Classification Of Hadith | Taskar Islama

The scholars of Hadith have classified the traditions generally into three based on their authenticity, with particular reference to the characters of those who handed down the tradition i.e Rawi (reporters), the genuiness of isnad (chain of transmission) and matn (text of the Hadith). The classification are: sahih, Hassan and Da'if

1).   Sahih, (genuine or excellent). This refers to all traditions which are handed down through a complete chain (muttasil al-lsnad) by truly pious (Adil) and perfect (dabit) person, who have been distinguished for their integrity and sharp momery which is neither shadh (where a reliable reporter contradicts a number of few or more reliable reporters) nor Ma'lul (where a secret defect exist). This is the definition of Ibn Salah which was also accepted by Imam Al-Nawwi and all the well known scholars of Hadith. From the above definition of Hadith al-sahih therefore, we can understand that, there are five conditions which must be established in a Hadith before it can be classified as sahih. 

The conditions are:

(a)  The chain of transmission must be perfectly completed, and there should be no gap in the chain of narrators,

(b)  All the reporters must be pious and trustworthy.

(c)  All the reporters must be perfect m their understand of the tradition and possess perfect memory from the time they heard the Hadith up to the time they handed it down to others.

(d)   A sahih Hadith should never be Sha'dh, where a reliable narrator contradicts a most reliable and trustworthy narrator or some reliable narrators.

(e)   There should be no any secret defect in either the isnad or matn.

All Muslim are obliged to use a Hadith declared as salih, after fulfilling all the above stipulated conditions.

All the Hadith contained in the collections of Al-Bukhari And Imam Muslim are regarded as sahih.

2).     Hassant (fair or good). Hassan, is a tradition the chain of which is complete; transmitted by trustworthy narrators who possess good memory but not as sharp as the reporters of sahih and it's neither Sha'dh (where a reliable narrator contradict a number of reliable narrator) nor Ma'lul (where a sect defect exist). The only difference between sahih and Hassan is that, the narrators of latter do not posses sharp and perfect memory as the narrators of the former. Muslim are obliged to accept and make use of all ahadith, declared as Hassan by the scholars of Hadith, after a plying all the various test for the authentication of the tradition. This form of a Hadith is commonly found in the six well-known collections of Hadith with the exception of sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

3).   Da'if (weak). It is a tradition whose narrators are of questionable authority. In other words, this is a tradition where the qualities of sahih and Hassan cannot be found. The Da'if (weak) traditions are of different categories taking into consideration the degree or type of defect in the chain of narrators (Isnad) and the text (Matn) of the tradition. Some form of the Da'if (weak) traditions are as follows:

 (a).  Mursal: this is a tradition where the last narrator who actually heard the Hadith from the prophet is dropped. For example where a followers of the companion (Tabi') narrate directly from the Prophet dropping the actual companion who original narrated the Hadith from the chain. For example where a Tabi'says: the prophet (S.A.W) said....." This is called Mursal Al Tab' But if a companion omits the name if another companion, then such a tradition is called Mursal Al-sahabah.

The letter is accepted without any suspicion while the former is doubful, hence Da'if:

(b)   Al-Munqati, is a tradition the chain of which is not mentioned in the chain of transmitters.

(c)  Al-Mu'dal, is a tradition where two or more narrators are omitted consecutively.

(d)  Mudallas, literally means to conceal or hide a defect.

This is a tradition in which a narrator the librately refused to mention the actual name of a reporter from whom he received the Hadith due to some of his defects, so as to hide it. This type of Hadith is also, known as Mu'allal.

(e)   Shadh, is a tradition with reliable chain of narrators but contradicting other similar attested report narrated by many reliable narrators of the same period.

The most important divisions of Hadith based on number of reporters are Mutawatir Ahad, Mash'hur.

1.  Mutawatir (repeated successively): This is Hadith which has been transmitted through the first three generation of Muslims by such large number of transmitters as cannot be reasonably expected to agree on falsehood. An example of this report is the saying of the messenger of Allah: "whoever lies against me should be prepared to have a place in Hell Fire."

2.   Mash'hur (well-known): this is a Hadith which was originally transmitted in the first three generation by three or two reporters and later on transmitted on their authority by a larger number of transmitters in the next two generation. An example is the report in which the prophet said: "Allah enjoins man to practice goodness in everything he does. Therefore, when you kill, (you should) kill in the proper way, and when you slaughter, slaughter in the proper way, and one should sharpen his knife and make his victim die comfortably."

To this class of mushhur belong a large number of Hadith which are included in all Hadith collections.

3. Ahad (isolated): this is a Hadith which was transmitted during the first three generations by one or four transmitters only. The Ahad transmission do not hold strong validity for they are their nature open to suspectability.