Classification of Hadith

What are the categories of Hadith?

Classification of Authenticity

1. Sahih

2. Hasan

3. Da'if

4. Mawdoo'

The first three types of Hadith could come down from the Prophet himself, it is just that the evidence for Hasan and Da’if is not beyond question, so that a careful compiler will be cautious about placing too much reliance on it.

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Importance of classifying Hadiths

• The Qur’an gives instructions to Muslims about how to live and practice their faith, it does not give details showing how to implement the teachings given.
  • This implementation of Qur’anic instructions is found in the Hadiths of the Prophet.

• If the Hadiths were not classified there would be a danger of Muslims not knowing the correct way of putting into practice their faith.

• It could be said that in legal matters it is vital to only use only the most accurate Hadiths but when e.g. one is looking for moral teachings, a Hadith whose isnad is not strong by having a gap or say the narrator having a weak memory, a weak Hadith could be used and therefore the classification of Hadiths is important.

• Muslims by following the guidance given in the classified Hadiths can follow the perfect example of the Prophet Muhammad.

1) Sahih

• Sahih – genuine/authentic Hadith that pass all the tests and can be regarded without question as coming from the Prophet.

Classification

• Here candidates can write about how the sanad must be unbroken and how each narrator must be pious, trustworthy and of sound memory, etc.
  • e.g: Each narrator in the chain was a pious Muslim and that the chain was a continuous one and also that the narrator had a good memory making the matn reliable etc.

• Matn is also important to mention when discussing the sahih Hadiths.

2) Hasan

• Hasan – strong/approved Hadith are those raising some doubt about their authenticity.

• Hadiths whose text is absolutely true but the isnad may not pass the strict test established by the Hadith compilers.

Classification

• They are similar to the sahih Hadiths except that its narrators or some of its narrators are found defective in memory in comparison with those of the sahih Hadiths.
  • e.g. a name in the chain may be missing but there is no reason to believe that the Hadith is not a good one.

3) Da'if

• Da’if – weak Hadith raise many questions about their authenticity.

• The da’if Hadith is a term used for Hadiths whose truthfulness in both isnad and matn is not fully established, i.e. its authenticity is not fully established and they are deemed weak.
  • Can be used when e.g. one is looking for moral teachings, a Hadith whose isnad is not strong by having a gap or say the narrator having a weak memory, a weak Hadith could be used and therefore the classification of Hadiths is important.

Classification

• A Hadith could be weak for many reasons and these reasons could be elaborated upon in the answer by the candidates.
  • E.g: If any of the narrators in the isnad was known to have been a liar or have a weak memory or was known to have not met the one he was supposed to be narrating from than the Hadith is regarded as weak.

4) Mawdoo'

• Mawdoo' — Fabricated hadiths that are made up by liars and heretics.

• Unreliable and completely abandoned by the scholars and jurists.

Classification based on Transmission

1) Mutawatir

• The Hadith is reported by a large number of people in different times whose agreement on a lie becomes inconceivable.

1. Mutawatir in Wording:
   • For example: "[Muhammad said:] Whoever intentionally attributes a lie against me, should prepare his seat in the Fire." This is a mutawatir hadith in its wordings because it has a minimum of seventy-four narrators.

2. Mutawatir in Meaning:
   • For example: Description of the Prophet's prayer.

2) Ahad

• Ahad are those whose isnad is broken or whose traditions are less widely accepted and therefore are regarded as less authentic but if their narrators were regarded as honest they were accepted otherwise rejected.
  • For example: "Actions are judged by their intentions."

Classification based on Inspiration

Hadith Nabawi

• They could say that the former contains the words of the Prophet (pbuh) himself.

Hadith Qudsi

• Hadiths that contain words from God which were said by the Prophet are called Hadith Qudsi / Divine Hadith

  e.g. ‘Fasting is for me and I shall compensate it’.

• Such Hadiths do not form part of the Qur’an, though they are recognised as being the words of God Himself which were voiced by the Prophet (pbuh).

‘Truly, My mercy overcomes My wrath’. This is a Hadith Qudsi. What is special about Hadiths of this kind? [4]

Hadith Qudsi, is a divine Hadith. They are sayings from Allah himself. The better answers will go on to add that Hadith Qudsi do not form part of the Qur’an but are recognized as the sayings of the Prophet which were related to him by Allah. Examples of other such Hadiths the candidates may have studied could be given by the stronger candidates to gain top marks in this part of the question.