Isnads helped to document that a Hadith had truly come from the Prophet (pbuh).

• Since they helped establish religious practice and Islamic law as well as day to day conduct of an individual, it was important that only the genuine ones were documented for use etc.

Matn (Text)

Muhammad ibn Al-Muthanna reported from Abdul Wahhab, from Ayyub, from Abu Qilaabah, from Malik that the Prophet (pbuh) said ‘Pray as you see me praying.’ (Agreed).

• The other part of the Hadith consists of the words of the Prophet known as matn i.e. the text of the Hadith.

• From the above example, the matn would be ‘Pray as you see me praying.’

• Again the text plays an important role in establishing the authenticity of a Hadith.

• This is the Prophet’s actual teaching which guides Muslims through all ages.

Prerequisites

• The language of the Hadith must be in pure Arabic.

• Must not contain words that the Prophet (pbuh) would not use.

• Must not contradicted the Qur’an or other established Hadiths.

• Must not be against common sense or historical facts.

• Must not give high rewards for small deeds .

• Must not praise an individual, tribe or place highly.

Importance of Authenticating Hadiths

• Sahih Hadiths provide an accurate model for Muslims to follow.
  • To resolve all matters, secular and spiritual in the light of the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) it was essential to have authentic Hadiths. The new generations of Muslims needed guidance on the true Islamic way of life based on the life of the Prophet (pbuh).

• Prevent weak and false Hadiths from being accepted.
  • If authentic Hadiths were mixed up with the weak or fabricated Hadiths than the Muslims would be led astray.
  • It was therefore important to verify the authenticity of the Hadiths so that Muslims could live their lives in line with the correct teachings of the Prophet.

• Keep the faith and the practise of Islam pure.

• Create unity in the ummah because every Muslim is following in the Prophet’s (pbuh) tradition.
  • The Prophet was sent as a guide and is a role model for all Muslims to follow in order to lead a good Muslim life.
  • We need to know what the Prophet said as his words also elaborate the teachings of the Qur’an and help not only in daily life but in formulating laws etc.

• Help in the classification of Hadiths and devising Islamic law.

• Also, the Qur’an instructs Muslims to follow the practice of the Prophet (pbuh) and for that reason Hadiths needed to be compiled so Muslims of all times can use the knowledge they provided.

Why is it important for Muslims to have collections of authentic Hadiths? [4]

• A basic answer to this part of the question will be that Muslims need to know what the Prophet taught. As Muslims try to base their lives on the Prophets example it is important for them to know what he did and said.

• Candidates may elaborate on the above points to explain that what the Qur'an stated in general terms was further explained by the Prophets Hadiths. Good answers will also refer to the need to have authentic Hadiths for legal purposes and could explain the function of authentic Hadiths in legal thinking.

What is the purpose of having false Hadiths in Hadith collections? [4]

• Candidates need to give their personal view as to why it was essential to include false (mawdu) Hadiths in Hadith collections.

• After the passing away of the Prophet (pbuh) the Muslim community passed through a series of unrest and wars. Hadiths were forged to manipulate the authority of the Sunna, so in order to distinguish original Hadith from the fake Hadith compilations were made.

• It could be said that they were included to ensure that the possibility of them being categorised in the other categories, e.g. sahih, hasan, etc. did not occur.

• Another reason could be to let Muslims know that these were false Hadiths so if they came across them they could disregard them.

• All valid responses to be credited on their own merit.