Pakistan International School Jeddah English Section

Academic Year: 2022–2023

Islamiyat 0493
Notes and Guidelines

Student Name/ID

Class/ Section

Chapter 6 History and Importance of Hadith

Topics • Authenticity of Hadith

Page 1 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Generic Guidelines

➢ These notes are consisting of outlines OR the complete answer.

➢ Outlines are based on the IGCSE requirements with the reference of PPQs and guidelines
with examiner report for the relevant topics.
➢ These notes will serve the students as a mind map, in order to form a well-developed answer.
➢ Students are required to use the given key points to develop the response in their own
words.
➢ For some topics notes are given in complete paragraph form to give idea how to develop the
answer
➢ References are also included within the notes to help students memorize

Authenticity of Hadith
Guidelines to Attempt the Question
Question related to Authenticity of Hadith requires a comprehensive detail about the principles of
Riwayat and Dirayat, the rules or checks made on the sanad and matn must be well-developed,
any one story of the compiler, which showed their hard work in authenticating hadith, must be
included. Following is suggested outline of this topic for a well-developed response.
General Outline

• Introduction of Hadith and importance of Hadith (in short)

• Compilers and introduction of Sanad and Matan by them

Contribution of Compilers in forming Principles

• Principles of Riwayat (checks made on Sanad)
• Principles of Dirayat (checks made on Matn)
• Importance of these principles in authenticity of hadith

• Conclusion

Note: Both the principles must be well developed and complete points must be mentioned as it is

Page 2 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Following is the sequence to attempt the question related to the “Authenticity of Hadith”
Introduction of Hadith and importance of Hadith
• Hadith are the sayings, actions and tacit approval of Prophet (SAW).
• It is the second most important source of Islamic legal thinking.
• Together with the Quran, it provides complete guidance in all aspects of life.
• It corroborates the teachings of the Quran, explains the Quran and gives a ruling when the
Quran is silent about certain things.
• It also provides an extension of laws through Ijma and Qiyas. For this purpose, it was really
important to have authentic hadith.
• The hadith consists of two parts, the chain of narrators (sanad) and the text (matn)
• To authenticate the hadith, sanad and matn is checked

Compilers and introduction of Sanad and Matan by them

• Though ahadith were written in the time of Prophet (SAW), Companions, and Taba Tabyin, but
the most important period of hadith collection was 100-300 A.H., the era of Tabe Tabyin and
their successors, also known as the Golden Age of Tradition.
• It was during this period, that the writers of the famous six authentic books also compiled their
collections, applying certain criterion for their respective books.

The collectors of authentic Hadith were

1) Imam Muhammad bin Ismail Al Bukhari
2) Imam Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj
3) Abu Dawood – Sulaymna ibn Al-Ash’ath As-Sijistaani
4) Imam Abu Eesa Al-Tirmidhi – Muhammad ibn Eesa Al-Tirmidhi
5) Abu Abdur Rehman Nasa’i – Ahmed ibn Shu’ayb an-Nasa’i
6) Ibn Majah – Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah Al-Qazwini
• They divided hadith into two parts Sanad and Matan to check the authenticity.

Example of Sanad
• Sanad is the chain of narrators of sayings or actions of Prophet (SAW).
• The example of sanad is the first part of hadith which contains the chain of narrators like;
Reported by Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah
(SAW) said "Two must not converse secretly to the exclusion of another person."

Example of Matan
• Matan is the text of the hadith or what the Prophet (SAW) said, did or approved, for example,
“Pray as you have seen me praying” (Agreed).

Contribution of Compilers in forming Principles

Imam Shafi, a great scholar, is amongst the first scholars to write down the rules to verify the
authenticity of a hadith.
The rules to verify the authenticity of hadith involve the following two sciences:
1. “Asma ur Rijal” or “Jarh-wa-Tadeel”: In this important science, thousands of biographical
accounts of the narrators of Ahadith have been recorded in detail. We can distinguish the
trustworthy narrators from the weak ones with the help of this science.
Page 3 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
2. ‘Ilm-ul-Hadith’: In this science, the sanad and matn are scrutinized. It is determined through
this science when a sanad (chain) is acceptable and when it is to be rejected. Critiquing the
text (matn) is also learnt.
The former is known as ‘Principles of Riwayaah’ and the latter is known as ‘Principles of
Diraayah’

Principles of Riwayat (related to narrator i.e., Raawi)

• Under the principles of Riwayat, the compiler of the hadith checks the name, nickname, title,
parentage and occupation of the narrator.
• The original narrator should have stated that he has heard the hadith from Prophet (SAW). If
one narrator referred his Hadith back to a person, they both should be of the same period and
must have met each other. The chain should not be broken and should link back to the
Prophet (SAW).
• The narrators should be honest, pious and trustworthy Muslims and should not be known to
be a liar or have committed any crimes. STORY: Once, Imam Bukhari travelled to learn hadith
from a man. When he had reached, he saw the man call his horse to him by showing it an
empty bag of food. Imam Bukhari left immediately without taking the hadith as he realized that
the man wasn’t honest. He said, “if he couldn’t even keep his promise to his horse, how
could he be trusted to pass on the words of the Prophet?” This shows how strict and
particular the compilers were.
• The narrators are also required to have sound memory, STORY: for example, Imam
Bukhari’s memory was tested by the people of Baghdad. He was presented with a hundred
ahadith, with changed sequences of reporters as well as Matan. He repeated all the hadith with
absolutely correct Sanad and Matan. This showed his exceptional memory.
• The narrator should be of a sound age at which he was able to understand everything he had
heard.
• Each person in the chain should have command on the Arabic language, Quran, Hadith, and
Fiqh.
• The narrator should not have spoken against other reliable people. Hadith from a child, insane
and non-Muslim was not accepted.
Principles of Dirayat (related to the text/understanding)
• Under the principle of Dirayat, the text was judged. The text should have pure Arabic style and
should not contain any grammatical error.
• It should not be in conflict with the Quran or hadith that were more reliable and it should not
be against historical facts.
• A hadith that was against reason or normal experience of people or common sense was
rejected, like promise of high reward for a small virtue, or severe punishment for the
slightest fault was rejected, as its generally false.
• Any hadith that levelled accusation at the family of the Prophet (SAW) or his Companions is
generally false.
• A hadith reported by a large number of people in different times whose agreement on a lie
became inconceivable was also accepted.
• It should not contain expressions that the Holy Prophet (SAW) could not have been expected
to use.
Conclusion
By applying these criteria, Muhaddithun were able to gather authentic ahadith in their compilations.
Bukhari learned 600,000 ahadith and only added 7563 in his collection. The care taken by them to
protect ahadith has never been done by any other nation, thereby leaving no doubt in authentic
ahadith.
Page 4 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 ‘Authenticity of Hadith’
Part ‘A’ (10 marks Question)

Students are required to recall, select and present relevant facts from the main elements of
the faith and history of Islam in part ‘A’.

Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme

1 (a) Write a detailed account of the two components of Hadiths:

. chain of transmission (isnad) and
. text (matn) 2021–May June –21

Marking Scheme:
Candidates may include some of the following information. All other relevant information must be
credited.
Each Hadith is made up of two major components: isnad and matn. Both these parts are of
importance and studied by Hadith compilers when establishing the genuineness of a Hadith.
The first part of a Hadith consists of the chain of names through which it has been received, which is
called sanad. The chain can have a few names or a long list. In some cases, Hadiths were narrated
from one generation to another.
In which case the compiler had to examine the line of transmission very carefully. Specific rules
were developed to check the authenticity of the Hadiths that were transmitted.
Candidates need to write about what these rules were in some detail.
Rules to check isnad:
• The line of narrator had to be checked to see that it went back to the Prophet (pbuh).
• The narrator had to be known for his piety, sound memory, integrity etc.
• The fewer the narrators in a chain the stronger the Hadith was, as there was less chance of
misinterpretation.
• The sciences of Ilm ul Hadith was developed to scrutinise the narrators and their teachers in
detail.
An account of what stipulations were set by early compilers to rate a Hadith as valid or trustworthy
on the basis of its matn should be given in the second part of the answer. Here rules of checking
matn need to be given by the candidate.
Rules to check matn:
• The matn had to be consistent with the Qur’an.
• It had to be in agreement with accepted facts.
• It should not contradict accepted Hadiths.
• It should not be against common sense or logic.
• It should not praise a particular tribe or place.
• A hadith that went against the Prophet or his family was also rejected.
It is the matn of a Hadith which distinguishes Hadith Qudsi from Hadith Nabawi and could be written
about which should be read as development of the answer.

Page 5 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme

2 (a) Write about the checks made on the transmitters of Hadiths and on the text of Hadiths
to ensure their authenticity. [10] 2021–Oct Nov –22
Marking Scheme:
Candidates may include some of the following information. All other relevant information must be
credited.
Many checks were made to determine the authenticity of Hadiths. Hadith researchers developed
Ilm ul Hadith to check their authenticity. Within Ilm ul Hadith were many branches like the Asma ul
Rijal which studied the lives in great detail of the narrators.
Checks were made on both the transmitters of Hadiths and the text of the Hadiths.
Some of the checks made on the transmitters were:
✓ The narrator had to be a person of firm faith; must be honest and truthful;
✓ should have met the person who was before him/her in time, and heard him/her relating the
Hadith, and could have also met the person to whom he/she was narrating the Hadith to.
✓ The line of transmission (isnad) needed to end with the Prophet (pbuh);
✓ the narrator should be at an age where he/she understood the significance of what he/she
heard and was aware that a slight change in wording could alter the meaning of the Hadith;
have a good memory.
Some of the checks on the text (matn) were:
✓ It should be in the pure Arabic as spoken by the Prophet (pbuh);
✓ should not say anything contrary to the Qur’an;
✓ should not praise a particular person or tribe;
✓ should not be against common sense or logic;
✓ should not give great rewards for small deeds and vice versa.
✓ Compilers also travelled long distances to verify a Hadith.

Page 6 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question, Examiner Report, and Marking Scheme
3 (a) Write an account of:
• the reasons given by scholars for compiling Hadith collections, and;
• the checks made to confirm their authenticity. [10] 2020–Oct Nov –22
Examiner Report
This compulsory question had two parts that needed to be answered: reasons for compilation and
checks for authenticity of Hadiths. Many candidates covered both aspects of the question, albeit not
in equal depth or detail, though there were some that did, and these were rewarded with the highest
marks.
In many responses, one part of the answer was stronger than the other. However, Musannaf and
Musnad compilations were not the focus off this question. If they were referenced relevantly,
perhaps as development, this knowledge was rewarded but, in some cases, simply writing an
account of them did not answer the question. Hence, it is extremely important that candidates write
relevant answers and if they use material that is not specific to the question they need to
legitimately link it to the question as part of the response for it to be read as development.
Marking Scheme:
Candidates need to begin the answer by giving an account of the reasons for compiling Hadith
collections. They can be summarised as follows:
• After the passing away of the Prophet (pbuh) the Muslim community passed through a series of
unrest and wars.
• Hadiths were forged to manipulate the authority of the Sunna, so in order to distinguish original
Hadith from the fake Hadith compilations were made.
• To resolve all matters, secular and spiritual in the light of the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) it
was essential to have authentic Hadiths.
• The new generations of Muslims needed guidance on the true Islamic way of life based on the life
of the Prophet (pbuh).
• The Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) were passing away and the Hadiths they remembered
had to be preserved.
• Overzealous teachers and heretics made up Hadiths to advance religious teachings in the name
of Islam and to undermine Islam respectively.
• Authentic Hadiths were essential to keep the teachings of Islam uncorrupted.
• Also, the Qur’an instructs Muslims to follow the practice of the Prophet (pbuh) and for that reason
Hadiths needed to be compiled so Muslims of all times can use the knowledge they provided.
For the next part of the answer candidates can write about the checks made to confirm the
authenticity of Hadiths by writing an account of the isnad and matn.
It could be said that checks were made to see that:
✓ the isnad line was complete and that narrators were subject to severe tests and were graded
according to various degrees of reliability depending on their character, reputation, knowledge, etc.
Matn of Hadiths was also scrutinised to see that:
✓ it was in line with the teachings of the Qur’an, that it did not contradict an established Hadith or
the Qur’an, etc.

Page 7 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme
4 (a) Give a detailed account of the checks made on the text and narrators of Hadiths. [10]
2019 –May June –21
Marking Scheme:
Compilers of Hadiths made a number of checks to confirm the reliability of the narrator and the authenticity of
the Hadith they related.
Some of the checks they made are listed below and could well be given by candidates in their answer. If other
valid checks are given which are not listed in the MS they should be credited as well.
o The narrator must be a person Muslim of faith.
o The chain of narrators must be complete and continuous.
o The narrator must be known for his truthfulness and honesty.
o He should be at an age where he understands the significance of what he hears and realises that the
slightest change may change the meaning of the Hadith.
o He should report exactly as he heard the Hadith.
o The text should not be contrary to what the Qur’an has to say.
o It should not be against common sense or other verified Hadiths.
o It should not praise an individual, tribe or place etc.
Development of the points given above and other valid points which are made will add substance to the answer.

Past Paper Question, Examiner Report, and Marking Scheme

5 (a) Write a descriptive account of the terms sand and matn of a Hadith and the role they play in
establishing the genuineness of a Hadith. [10] 21-May/June-2017

Examiner Report
Part (a) of this question was asking the candidates to identify the terms isnad and matn and then go on to
explain how these two components of a Hadith helped in establishing the genuineness of Hadiths. Most
candidates knew what these components were and after defining them they went on to explain them. Some did
not link this development back to the question by saying that this is how isnad and matn establish the
genuineness of Hadiths but they were not penalized for it and where worthy of marks they were given them.
As in past years for all Part (a) answers, if it is the detailed response with well-developed points, it made
candidate earn the higher marks.
Marking Scheme
Candidates could begin their answer by saying that sand and matn are the two parts of a Hadith that constitute
its structure. The list of narrators of the sayings and actions of the Prophet (SAW) is called the sanad and
could be explained by the following Hadith: Muhammad ibn Al-Muthanna reported from Abdul Wahhab, from
Ayyub, from Abu Qilaabah, from Malik that the Prophet (pbuh) said ‘Pray as you see me praying.’ (Agreed). In
this Hadith as in other Hadiths the list of narrators constitutes the sanad. The shorter the sanad the higher the
chances of it being accurate. Also, to establish the genuineness of a Hadith the sanad needs to be unbroken
leading back to the Prophet (pbuh). To establish the genuineness of the first part of the Hadith it was essential
to check the character of the narrator, their memory, the age at which they narrated the Hadith, showing an
understanding of whether they were at an age to understand what they were reporting.
The text of the Hadith is called the matn and from the above example would be ‘Pray as you see me praying.’
Again, the text plays an important role in establishing the authenticity of a Hadith. It is for this reason that the
compilers of Hadith made sure that the language of the Hadith was in pure Arabic, that it did not contain words
that the Prophet (pbuh) would not use, that the text of a Hadith never contradicted the Qur’an orother
established Hadiths, gave high rewards for small deeds or favored a single person or tribe, or went against
common sense and historical facts.
Some candidates may well develop their answer further by giving examples of how compilers went about
collecting Hadiths and, in the process, checking the isnad and matn of Hadiths they came across to establish
the authenticity of their collections.

Page 8 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme
6 (a) What measures were taken in early Islamic times to check the reliability of Hadiths? [10]
21– Oct Nov – 2018
Marking Scheme:
Compilers made a number of checks on the reliability of the narrators and the authenticity of the
Hadiths they related. They looked at the sand and matn of the Hadiths. Candidates could define
sand and matn and go on to write about what the checks included. Some of these checks were:
The narrator needed to be a man of firm faith;
• Must be truthful and honest;
• Should be at an age where he understood the significance of what he heard andrealized that
a slight change in words could change the meaning of the Hadith;
• He should report the Hadith exactly as he heard it;
• Have a good memory;
• The Hadith should not be contrary to the Qur’an;
• Should not be against common sense or contrary to other accepted Hadiths;
• Should not praise a particular individual or tribe etc.
Candidates can list other checks that they may have studied about as well in their answer.

Past Paper Question, Examiner Report, and Marking Scheme

7 (a) Write an account of the parts that make up a Hadith, and describe the checks made
by the collectors of the Hadiths to ensure the accuracy of their collections. [10]
21 – May Jun – 2015
Examiner Report:
For this answer candidates needed to write about the parts of the Hadith which are isnad and matn not
the types or categories of Hadiths, which quite a few wrote about. Development of isnad and matn
would have covered the checks made by the compilers and examples of how they went about
collecting and authenticating Hadiths and would have added the detail needed to get to the top levels.
Many who answered well were the ones who understood what the question was asking.

Marking Scheme:

Hadiths consist of two main parts, the chain of narrators (isnad) and the text (matn). Candidates need
to give a detailed account of them.

Candidates need to also describe in some detail how the compilers of Hadiths compared matan of the
Hadith with reason, the Qur’an and other authentic Hadiths to ensure that it agreed with the main
Islamic principles.

The fact that sands were closely checked as well as the credentials of the narrator when selecting a
Hadith for the authentic collections could also be mentioned inthe answer.

How the compliers went about collecting and authenticating the Hadiths could also be given in the
answer.

Page 9 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question, Examiner Report, and Marking Scheme

8 (a) Write about the structure of a Hadith and describe the main methods used by the
compilers of Hadiths to establish their genuineness. [10] 21 – Oct Nov – 2013

Examiner Report
This question was asking the candidates to write about the structure of the Hadiths and the main
methods used by the compilers of Hadiths to establish their genuineness.
In the majority of the answers candidates wrote about the isnad and matn and the levels increased on
account of the detail and development which was given in the answer.
Some however appeared not to understand the question and wrote all they knew on this topic; namely
the different categories of Hadiths and about Hadith Nabwi and Hadith Qudsi,
musannaf and musnad Hadiths and so did not achieve the higher levels.
Some well-developed answers wrote about sahih and daeef Hadiths as development of how compilers
went about establishing the genuineness of Hadiths. It is important for candidates to read the questions
carefully and link their answers to what is being asked.

Marking Scheme:
When answering this question candidate might begin by explaining that the Hadiths consists of two
main parts, the chain of narrators (Sanad) and the text (matn). They could then go on to describe
Sanad and matn. Examples for both Sanad and matn could be given in good answers.
For the second part of the question candidates could say that the chain of transmitters had to be
verified, that they had actually met each other; the chain also had to be unbroken; it had to go back
to a companion, the character of the narrator was also under scrutiny; the narrator had to have a
good memory and be of an be age where they had a good understanding of what they were
reporting. Other rules that they had to conform to were that the language of the Hadiths had to be in
pure Arabic and that the Hadiths should not conflict with the Qur’an or other established Hadiths; nor
be contrary to common sense; favor any group or tribe or be against historical facts.
Candidates could refer to some or many of the points given or even other relevant points that have
not been included here. However, to get to higher levels the answer needs to be detailed and
comprehensive.

Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme

9 (a) How did the compilers of Hadiths (muhaddithun) judge between acceptable and
unacceptable Hadiths? [10] 02 – May Jun – 2010
Examiner Report
A well attempted question by most, though very few went on to give examples of compilers going
about their work collecting Hadiths. Development of the points given when discussing isnad and matn
is what took the mark to the top end of Level 3.
Some candidates however completely missed writing about the importance of isnad and matn and
explaining what they are and how they helped in distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable
Hadiths and wrote about the different types of Hadiths e.g. Zaeef, Maudoo and Hassan etc. which was
not what was being asked.

Page 10 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 It is important to read the question and understand its requirement before attempting to answer it and
perhaps candidates could be advised by teachers to spend a few minutes on the question itself and
maybe make a mind map for themselves to follow to ensure that they cover all the points they need to
write about.
Marking Scheme:

Compilers ensured that there was no conflict between the Hadith and the teachingsof the Qur’an, i.e.
both the Qur’an and Hadith were in conformity and taught the same lessons. It could be added that
they compared the body (matn) of the Hadith with reason, the Qur’an and other Hadiths to ensure
that they agreed with the primary Islamic teaching. Answers could be further elaborated to state that
they ensured the chain of transmitters (sand) was unbroken and that the transmitter was a person of
sound mind, good memory and upright character. Examples of collectors going about their work
could be given to answer this part of the question.

Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme

10 (a) Describe the methods employed by the compilers of the major books of Hadith to ensure
the Hadiths they collected were authentic. [10] 02 – Oct Nov – 2009
Examiner Report

This compulsory question was also well done by most. However, there was some confusion,
unfortunately some of the candidates did not read the question carefully or perhaps misunderstood it
and went on to write about the different types of Hadiths or about the main compilers. Some even wrote
detailed accounts of the six sahi Hadith books. The answers that these candidates wrote were of a
good standard but did not answer what was being asked of them. I cannot stress the importance of
getting them to read the question carefully and encouraging them to write relevantly even if it is an
answer they are not very confident about. If they stick to answering the question being asked even
ones they are not well prepared for, they may manage to get a few marks whilst writing a really good
irrelevant answer gets them no marks!
Marking Scheme:

A basic answer to this part of the question will give a bare amount of descriptive detail about the
Hadith collections. However slightly better answers will give some accurate information about the
method of scrutinizing the sand and matn. The able candidates will describe in some detail how the
compilers compared the body (matn)of the Hadith with reason, the Qur'an and other Hadiths to ensure
that it agreed with the main Islamic teachings. They will also perhaps mention that the chain of
transmitters (sand) was unbroken. The importance of the narrator to be of sound mind, good memory
and upright character may also be mentioned. Candidates could also give examples of collectors
going about their work.

Page 11 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question, Examiner Report, and Marking Scheme
11 (a) Describe how the compilers of the Prophet’s Hadiths checked the biographies of the
transmitters, and say why they thought it was important to do so. [10] 21- May/June-2014
Examiner Report
There were two parts to this question, how the compilers checked the biographies of the transmitter
and why they thought it was important to do so.
Candidates needed to address both these elements.
Some answers did discuss the elements of a strong isnad but touched upon one or two points only
without going into giving examples of how the compilers went about collecting the hadiths.
Some went on to write about musnad and musanaf hadiths whilst others spoke of matn which was
not relevant in this answer.

Marking Scheme:
(a) From the earliest times Muslims recognized that the example of Prophet Muhammad could not
only help them understand the word of God better but help put the principles taught by Islam into
practice as well. The compilers were very strict about the biographies of the transmitters to ensure
that the Hadiths they collected were genuine. Candidates could give a list of the qualities that the
great Islamic teacher al- Shafi’i said a transmitter of Hadiths must have: a firm faith; must be known
for truthfulness in all that he reports; he should repeat exactly what he heard from his teacher and not
use his own words; have a good memory; he should report what agrees with the reports of others
who are known to have a good memory. Bearing in mind how important the biography of a transmitter
was in order to collect only the authentic Hadiths, the compilers painstakingly went about their work
so that future generations of Muslims were following what the Prophet had actually said and not some
diluted version of his teaching. Answers could also include that Hadiths are also a useful tool in
explaining the Qur’an and formulating laws and therefore it was imperative that only the Sahih
Hadiths were followed. A detailed response will earn the candidate’s higher levels.

Outline

• Introduction of Hadith and importance of Hadith

• Contribution of Compilers and Introduction of Sanad and Matan

Contribution of Compilers in Forming Principles

• Principles of Riwayat (checks made on Sanad)

• Role of Imam Bukhari in collection of Biography

• Conclusion
Importance of Biography of the Narrators

Note: Only principle of Riwayat is required with examples, in such question that needs details
about biographies of compilers.

Page 12 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
Following is the sequence of the question related to ‘checks of biographies of the transmitters

Introduction of Hadith and importance of Hadith

• Hadith are the sayings, actions and tacit approval of Prophet (SAW).
• It is the second most important source of Islamic legal thinking.
• Together with the Quran, it provides complete guidance in all aspects of life.
• It corroborates the teachings of the Quran, explains the Quran and gives a ruling when the
Quran is silent about certain things.
• It also provides an extension of laws through Ijma and Qiyas. For this purpose, it was really
important to have authentic hadith.
• The hadith consists of two parts, the chain of narrators (sanad) and the text (matn)
• To authenticate the hadith, sanad and matn is checked

Contribution of Compilers and Introduction of Sanad and Matan

• The most important period of hadith collection was 100-300 A.H., the era of Tabe Tabyin
and their successors, also known as the Golden Age of Tradition. It was during this period,
that the writers of the famous six authentic books also compiled their collections, applying
certain criterion for their respective books.
• Imam Shafi, a great scholar, is amongst the first scholars to write down the rules to verify
the authenticity of a hadith.
The rules to verify the chain of the hadith involve the following science:
1. “Asma ur Rijal” or “Jarh-wa-Tadeel”: In this important science, thousands of
biographical accounts of the narrators of Ahadith have been recorded in detail. We can
distinguish the trustworthy narrators from the weak ones with the help of this science.
The science that determines which sand is acceptable and which is to be rejected is studied under the
‘Principles of Riwayaah’

Principles of Riwayat
• Under the principles of Riwayat, the compiler of the hadith checks the name, nickname, title,
parentage and occupation of the narrator.
• The original narrator should have stated that he has heard the hadith from Prophet (SAW). If
one narrator referred his Hadith back to a person, they both should be of the same period and
must have met each other.
• The chain should not be broken and should link back to the Prophet (SAW).
• The narrators should be honest, pious and trustworthy Muslims and should not be known to
be a liar or have committed any crimes.
• Imam Ismail Al Bukhari’s was one of the first scholars to compile the authentic ahadith. In order
for him to consider the hadith authentic, he had to study the lives of all the people in the chain
in depth. He studied where and when the narrators lived, in order to make sure that if
someone narrates from someone else, they must both have been in the same place at the
same time and have actually met and discussed hadith.

Page 13 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Role of Imam Bukhari in collection of Biography

• Other hadith scholars did not all require evidence that two consecutive narrators met
personally, but Imam al-Bukhari’s strict requirements are what makes his compilation unique.
He also studied the lives of narrators, to make sure they were trustworthy and would
not fabricate, or change the wording of a hadith. If he discovered that someone in a
chain openly sinned or was not considered trustworthy, that hadith was immediately
discarded and not included in his book unless a stronger chain for it existed.

• Once, Imam Bukhari travelled to learn hadith from a man. When he had reached, he saw the
man call his horse to him by showing it an empty bag of food. Imam Bukhari left immediately
without taking the hadith as he realized that the man wasn’t honest.

• He said, “if he couldn’t even keep his promise to his horse, how could he be trusted to
pass on the words of the Prophet?” This shows how strict and particular the compilers were.

• Bukhari authored this work, called al-Tareekh al-Kabeer, when he was 18 years of age. He
compiled the names and biographies of many of those who narrated hadith from the time of the
Companions until his time. The total number of biographies included is close to 40 thousand,
including both men and women, reliable and unreliable narrators.

Conclusion:
The biographies which include parentage and occupation of the narrators were checked to ensure
that the narrator has no wrong influence which may make the hadith doubtful. This criterion was
also very helpful to achieve the most authentic hadith

Page 14 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Part ‘b’ (4 marks Questions)
Students are required to demonstrate understanding of their significance in the teachings
of Islam and in the lives of Muslims in part ‘b’

Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme

1. In your opinion what are the main advantages of carrying out checks to confirm the reliability
of the Hadiths? [4] 21-May June-2019

Marking Scheme
• Here candidates need to give an evaluative response in which they need to express their views as to
what the advantages of making checks to confirm the authenticity of Hadiths are. They could say that:
• Sahih Hadiths provide an accurate model for Muslims to follow.
• Prevent weak and false Hadiths to be accepted.
• Keep the faith and the practice of Islam pure.
• Create unity in the ummah.
• Help in the classification of Hadiths and making Islamic law. All valid responses to be credited.

Past Paper Question, Examiner Report and Marking Scheme

2. Why in your opinion was it important for them to apply these rules? [4]
22 – May/Jun – 2014

Examiner Report:
For Part (b) responses were mostly satisfactory, with occasional good responses in which candidates
wrote about how authentic hadiths help Muslims practice the sunna of the Prophet and help Muslims
to practice the pillars correctly.

Marking Scheme

(b) This is an evaluative answer and candidate’s responses should reflect their understanding of why
it was deemed important to catalogue authentic Hadiths by the writers and perhaps reflect upon what
could have been the possible dangers of not doing so.

Past Paper Question Marking Scheme

3. Why was it important to check the accuracy of Hadiths? [4] 21 – May Jun – 2015
Examiner Report
Part (b) was a question to which the candidates responded with good evaluative responses on the
whole.
Marking Scheme
(b) The Prophet was sent as a guide and is a role model for all Muslims to follow in order to lead a
good Muslim life. Candidates could say that Muslims need to know what the Prophet said as his
words also elaborate the teachings of the Qur’an and help not only in daily life but in formulating
laws etc. If authentic Hadiths were mixed up with the weak or fabricated Hadiths than the Muslims
would be led astray. It was therefore important to verify the authenticity of the Hadiths so that
Muslims could live their lives in line with the correct teachings of the Prophet.

Page 15 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Questions, Examiner Report, and Marking Scheme
4. Why was it important for the Muslim community to have authentic Hadiths? [4]
21 – Oct Nov – 2018

Examiner Report
For Part (b) of this question the focus was on why Muslims give so much importance to Prophetic
Hadiths.
Answers needed to focus on how Islam cannot be practiced without Hadiths accurately, that the
Prophet was sent as a role model for Muslims to follow hence his Hadiths are important to Muslims.

This was not a question asking about Hadith compilation as was understood by a few who wrote
about isnad etc.
On the whole candidates have become much better at answering evaluative Part (b) answers.
Marking Scheme:
(b) As always, an evaluative response is needed for this Part (b) answer. Candidates need to give
reasons for why they think it was important to conduct checks and some may even go on to write about
what problems the Muslim community may have faced if these checks were not made.

Past Paper Question Marking Scheme

5. How does the Muslim community benefit by having genuine compilation of Hadiths? [4]
21 – May Jun – 2017
Examiner Report
Part (b) was a straight forward evaluative question in which candidates had to express their view of how
genuine compilations of Hadiths benefitted the Muslim community.

Some candidates took one or two points and elaborated upon them. Others referred to a few, both
approaches were accepted and wherever deserved marks were given.

Marking Scheme
Evaluative response needed here. The candidate needs to give his/her view of how the Muslim
community benefits by having genuine compilations of Hadiths at hand to refer to. They could say that
by having these compilations we can easily devise sharia law, or that it creates unity in the umma because
every Muslim is following in the Prophet’s (pbuh) tradition. Some candidates may say that the Qur’an is
sufficient for guiding the umma, whilst others could mention the teachings of the Imams in this part of the
answer. All valid responses need to be credited higher levels going to ones that are well substantiated.

Page 16 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved
 Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme
6 (b) Both of these components (sanad and matn) are equally important for establishing the
authenticity of Hadiths. Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer. [4]
2021–MayJune -21
Marking Scheme:
Candidates may include some of the following information. All other relevant information must be
credited. An evaluative response is being looked for, the candidates could vary in their responses by
either saying that both parts were equally important, or they could say either one was more
important than the other. However they choose to answer this question, they must back their choice
with reasons.
If they say matn is more important they could support this by saying that in a weak Hadith the chain of
transmission may have gaps but the message is an important one which is conveyed by the text. Such
Hadiths are useful in matters of moral guidance. In legal matters Hadiths will need to have a strong
isnad and matn on account of the seriousness of the decision.

Past Paper Question and Marking Scheme

7 (b) Why was so much importance given to collecting and preserving authentic Hadiths? [4]
2021–Oct Nov –22
Marking Scheme
Candidates may include some of the following information. All other relevant information must be
credited.
It could be said that it was important to collect authentic Hadiths and preserve them so that future
generations of Muslims would be able to access the Prophet’s Sunna and live their lives following his
example. A lot of practice of the Pillars is found in the Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh). In order to keep
the practice of the Prophet (pbuh) pure and free from corruption, it was important to collect and
preserve authentic Hadiths.

Past Paper Question, Examiner Report and Marking Scheme

8 (b) What is the purpose of having false Hadiths in Hadith collections? [4]
2020–Oct Nov –22
Examiner Report
Part (b) focused on the purpose of having false Hadiths in compilations. Many candidates could not
make the distinction between false and weak Hadiths and wrote very good answers on why weak
Hadiths were put in compilations but unfortunately could not get any marks for this content.
Those who understood the requirement of the question were able to write a varied account and every
relevant answer was credited on its merit.
Marking Scheme:
Candidates need to give their personal view as to why it was essential to include false (mawdu)
Hadiths in Hadith collections.
It could be said that they were included to ensure that the possibility of them being categorised in the
other categories, e.g. sahih, hasan, etc. did not occur.
Another reason could be to let Muslims know that these were false Hadiths so if they came across
them they could disregard them.
All valid responses to be credited on their own merit.
Page 17 of 17
History and Importance of Hadith
© 2022 PISJES All Rights Reserved