STRUCTURE AND

AUTHENTICITY OF
AHADITH
Submitted by:
M. Hamza Ummar and Abdul Rafay Khan
 CONTENTS
Introduction of Hadith

Structure of Hadith:

Isnad

Matn

Types of Hadith
QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE TOPIC

• Explain the importance of Isnad and the matn in deciding that

a hadith is authentic? (4 marks)
• Explain the importance of Isnad and of matn in assisting
scholars to check the authenticity of Ahadith? (10 marks)
 INTRODUCTION OF AHADITH
• Hadis are referred as the statements or actions of the Holy
Prophet(PBUH) or his approvals or criticism of something said
or done in his presence.
• It acts as the second source of Islamic law.
• It refers to the teachings through practical demonstration like the
way to perform ablution, to pray, to perform pilgrimage etc.
• It considers to the guidance by the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
through letters he sent to various kings and ruler.
• It acts as the silent approval by the Prophet (PBUH) of the
action or practice of someone else.
 STRUCTURE OF AHADITH
Each Hadis consists of two parts

1. Isnad;
• The first part of hadis consists of a chain of names of the
narrators or transmitters also known as the muhaddisin.
• A list of authorities who have transmitted a report (ḥadīth) of a
statement, action, or approbation of Muhammad (PBUH)

1. Matn;
• The second part of a hadith (Matn) consists of the context or text
of a hadith report as stated by the Prophet (PBUH).
CHAIN OF TRANSMITTERS OF HADITH
Holy Prophet (PBUH)

Sahabi

Tabyi

Taba Tabyi

Collector of Hadith
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF ISNAD
• The name, title, parentage and occupation of the narrator should be
known.
• The chain should not be broken and should go back to the Prophet
(PBUH)
• The narrators must be pious and trustworthy Muslims.
• The narrators should be of an age when they understood the full
importance of what they had heard.
• The narrator should not have been accused of lying or committing a crime.
• The narrator should not have spoken against reliable people.
• The narrators should have good memories or wrote down what they had
heard
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF MATN

• The text should have had pure Arabic style.

• It should not be in conflict with the teachings of Holy Quran and
historical facts.
• The Hadith should not reject reason and common sense.
• The text should not level accusations at the family of Prophet
(PBUH) and his companions.
• The hadith report should not be reported by a large number of
people in different times.
• It should not lay down punishments for minor offences or promise
high rewards for insignificant good deeds.
 TYPES OF HADIS

1. Authentic or Sahih Hadis

2. Approved or Hasan Hadis
3. Weak or Zae’ef Hadis
4. Fabricated Hadis
 SAHIH HADIS
• These are the most authentic ahadith.
• The sanad referred is truly full and unbroken.
• Muhaddisin or narrators of the hadith have met each other and are
known for there knowledge, piety and memory.
• Matn of the hadis does not contradict with the text of Quran.
• It is not against basic common sense or reason.
• An example of an authentic hadith is as follows:
• The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “May Allah show mercy to a
man who is kindly when he sells, when he buys and when
demand his money back.”
 APPROVED HADIS

• Hasan hadith is used to describe hadith whose authenticity is not

as well-established as that of Sahih hadith, but sufficient for use
of supporting evidence.
• This hadith is similar to the authentic hadith but some of its
narrators are found defective of memory in comparison with the
narrators of authentic ahadith.
• The example is as follows:
• The Holy Prophet (PBUH) stated, “Indeed paradise is under the
shade of the swords”
 WEAK HADIS

• Weak hadith is not a lie ,false or fabricated but it is ranked below

Sahih and Hasan Hadith
• A hadith is weak when any of the narrator was known to be a liar
or have a bad memory or if a narrator had not met the person he
is supposed to narrate to
• A hadith is also considered Zae’ef when Matn is weak.
• Example is, “The Deen is the brain and he who has no religion
has no brain”
• “Whose prayers does not stop him from evil and sins he will
only get further away from Allah”
 FABRICATED HADIS

• These are referred to statements falsely made up to be related

to the Holy Prophet( pbuh )
• Some examples of Fabricated hadis that are wrongly attributed
to the Prophet ( pbuh ) are :
• “cleanliness comes from belief”
• “Beware of the evil of one to whom you have done good”