The Earliest Manuscript of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim in the Handwriting of Ibn al-Khāḍibah
The book Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim by the Imām, ḥadīth master Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj al-Naysābūrī (d. 261 AH) is regarded as one of the most eminent…
Hadith
Hadith scholarship is central to Shaykh Akram Nadwi’s work as a specialist in the sciences of Prophetic tradition. These articles examine the transmission and authentication of hadith, the chains that carry them, and the careful investigation of individual reports. They offer a window into how the tradition preserved and tested the sayings of the Prophet with remarkable rigour.
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Authority, interpretation, and unity
Revelation and human interpretation The absolute and unique authority of the Qur’ān and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ constitutes a foundational principle of Islamic thought and practice. No individual, however learned, righteous, or influential,…
The Loftiness of the Chain of Transmission of Mawlana Fadl al-Rahman Ganj Murādābādī (رحمه الله)
Mawlānā Faḍl al-Raḥmān Ganj Murādābādī (may Allah have mercy on him) Introduction and Background Some time ago, this writer authored an article concerning the…
Authority, interpretation, and unity
Revelation and human interpretation The absolute and unique authority of the Qur’ān and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ constitutes a foundational principle of…
The Hadith of Beating Children for Prayer
Among the prophetic traditions frequently cited in discussions of the religious training of children is the report, “Command your children to pray when they…
The Meaning of al-Shādh and al-Munkar
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم They said: What is the meaning of al-shādh and al-munkar? I said: Which kind of shādh and munkar do you…
The Methodology of Teaching the Principles of Ḥadīth
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Our esteemed colleague, Mawlānā Ṣafwān Aḥmad Ḥalīmī Qāsmī, has asked: What is the correct method for teaching ʿilm al-uṣūl al-ḥadīth?…
Shādh and Munkar Reports
These examples should make it clear that shādh and munkar denote erroneous reports. Mistakes, whether in isnād or in matn, remain mistakes in every…
The Manner of the Prophet’s Prayer ﷺ
They said: Describe to us the prayer of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, in a way that…
Expressions in the Qur’an and Sunnah
Expressions in the Qur’an and in the sayings of the Prophet should not be isolated from their whole context. Doing that means that their…
The Explanation of a Report from Abū al-Dardāʾ (رضي الله عنه)
This query was received from a sincere and pious teacher: “Al-salāmu ʿalaykum. In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī there is a statement of Abū al-Dardāʾ (raḍiya Allāhu…
Was It Obligatory upon the Prophet ﷺ to Follow Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (ر.ض)?
Last time the respected Muftī Ṣāḥib had visited me, he had posed a question: “Tell me, which aspect of intelligence do you most admire?”…
Three Whose Supplications Are Not Answered – An Analysis of the Ḥadīth
A respected query was conveyed to me from Maulana Miṣbāḥ Aḥmad Qāsimī, through the kind offices of Ḥāfiẓ Maḥmūd Karīm Ṣāḥib: Maulana Dr Akram…
Questions & Answers on Hadith
View all Q&A →“A bedding for a man, a bedding for his wife, a third for a guest, and the fourth is for the shayṭān”
Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4142, narrated by Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah. The hadith says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned bedding and said: “There should be bedding for a man, bedding for his wife, and a…
Understanding the signs of the end times
Salam Shaikh Mohammed Akram Nadwi, I hope you’re doing well, in shā’ Allāh. For some time, I’ve been reflecting on the signs of the end times—particularly the prophecies that our beloved Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ foretold regarding the wars and conflicts…
Imām al-Bukhārī and Imām Muslim on the meeting of narrators
Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh Sidi Shaykh Akram I pray this message finds you in good health and I ask Allah SWT to shower you with His favours in both worlds. Beloved Shaykh this is your student Jawed Tarin…
Books on Hadith
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The Garden of The Hadith Scholars
Originally written in Persian, The Garden of the Hadith scholars was translated into Arabic by Mohammad Akram Nadwi.…
Foundation to Hadith Science
This primer on understanding and studying hadith was authored by Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi after the realization that…
Al-Muhaddithat: The Women Scholars in Islam
A landmark study of the women scholars of hadith across Islamic history.