Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 1013 [Read full issue]
Transmission
Our Community has a long history of protecting its prophetic legacy and defending it against being misconstrued, and it considers lying about the Messenger to be something which will take anyone who does it to eternal punishment in Hell because it involves falsification of the deen and forging lies against Allah. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said, "Lying about me is not like lying about anyone else. Whoever lies about me deliberately will take his seat in Hell." [Bukhari]
Scholars who study the Sunna have laid down five preconditions for the acceptability of hadiths of the Prophet: three concern the isnad (chain of transmission) and two the text itself.
1. The isnad must be comprised of transmitters with good memories who are precise in respect of what they hear and then report it accurately.
2. As well as having an intelligent grasp of the text, they must also have unimpeachable morals and a conscience which fears Allah and refrains from any temptation to adulterate it.
3. These two qualities must be applied to every one of those who make up the chain of transmitters. If any chain is lacking in one transmitter or one of the men in the chain is unsure, then the hadith is less than sound.
When the isnad has been found to be acceptable on this basis, then we examine the text transmitted by it. i.e. the text of the hadith itself.
4. It must not be aberrant.
5. It must not have a fault which renders it unacceptable.
Aberration arises when the text concerned contradicts a reliable transmission from a more reliable transmitter. When those with expertise see such an impairing fault in the hadith, that moves them to reject it.
These preconditions provide an adequate guarantee of the precision of the transmission. Indeed, in the whole history of human culture, there is nothing comparable to this firm establishment and determination of reliability of any other tradition. The important thing is to apply these criteria properly.
Compiled From:
"The Sunna of the Prophet" - Muhammad al-Ghazali