Basic Accepted-Report Labels

Understand the definitions of ṣaḥīḥ and ḥasan and their basic distinction. Read the bilingual lesson for Basic Accepted-Report Labels and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Ṣaḥīḥ li-Dhātihi

● Definition: A report whose transmitters are upright and fully precise, whose chain is connected, and which is neither muʿallal nor shādh. ● Example: «سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ بِالطُّورِ» ● Translation: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite Sūrat al-Ṭūr in the Maghrib prayer. ● Reason: This report fulfils all five conditions of ṣaḥīḥ li-dhātihi.

2. Five Conditions of Ṣaḥīḥ li-Dhātihi

1. All transmitters are upright. 2. All transmitters possess complete precision. 3. The chain is connected. 4. The report is not muʿallal. 5. The report is not shādh.

3. Ḥasan li-Dhātihi

● Definition: A report in which a transmitter's precision is somewhat lower while the remaining conditions of ṣaḥīḥ li-dhātihi are present. ● Example: «إِنَّ أَبْوَابَ الْجَنَّةِ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوفِ» ● Translation: The gates of Paradise are beneath the shadows of swords. ● Reason: One transmitter, Jaʿfar ibn Sulaymān, has comparatively lower precision, so this is ḥasan li-dhātihi.

4. The Basic Difference between Ṣaḥīḥ and Ḥasan

● Ṣaḥīḥ li-dhātihi: all transmitters possess complete precision. ● Ḥasan li-dhātihi: a transmitter's precision is somewhat lower. ● The remaining conditions are present in both.

5. A Good Meaning Alone Is Not Enough

A report does not become ḥasan merely because its meaning sounds good. Ḥasan is a technical Hadith term with defined conditions.

Practice questions

Question 1

Which category does «سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ بِالطُّورِ» illustrate?

  • Ṣaḥīḥ li-dhātihi
  • Ḥasan li-ghayrihi
  • A rejected report

Question 2

Which conditions are included in the definition of ṣaḥīḥ li-dhātihi?

  • The transmitters are upright and fully precise, the chain is connected, and the report is neither muʿallal nor shādh
  • Only that the wording is very popular
  • The chain is broken and the transmitters are unknown

Question 3

Where does ḥasan li-dhātihi mainly differ from ṣaḥīḥ li-dhātihi?

  • A transmitter's precision is somewhat lower while the other four conditions remain
  • Ḥasan li-dhātihi does not require a chain
  • Ḥasan li-dhātihi is necessarily fabricated

Question 4

Ṣaḥīḥ and ḥasan are both categories of rejected report.

  • True
  • False

Question 5

A report may be called ḥasan merely because its meaning sounds good.

  • True
  • False

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