*The Definition and Structure of Hadith*
The Definition of Hadeeth: 'Hadeeth' literally means a saying or conversation, as in the following Qur'aanic verses:
“Let them then produce a saying (Hadeeth) like unto it.” [Soorah at-Tur (52):34]
“And when the Prophet spoke (Hadeeth) secretly to one of his wives.” [Soorah at-Tahrim (66):3]
But in Islaamic Terminology, Hadeeth is synonymous with Sunnah, though the word ‘Hadeeth’ is generally used to refer to only the sayings of the Prophet Muhammed . The Hadeeth have been recorded by the Companions and collected in the books of Hadeeth. If the word ‘Hadeeth’ is used without any adjective, it always means the Hadeeth of the Prophet, but if any Companion or Successor (Taabiee) is meant, clarification is needed by adding Mauquf for the Companion and Maqtu for the Successor.
The following is an example of what a Hadeeth looks like:
Musaddad told us that Yahyaa informed him from Shu’bah, from Qataadah from Anas from the Prophet that he said: “None of you
truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” Collected by al-Bukhari
This means that the Hadeeth scholar Muhammed ibn Ismaa’el al-Bukhari recorded in his book of the collection of Hadeeth called Sahih al-Bukhari the statement: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”, which he
heard from his Hadeeth teacher Musaddad, who heard it from his teacher Yahyaa, who was informed by his teacher Shu’bah that he heard it from his teacher Qataadah, a student of the Prophet’s Companion, who heard it quoted by the Sahabee (Companion) Anas ibn Maalik from the Prophet Muhammed (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).
The Structure of Hadeeth
A Hadeeth consists of two main parts: (a) the Sanad and (b) the Matn
The Sanad: Sanad or Isnad, is the chain of narrators that leads to the text of the Hadeeth. The Sanad consists of all those who narrated the text, starting with the last narrator (who records the Hadeeth in his book) and ending with the Prophet. Following is the Sanad of the Hadeeth mentioned before...
Al-Bukhari > Musaddad > Yahyaa > Shu’bah > Qataadah > Anas > Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)
The Matn: The text of the Hadeeth or what the Prophet actually said or did is called the Matn. In the Hadeeth mentioned before, the Matn is “None of you truly believes until...”
The Definition of Hadeeth: 'Hadeeth' literally means a saying or conversation, as in the following Qur'aanic verses:
“Let them then produce a saying (Hadeeth) like unto it.” [Soorah at-Tur (52):34]
“And when the Prophet spoke (Hadeeth) secretly to one of his wives.” [Soorah at-Tahrim (66):3]
But in Islaamic Terminology, Hadeeth is synonymous with Sunnah, though the word ‘Hadeeth’ is generally used to refer to only the sayings of the Prophet Muhammed . The Hadeeth have been recorded by the Companions and collected in the books of Hadeeth. If the word ‘Hadeeth’ is used without any adjective, it always means the Hadeeth of the Prophet, but if any Companion or Successor (Taabiee) is meant, clarification is needed by adding Mauquf for the Companion and Maqtu for the Successor.
The following is an example of what a Hadeeth looks like:
Musaddad told us that Yahyaa informed him from Shu’bah, from Qataadah from Anas from the Prophet that he said: “None of you
truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” Collected by al-Bukhari
This means that the Hadeeth scholar Muhammed ibn Ismaa’el al-Bukhari recorded in his book of the collection of Hadeeth called Sahih al-Bukhari the statement: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”, which he
heard from his Hadeeth teacher Musaddad, who heard it from his teacher Yahyaa, who was informed by his teacher Shu’bah that he heard it from his teacher Qataadah, a student of the Prophet’s Companion, who heard it quoted by the Sahabee (Companion) Anas ibn Maalik from the Prophet Muhammed (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).
The Structure of Hadeeth
A Hadeeth consists of two main parts: (a) the Sanad and (b) the Matn
The Sanad: Sanad or Isnad, is the chain of narrators that leads to the text of the Hadeeth. The Sanad consists of all those who narrated the text, starting with the last narrator (who records the Hadeeth in his book) and ending with the Prophet. Following is the Sanad of the Hadeeth mentioned before...
Al-Bukhari > Musaddad > Yahyaa > Shu’bah > Qataadah > Anas > Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)
The Matn: The text of the Hadeeth or what the Prophet actually said or did is called the Matn. In the Hadeeth mentioned before, the Matn is “None of you truly believes until...”
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