Sahih al-Bukhari
صحيح البخاري
Sahih Muslim
صحيح مسلم
Sunan an-Nasa`i
سنن النسائي
Sunan Abi Dawud
سنن أبي داود
Jami` at-Tirmidhi
جامع الترمذي
Sunan Ibn Majah
سنن ابن ماجه
Muwatta Malik
موطأ مالك
Musnad Ahmad
مسند أحمد
Riyad as-Salihin
رياض الصالحين


إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى

The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 1, Hadith 1)
Hadith (also spelled "hadit" or "hadeeth") refers to the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as well as reports about his teachings, actions, and personal characteristics. Hadith is a central source of Islamic theology and law and is considered to be second only to the Quran in importance.

Hadith are recorded in collections called "mussannaf," which are compiled by Islamic scholars and transmitters of hadith. These collections include information about the chain of transmission (isnad) for each hadith, as well as the content of the hadith itself.

Hadith literature covers a wide range of topics, including religious obligations and practices, legal issues, moral conduct, and the conduct of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Hadith are also used to supplement and explain verses in the Quran, and to provide examples of the Prophet's teachings and actions, which serve as a model for Muslims to follow.

The authenticity and reliability of hadith is of crucial importance, and Islamic scholars have developed a methodology for evaluating the authenticity of hadith based on the chain of transmission (isnad) and the reputation of the narrators. Hadiths that meet the standards of authenticity are considered to be "sahih" (authentic) and are considered to be reliable sources of guidance for Muslims.

Hadith Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hadith ?
A hadith is a statement of the Prophet peace be upon him which was narrated by his companions and subsequently narrated to the next generation until these sayings were compiled in hadith collections. Read more
Importance of Hadith
All Muslims, be they Sunni or Shia, agree that hadiths are essential to understanding Islam. Hadith are important because without them the Qur'an does not make sense. They provide a context to the verses in the Qur'an. The Qur'an is a rather concise book and therefore contains many general statements. For instance, the Qur'an commands Muslims to pray, but it does not provide the details of how one is to perform prayer.

The Qur'an also commands Muslims to perform pilgrimage and give charity, but it does not provide the details. These details are found in the hadith where the Prophet peace be upon him explained the details and mechanics of prayer. There are dozens of verses in the Qur'an that command Muslims to follow the Prophet. Without knowing his teachings one cannot possibly fulfill this command. Read more
Collection of Hadith
The Companions of the Prophet peace be upon him memorized his statements and actions. In addition to memorization, many Companions wrote these hadiths down in their personal collections. These hadiths were passed down to the students of the Companions and subsequently down to their students. Several Muslim scholars collected these hadiths into compilations which have become widespread and are the main sources of hadiths until today. Read more
Hadith are a Primary Source of Islamic Teachings
The Qur'an establishes that the Prophet, peace be upon him, must be referred to when disputations occur. The Prophet peace be upon him is a legislator and does not speak out of whim. The Qur'an cannot command Muslims to follow the Prophet without making a means for them to know and follow him. If his teachings are not preserved, then the Qur'an would be commanding Muslims to follow something that does not exist. From this we understand that part of the preservation of the Qur'an is the preservation of the Sunna itself. Read more
Authentication of Hadith
In order to ensure that hadiths were authentic and not fabricated, scholars developed a unique and critical method. This consisted of two components, first scholars scrutinized the people who were narrating the hadith. They ensured that everyone in the chain of transmission met each other and was free from any disqualifying characteristics. These disqualifying characteristics include lying, indulging in major sins, or having a known or obvious motive to fabricate a hadith.

The second criteria they used was to measure and grade the memory of the narrations. This was done empirically by comparing the narrations of different students to see who might have made a mistake. For instance, a Companion of the Prophet might have narrated ten sayings of the Prophet to 15 students. Ḥadīth scholars would then individually ask these students to recite the ḥadīth to them. If of those 15 students 13 students say that the hadith says XYZ and 2 say it says ZYX then it is likely they made a mistake. They would then note that this narrator has a poor memory and their narrations are to be rejected or accepted with caution. Hadiths would then be classified as authentic, acceptable, weak, or fabricated. Read more
What is considered as sahih Hadith?
A sahih hadith (also spelled "sahih hadit" or "sahih hadeeth") is a saying or action attributed to the Prophet Muhammad that meets the standards of authenticity set by Muslim scholars. Sahih is an Arabic word that means "genuine" or "authentic." Read more
Which books of Hadith are considered sahih?
There are several books of hadith that are considered sahih (authentic) by the majority of Muslim scholars. Some of the most well-known and widely-used collections of sahih hadith include: Read more