What are the categories of Hadith?
Classification of Authenticity
- Sahih
- Hasan
- Da'if
- Mawdoo'
The first three types of Hadith could come down from the Prophet himself, it is just that the evidence for Hasan and Da’if is not beyond question, so that a careful compiler will be cautious about placing too much reliance on it.
Importance of classifying Hadiths
- The Qur’an gives instructions to Muslims about how to live and practice their faith, it does not give details showing how to implement the teachings given.
- This implementation of Qur’anic instructions is found in the Hadiths of the Prophet.
- If the Hadiths were not classified there would be a danger of Muslims not knowing the correct way of putting into practice their faith.
- It could be said that in legal matters it is vital to only use only the most accurate Hadiths but when e.g. one is looking for moral teachings, a Hadith whose isnad is not strong by having a gap or say the narrator having a weak memory, a weak Hadith could be used and therefore the classification of Hadiths is important.
- Muslims by following the guidance given in the classified Hadiths can follow the perfect example of the Prophet Muhammad.
1) Sahih
- Sahih – genuine/authentic Hadith that pass all the tests and can be regarded without question as coming from the Prophet.
Classification
- Here candidates can write about how the sanad must be unbroken and how each narrator must be pious, trustworthy and of sound memory, etc.
- e.g: Each narrator in the chain was a pious Muslim and that the chain was a continuous one and also that the narrator had a good memory making the matn reliable etc.
- Matn is also important to mention when discussing the sahih Hadiths.
2) Hasan
- Hasan – strong/approved Hadith are those raising some doubt about their authenticity.
- Hadiths whose text is absolutely true but the isnad may not pass the strict test established by the Hadith compilers.
Classification
- They are similar to the sahih Hadiths except that its narrators or some of its narrators are found defective in memory in comparison with those of the sahih Hadiths.
- e.g. a name in the chain may be missing but there is no reason to believe that the Hadith is not a good one.
3) Da'if