Hadith Studies: Health of sanad / matn and other factors

1. Hadith Studies:Health of sanad / matn and other factors Anis Kotia M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies) in affiliation with Middlesex University

2. Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

3. Sources of Islam • Qur’aan • Revealed word of Allaah • Sunnah • Act, command, tacit approval of the Prophet • Ijma’ • Consensus of Muslim Ummah • Qiyas • Mujtahid’s best evidence - based judgement Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

4. Some Definitions • Hadith…(‘new’) and is a narration about the Prophet • Sunnah…(‘trodden path’)act, command, tacit approval of the Prophet • Khabar…report or comms about a Sunnah • Athar…(‘imprint’) a tradition, be it from Prophet, Companion, Follower or other Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

5. Some More Definitions • Sahih (authentic) • reliable sanad, does not contradict established ahadith • Hasan (good) • less reliable sanad than sahih but no problem with text • Da’if (weak) • does not qualify as sahih or hasan • Shaadh (outlandish) • sanad ok but contradicts established ahadith • Maudu’ (fabricated) • either identified by narrator or by content Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

6. Types of Hadith Collection • Sahifah…compiled by a Companion (or his tabi’een) • Juz’…collection on a topic handed down on authority of a single individual • Risala (or Kitab)…deals with one of the 8 topics of the Jami’ collections • Musannaf…deals with most or all 8 topics and arranged according to topic • Musnad…arranged according to the narrator’s name or tribe affinity etc. • Mu’jam…ahadith on various subjects which are all arranged alphabetically • Jami’…deals with all 8 topics • Sunan…ahadith that deal with ahkam • Mustadrak…late collection missed by an author but satisfying his conditions • Mustakhraj…these give more isnads to ahadith of a previous collection • Arba’iniyyat…collection(s) of forty ahadith Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

7. Known / claim Unknown / vague Reliable Less than reliable Not reliable Key Isnad - Types (1) Marfu’ Chain believed to reach the Prophet Mursal Raf’ to Prophet not guaranteed Munqati’ Pre Companion links less reliable than Mursal Mauquf Chain stops at Companion Prophet Prophet Prophet Prophet Companion Companion Companion Companion Follower Follower / Companion Follower / Companion Follower A.N.Other Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

8. Known / claim Unknown / vague Reliable Less than reliable Not reliable Key Isnad - Types (2) Munkar / Matruk: One narrator suspected of genuine weakness / lying Mudraj Two links missing Maqlub Transposition of name or text Prophet Prophet Prophet Companion Companion Companion Follower Follower rewolloF Disciple Disciple Disciple A.N.Other A.N.Other A.N.Other Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

9. Best Chains of Narration (1) Ibn Ma’in’s ‘Chain of Pure Gold’ Unknown Ibn al Madini Ibn Hanbal Al Bukhari Prophet Prophet Prophet Prophet Prophet Umm Salama ‘Ali b. Abi Talib Ibn ‘Umar ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar ‘Aisha ‘Amir ’Ubayda Salim Nafi’ Qasim Sai’d Muhammad Al Zuhri Malik Ibn ‘Umar Qatada Ibn ‘Awn ‘Ubayd Allaah According to some, adding al Shafi’i then Ibn Hanbal makes this the Golden Chain. Shu’ba Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

10. Best Chains of Narration(2) Ishaq b. Rahawayh & Ahmad b. Hanbal ‘Ali b. al Madini & ‘Amr b. ‘Ali al Fallas Abu Mansur ‘Abd al Qahir al Tamimi Yahya b. Ma’in Prophet Prophet Prophet Prophet Ali b Abi Talib ‘Abd Allaah b. Mas’ud ‘Ali b. Abi Talib Ibn ‘Umar Al Husayn Qays ‘Abida al Salmani Nafi’ Ali b. al Husayn ‘Alqama Muhammad b. Sirin Malik Al Zuhri Ibrahim b.Yazid al Nakha’i ‘Abd Allaah b. Ibn ‘Awn Al Shafi’i Sulayman al A’mash Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

11. Known / claim Unknown / vague Reliable Less than reliable Not reliable Key Fame - Mutawaatir vs. others Mutawaatir Reported by many from the start Mashhur: Become famous after a while Khabar wahid: Only narrated by one Prophet Prophet Prophet Companions x many Companions x few Companion x v. few Follower / Companion x many Follower / Companion x many Follower / Companion x v. few Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

12. Known / claim Unknown / vague Reliable Less than reliable Not reliable Key Reliability: narrators Sahih: Become famous after a while Hasan: One narrator is not retentive as others Da’if (even fabricated): Known issues: liar, dishonest etc. Prophet Prophet Prophet Companion Companion Companion Follower / Companion Follower and beyond Follower and beyond Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

13. Problems with ahadith • Debates around the Prophet’s prohibition on writing ahadith • Hadith forgeries occurring in the Prophet’s time • Companions accusing each other of lying about ahadith • Debates around when ahadith were first written • Debates around when asanid began • Focus on matn came after focus on isnad • Second review: Al Bukhari no, Muslim yes • Development of isnad sciences reactive and not preventative • Fabricators’ intentions not confined to spite or malice • Correction of ‘mistakes’ by muhadditheen • Collective ta’dil of the Sahabah Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

14. Authors of asma’ al rijal (Sunni) • Kitab al tabaqat al kabir by al Zuhri (d.230) • Al Tarikh al kabir by al Bukhari (d. 256) • Mashahir ulama’ al Amsar by al Busti (d. 354) • Al Isaba fi tamyiz al Sahaba by al Asqalani (d. 852) • Al Risala al Mustatrifa by al Kattani (d. 1345) • ‘Ayn al Isaba by al Suyuti (d. 911) • Usd al Ghaba by b. al Athir (d. 630) Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

15. Authors of asma’ al rijal (Shi’ah) • Kitab al-rijal by al-Najashi (d. 450) • Kitab al-fihrist, by al Tusi (d. 460) • Kitab al-rijal, also by al-Tusi • Ma`rifat akhbar al-rijal, by `Umar ibn Muhammad al-Kashshi. • Al-Du`afa' by Ibn al-Ghada'iri (d. 400 - 500) Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

16. Signs of fabrication Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

17. Working with the forgeries Prophet Companion Companion 1st Narrator ‘2nd Narrator ‘2nd Narrator ‘2nd Narrator ‘2nd Narrator ‘2nd Narrator Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

18. Al Mukaththirun 500+ Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)

19. Sources • Slide 2: tbc • Slide 3: tbc • Slide 4: Kamali, Hadith Studies (2005), Ch. 15 • Slide 5: Siddiqi, Hadith Lit. (2008), Ch. 1 • Slide 6/7: Kamali, Hadith Studies (2005), Ch. 6 • Slide 8: Siddiqi, Hadith Lit. (2008), Ch. 5 • Slide 9: Kamali, Hadith Studies (2005), Ch. 15 • Slide 10: Siddiqi, Hadith Lit. (2008), Ch. 7 • Slide 11: tbc • Slide 13: Kamali, Hadith Studies, Ch. 5 • Slide 14: Outlines…Science of Hadith, Ch. 2 • Slide 15: Kamali, Hadith Studies (2005), Ch. 7 • Slide 16: Motzki, Hadith • Slide 17: Siddiqi, Hadith Lit. (2008), Ch. 2 Anis Kotia: M.A. student at ICAS (Islamic College of Advanced Studies)