Islamiyat · May / June 2025 · Paper 22 · Question 2

Write about the isnad and matn of Hadiths and their importance in Hadith collection.

Use AO1 Levels of Response.

Hadiths are the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) and are made up of two main components: isnad and matn. Hadith compilers give a lot of importance to both these components when establishing the authenticity of a Hadith. The first component of a Hadith consists of the chain of names through which it has been received, which is called the sanad. The chain can have a few names or a long list depending on how far the compilers’ time was from that of the Prophet (pbuh).

The compilers examined this chain or the line of transmission very carefully to ensure that the Hadith really did come from the Prophet (pbuh) and was genuine. The authenticity of a Hadith depended upon the continuity of the isnad as well as the reliability of the narrator.

Hadith researchers developed ‘Ilm al Hadith to check the authenticity of Hadiths. Within it were many branches like the Asma al Rijal which studied the lives of the narrators in detail. Some of the rules that had to be strictly met were as follows: the narrator must be a person of firm faith, and be known for truthfulness and honesty, and for having a good memory.

The second component refers to matn which is the action/teaching of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) being portrayed in the Hadith. The early compilers made it an essential rule that the text of a reliable Hadith must be in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an.

Some of the rules for establishing the genuineness of matn were that the Hadith should not be contrary to the Qur’an and not be against normal peoples’ experiences. Much importance was given to the two main components of the Hadith in Hadith collections as they determine the degree of reliability of the Hadith.

Both parts give the Hadith its structure, reducing the chances of the recording of an inaccurate Hadith which may cause contradictory views amongst Muslims, which could contradict Islamic beliefs. On the basis of isnad and matn Hadiths are classified as authentic, good, weak and fabricated. Importance to the two components was also given because compilations of Hadith into Musnad and Musannaf collections are based on the isnad and matn of Hadiths.

Why are authentic Hadiths so important in Islamic law? Give reasons for your answer.

Use AO2 Levels of Response.

Hadiths help in establishing Islamic law and for the sake of justice it is vital that only authentic Hadiths are used so that no injustice is done. Authentic Hadiths are used as they ensure that any legal judgements made are based on firm Islamic principles.

It could be added that the secondary sources of Islamic law also use the Qur’an and Hadith on which to base their judgments, so reliability and accuracy of the content of Hadiths is imperative.

Candidates could develop their answer by giving an example of how Hadith is used to create laws.

Thus, authentic Hadiths help establish sharia law. For this purpose, it is very important that only Hadiths that are proven as authentic should be used as sources of law.