What are Hadiths? A Simple Introduction to the Saying of the Prophet ﷺ

If you've ever spent time with Muslims, you might have noticed that after they mention the name of the Prophet Muhammad, they say "ﷺ" or the Arabic phrase "Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam," which means "Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him." This is a sign of deep love and respect. For Muslims, he is not just a historical figure; he is the ultimate role model. His entire life is a practical guide on how to live.

But how do we know about his life and his teachings over 1400 years later? The answer lies in two primary sources: the Quran, which is the direct word of Allah, and the Hadith, which is the record of his words, actions, and teachings.

This post is a simple introduction to the beautiful and complex science of Hadith. We will explore what they are, why they are so important, and how Muslims ensure that these teachings are preserved with incredible accuracy. Let's begin this journey of understanding.

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Hadiths are the preserved words, actions, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They serve as a foundational source of guidance for Muslims. Hadiths help explain Islamic teachings, clarify Quranic verses, and provide practical examples of how prophet ﷺ lived his life.

Meaning of Hadith:

        In simple terms, a Hadith (plural: Ahadith) is a reported statement, action, approval, or description of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Think of it like this: The Quran is the what—the divine message, the rules, the stories, and the principles. The Hadith is the how—the practical application of that message.

 In Islam, the word Hadith refers to “saying, action or narration” of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It means a report, narration and statement. 

Importance of Hadiths:

       Some people wonder, "If Muslims have the Quran, why do they need the Hadith?" The answer is that the Quran itself commands Muslims to obey the Prophet ﷺ.

Allah says in the Quran:

“And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from.” (Quran, Surah Al-Hashr, 59:7)

These verses, and many others, make it clear that obeying and emulating the Prophet ﷺ is a direct command from Allah. The Hadith are the means by which we know what he gave us, what he forbade, and how he lived that "excellent pattern."

                                                        What is Quran Journaling?

 Hadiths play a vital role in Islamic teachings, serving as the second primary source of guidance after the Quran. 

• The Quran Commands Prayer (Salah). The Hadith Shows Us How.
  The Quran repeatedly instructs Muslims to establish prayer. But it does not give the specific details: How many units (Rak'ahs) are in each prayer? What words should we say? What are the physical movements? When are the prayer times? All of these precise details come from the Hadith. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Pray as you have seen me praying." (Sahih al-Bukhari).
• The Quran Forbids Interest. The Hadith Defines Business Transactions.
  The Quran clearly forbids Riba (usury/interest). But the complex world of business and trade requires more detailed guidance. The Hadith provide numerous teachings on fair trade, what constitutes a valid sale, and the etiquettes of transactions, putting the Quran's principle into practice.
• The Quran Asks Us to Be Charitable. The Hadith Explains Zakat.
  While the Quran emphasizes charity, the specific rules for the obligatory alms, Zakat—such as the minimum wealth (Nisab) required and the percentage to be given—are detailed in the Hadith.
• The Prophet is an Explainer of the Quran.
  Sometimes, Quranic verses are general, and the Prophet ﷺ provided the context and explanation. For instance, the Quran commands "Salah," but it was the Prophet who defined its times. The Quran commands Hajj, but he demonstrated its rites.
• Practical Implementation of Sunnah
• Preservation of Islamic law

                    (Marriage, Business, Punishments)

• Moral and Ethical Guidance

                    (Honesty, Kindness, Patience, and Justice)

• Protection Against Misinterpretation
• Strengthening Faith

Structure of Hadiths:

      Hadiths is made up of two key parts, both serving a critical role in preserving and verifying the authenticity of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ teachings.

 1. Chain of Narrators (Sanad or Isnad)

           The Sanad is the sequence of narrators who transmitted the Hadith from the Prophet to the Scholars who recorded it.

       Key Aspects of the Sanad

• Lists each narrator from the latest scholar back to the Prophet- Example, A heard from B, who heard from C, who heard from the Prophet…
•  A continuous chain without missing links strengthens authenticity.

2. Text of the Hadith (Matn)

            The Matn is the actual content - the Prophet's words, actions, and Approvals.

       Characteristics of a Valid Matn

• Must not deny the Quran or established the Sunnah.
• Should be logically and verbally sound.
• Example of Matn - " The Prophet said: ‘Actions are judged by intentions’.

Types of Hadiths based on Structure:

            1. Mutawatir

                  Narrated by so many people at each stage that falsification is impossible.

                  Example - Hadiths about the Five Daily Prayers.

            2. Ahad (Single - Chain Narrator)

                     Reported by fewer narrators; further classified as:

                      Sahih (Authentic) - Flawless chain and content. The highest grade. The chain is       unbroken, every narrator is trustworthy and has a strong memory, and it does not contradict other established texts.

                      Hasan (Good) - Minor weaknesses but acceptable. Similar to Sahih, but one or more narrators had a slightly weaker memory, though they were still trustworthy. The Hadith is still accepted as evidence.

                      Da'if (Weak) - Unreliable due to broken chain and untrustworthy narrators. The chain has a serious flaw—a narrator was unreliable, or there is a gap in the chain. Weak Hadith are not used to establish matters of belief or law.

             3. Mawdu (Fabricated)

                    Falsely attributed to the Prophet; rejected by scholars. A forged Hadith, falsely attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. Scholars worked tirelessly to identify and expose these fabrications.

The Great Compilers - The Scholars Who Saved the Sunnah

This scientific process culminated in the work of great scholars who traveled the world, collecting thousands of reports and sifting through them with extreme care. The most famous of them are:

• Imam Al-Bukhari: His collection, Sahih al-Bukhari, is considered the most authentic book after the Quran. He spent 16 years traveling and collected over 600,000 narrations, but only included about 7,563 (without repetitions) that met his extremely strict conditions for authenticity.
• Imam Muslim: His collection, Sahih Muslim, is the second most authentic book. He also applied very rigorous standards.
• Other Major Collections: These include the Sunan of Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah. Together, these six books are known as the Kutub al-Sittah (The Six Books) and form the core of the Hadith literature.

 Authentic Books of Hadiths

• Sahih al-Bukhari (considered most authentic)
• Sahih Muslim (considered most authentic)
• Sunan Abu Dawud
• Jami' al-Tirmidhi
• Sunan al-Nasai
• Sunan Ibn Majah

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