The
ahadith of the Messenger
have many various classifications on the basis of various aspects. E.g. classification on the basis of reference of a particular authority (
qudsi,
marfu',
mauquf,
maqtu'), classification on the basis of the linkages in the
isnad (
musnad,
mutassil,
mursal...), calssification on the basis of the relability and memory of the narrators (
sahih,
hasan,
da'if,
mawdu'), etc. Importantly, each classification has a purpose behind it, and each has '
hukm' with regard to how/when it can be used, and where it cannot.
Mutawatir is a classification from amongst the classifications on the baisis on the number of reporters in each stage/generation (
tabaqa) of the
isnad. It refers to that hadith which has been reported by such a significant number of narrators in each generation, on a sensorially perceivable matter, such that it would be impossible for them to collude on a lie, or make the same mistake. It can be of two types. As for its
hukm, it gives certain knowledge (
'ilm ul-yaqeen) or in English, positive knowlegde. It is the strongest of hadith and as the scholars of hadith say it is above the science of hadith (in that the classification of
sahih,
hasan,
da'if do not apply to it). Because it gives positive knowledge it is the only type of hadith which can be used to establish points of the foundational
aqeedah, the
'asl of the
aqeedah: that which determines whether someone is a Muslim or
kafir. Also, what should be clear from the above, to deny the knowledge conveyed by it entails
kufr.
The other main classification in those on the basis of the number of reporters in each
tabaqa is the
ahad (pronounced aahaad). It is that hadith which falls short of the conditions, any one or more, of the
mutawatir. It is subdivided into three. As for its
hukm, its carries speculative knowlegde: knowledge which is, on the balance of probablities, correct, but not certain. Acting upon it is
obligatory, however it is is not used to establish points of
aqeedah, those which distinguish
iman from
kufr.
As for 'creedal branches', that is simply my choice of words to refer to the
furu' of the aqeedah. Those points which are ostensibily matters of belief (and therefore cannot fall under
fiqh) but are established on the basis of
ahad reports and therefore need to be believed in (
tasdeeq), but are not part of the base
aqeedah in that they do not form a criterion upon which
iman/kufr can be decided. For example, belief in the angels is established by
mutawatir. It is an article of the Islamic aqeedah, the denial of which would render one a
kafir. As opposed to this, believing for example, that Abu Bakr and Umar the best amongst the Ummah of Muhammad
(in that order, namely Abu Bakr, then Umar, may Allah be pleased with them) is clearly a matter of aqeedah, entailing no action. However it is established on the basis of
ahad narrations, therefore we believe in it and those who don't have strayed, but they cannot be judged to be
kuffar on this basis.
Having said that, the distinction between the
asl and the
furu' of the
aqeedah, whilst extremely important, is one that the common Muslim on the street down not need to concern himself with. For him, anything that comes from the Messenger
, in authentic chains, is to be accepted and believed. It is not for him to sit and consider whether it comes from
ahad or
mutawatir and so on, he does not have the 'tools' to do this anyhow. Really where the distinction is important is for the
Qadi' presiding upon cases of apostacy, among other very particular cases, not requiring the common Muslim on the street to know the distinction.
Akhi, i hate to sound stupid (but i do it so well,so there is no point in stopping..),what is the difference between a Hadith and a Virtue?
May Allah rewards your efforts, and ours.
The defintion of a 'hadith', amongst the sagacious of its companions is: that which is associated (
udeefo) to the Prophet
of word, deed, consent or description. Thus any saying, action, tacit consent or description of the Messenger of Allah
is a hadith. For our purposes here, a hadith is that which carries some sort of knowledge from or about the Messenger. Now for what purpose any given hadith can be used depends on how authectic any given hadith in its being associated with the Messenger, and in what sort of knowlegde, positive or speculative, it carries. By 'purpose' I refer to:
-
Aqeedah (beliefs)
-
Fiqh (actions)
-
Fada'il (virtues)
For the
'asl of the
aqeedah, only the
mutawtir ahadith can be used. For the
furu' of the
aqeedah and for all
fiqh, only the
sahih and
hasan amongst the
ahad, and anything stronger can be used. For virtues even the
da'if can be used.
To illustrate the the distinction between actions and virtues:
Questions like 'Is praying obligatory?', 'How is the prayer to performed?', 'When is the best time to pray 'Asr?', 'Are the lines to be formed with feet touching feet'? 'Are we to raise our hands when bowing?' etc are all questions relating to actions. Their answer can only be based on the hasan hadith and stonger (generally speaking, the higher level of
da'if can be used in cases, but we don't need to dwell that deep for clarification of the matter at hand). But for simply highlighting the virtues of prayers, or
sawm, or
hajj or
jihad, or accounting the rulers, or enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, even the
dai'f reports
can be used. They dont have to be, but the scholars generally allow thier use for this purpose. Of course the one using them should know that they are
da'if and use them accordingly. The safer path, for those who don't know, is not to use them.
And also,is it true that alot of scholars dont agree with most of whats written in Fada'il al-A'maal?they consider it to be weak?
There is indeed many a
da'if narration in
Fada'il al-A'maal. However this is the point, it is a book of virtues, and thats it. Its chapters are aptly named: the virtues of salat, the virtues of sawn, the virtues of tabligh etc. It is not a book of
fiqh and no
fiqh (nor
aqeedah, obviously) is to be taken from it. It was never intended for such.
In Sunni Islam there are Six major Hadith collections, which includes:
1. Sahih Bukhari, collected by al-Bukhari (d. 870), included 7275 hadiths
2. Sahih Muslim, collected by Muslim b. al-Hajjaj (d. 875), included 9200
3. Sunan Abi Da'ud, collected by Abu Da'ud (d. 888)
4. Sunan al-Tirmidhi, collected by al-Tirmidhi (d. 892)
5. Sunan al-Sughra, collected by al-Nasa'i (d. 915)
6. Sunan Ibn Maja, collected by Ibn Maja (d. 886).
That is correct. However these are not the only ones. There are many more worthy collections of hadith, which are of great use and which in many cases provide information not provided by the above.
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