The specifics of Hadith classification

this article is devoted to the study and analysis of the criteria for classifying hadiths, which are traditions about the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad concerning religious and legal issues and form the basis of the sources of Sharia (Muslim law) and fiqh (Muslim doctrine on rules of behaviour). The article examines in detail the content of hadiths, as well as the criteria for classifying hadiths depending on the reference to a specific author; references in isnad; the number of transmitters involved in each stage of isnad; the method of transmission; the nature of the text and isnad; hidden flaws found in isnad or the text of the hadith; the reliability of the transmitters. Particular attention is paid to such collections of hadiths as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, since they are distinguished by a high degree of reliability and authority among muhaddiths (Islamic scholars of hadith). The importance and diversity of the systematisation and classification of hadiths in the modern Islamic tradition is also emphasised, and the conclusion is justified that this issue has been a subject of debate for several centuries, as a result of which muhaddiths have not yet developed a unified systematic approach to the classification of hadiths.

classification of hadiths, content of hadiths, isnad (chain of transmitters), collections of hadiths (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim), degrees of authenticity (sahih, hasan, da'if), methodology of hadith studies, sharia (Muslim law), fiqh (Muslim doctrine on rules of behaviour), muhaddis (Islamic scholar of hadith)