Method to check the authenticity of Hadith

Question 1

Who was the first person to have thought of the idea of compiling authentic hadiths?

Answer 1

Muhammad bin Ismail al-Bukhari was the first person to conceive the idea of compiling authentic hadith

Question 2

How did other scholars follow Muhammad bin Ismail al-Bukhari?

Answer 2

• Following his footsteps, other scholars also compiled authentic books which later came to be known as Sihah al Sitta or 6 authentic books

Question 3

How did the scholars check for authenticity?

Answer 3

To check the authenticity, these scholars divided every hadith into 2 parts, i.e. Isnad (chain of transmitters) and Matn (text)

Question 4

What’s the first part of the Hadith called and what is it?

Answer 4

• The first part of the Hadith is the chain of names. These are the authorities who are called narrators or Muhaddisin. It is called “Sanad” plural “Isnad” meaning support for the genuineness of a Hadith.

Question 5

Who must the first transmitter be?

Answer 5

The first transmitter in the chain must be a companion of the Holy Prophet pbuh

Question 6

What is each transmitter in the chain known as?

Answer 6

Each transmitter in the chain, known as Rawi(narrator), must be a strong Muslim, i.e., honest and upright.

Question 7

What would happen if any of the narrators were found guilty?

Answer 7

• If any of the narrators was found guilty of falsehood or unreliable character, the hadith was not accepted as authentic. For example, Imam Malik bin Anas went to Egypt to collect the hadith.

Question 8

Were hadiths narrated by children rejected?

Answer 8

• He must be of an age in which he can understand the Hadith. Therefore, the hadiths narrated by children were not accepted as authentic.

Question 9

Were hadiths narrated by those who have weak memory accepted?

Answer 9

• He must have a strong and sound memory. If any of the narrators was found to have a defective memory, then the hadith was not accepted as authentic

Question 10

Why were the death and birth of each transmitter checked?

Answer 10

• The dates of birth and death of each transmitter in the chain were checked to ensure that they met each other.

Question 11

Hadiths narrated by non-muslims accepted?

Answer 11

• Hadiths narrated by Non-muslims were not accepted as authentic

Question 12

What is Matn?

Answer 12

• The 2nd part of the Hadith is Matn which are the words of the Holy Prophet pbuh. Matn is the text of the hadith for example, “Pray as you see me offering prayers.”

Question 13

When is Matn accepted?

Answer 13

• The Matn is accepted as authentic if it is not against the previous hadiths nor contradicts the Quran

Question 14

What should Matn not level with?

Answer 14

• It should not level accusations to the Prophet’s family

Question 15

Why did the major collectors of hadith use strict and careful methods?

Answer 15

• The major collectors of hadith used strict and careful methods to ensure that the hadiths that they accepted were authentic.