Hadeeth: Rules for Acceptance and Transmission
Creator: Mustafa Azamî
Date: 2006-07-02
Format: text
Identifier: http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?part=full&category=6&id=20
Language: en
Subject: hadith
Title: Hadeeth: Rules for Acceptance and Transmission
Created on: Sun Jul 02 20:03:50 -0400 2006
Updated on: Mon Sep 25 13:29:59 -0400 2006
Version: 3
Abstract: ... s category is divided into three sub-groupings according to the number of narrators of the Hadith: The well-known Hadith (al-Hadith al-mashhur). This is a Hadith which has been narrated by three or more people in the chain of transmitters but did not arrive at the rank of recurrent Hadith. The strong Hadith (al-Hadith al-aziz). This is a Hadith in which there are no less than two narrators in each part of the chain of narrators. The rare Hadith (al-Hadith al-gharib). This is a Hadith which is narrated by a single person at one point in the chain of transmitters. ** The non-recurrent Hadith is sub-divided into three more classifications regarding the beginning of the chain of transmitters: The Elevated Hadith (al-Hadith al-Marfu). This is a Hadith the chain of narrators for which begins with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Suspended Hadith (al-Hadith al-mawquf). This is a Hadith the chain of narrators for which does not trace back to the Prophet (peace be upon him) but traces back instead to a Companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Cut-off Hadith (al-Hadith al-maqtu'). This is a Hadith the chain of narrators for which traces back only to a successor of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). ** The non-recurrent Hadith is broken into three classifications regarding their acceptance as a source of Islamic Law: The authentic Hadith (al-Hadith as-sahih). This is a Hadith which satisfies the five criteria for accepting a Hadith. The good Hadith (al-Hadith al-hasan). This is the Hadith which, like the authentic Hadith, also satisfies these five criteria except the third criteria of the soundness of memory of the transmitters is only slightly satisfied. The weak Hadith (al-Hadith ad-da'if). This is a Hadith which does not satisfy all the five criteria for accep- ting Hadith. The weak Hadith is classified in different categories regarding which of these five criteria is not met: C. Weakness in the Hadith due to lack continuity in the chain of transmitters. The continuity is missing at the end of chain of transmitters the Hadith is called "hanging" (mu'allaq). If the continuity is missing in the middle of the chain of transmitters, the Hadith is known as "interrupted" (munqati'). If two successive transmitters or more are missing in the middle of the chain of transmitters, the Hadith is called "problematic" (mu'dil). If the first transmitter, a Companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him), is missing from the chain of transmitters, the Hadith is called "incompletely transmitted" (mursal). D. Weakness in the Hadith due to lack of integrity ('adalah) in narrators. A Hadith whhich has been fabricated is known as "fabricated" (mawdu'). If the Matn (text) of a Hadith came down through one channel of trans- mission only and the transmitter of that Hadith does not satisfy the criteria for integrity or his memory is not good then the Hadith is said to be "rejected" (munkar). If a Hadith is transmitted by somebody who is charged with lying and that Hadith is known only through his transmission then the Hadith is said to be "abandoned" (matruk). Three subgroupings of weak Hadith are classified as: 4.1. Mudallas is the chain of "forged" transmitters. This is a Hadith which the transmitter has transmitted from some other transmitter whom he has met but under whom he did not study, yet regarding whom he transmitted the Hadith in a way implying that he heard from him. 4.2. Forged regarding teachers (mudallas ash-shuyukh). This is a Hadith in which the transmitter calls his teacher (shaikh) by nicknames other than the names by which he is well known. 4.3. Forged regarding... [Full Article...]
