What Is a Hadith?

The learner can recognize Hadith as a report of the Prophet's ﷺ saying, action, tacit approval, or state. Read the bilingual lesson for What Is a Hadith? and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Definition of Hadith

The saying, action, tacit approval, and state of the Prophet ﷺ are called Hadith. In other words, Hadith reports something concerning the Prophet ﷺ.

2. The Four Parts of the Definition

● Qawl: a reported saying of the Prophet ﷺ. ● Fiʿl: a reported action of the Prophet ﷺ. ● Taqrīr: the Prophet's ﷺ reported tacit approval. ● Ḥāl: a reported quality or state of the Prophet ﷺ. ● All four are included in the definition of Hadith.

3. An Example of Qawl

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb reports this saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: ‘إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى’. It reports a saying of the Prophet ﷺ, so it is both Hadith and an example of qawl.

4. Not Every Religious Statement Is Hadith

A person's own religious explanation does not become Hadith merely because it concerns religion. Hadith is a transmitted report concerning the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, first notice to whom the report is attributed.

5. Hadith Is Not Limited to Sayings

A Hadith may report the Prophet's ﷺ saying, action, tacit approval, or state. Therefore, Hadith should not be understood as sayings alone.

Practice questions

Question 1

In the basic definition of Hadith, whom does the report concern?

  • The Prophet ﷺ
  • Every teacher
  • Every speaker

Question 2

In the example above, ʿUmar reports a saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Which part of the definition does this illustrate?

  • Qawl
  • Fiʿl
  • Ḥāl

Question 3

A teacher's own religious explanation becomes Hadith merely because it concerns religion.

  • True
  • False

Question 4

Which four parts are included in the basic definition of Hadith?

  • Saying, action, tacit approval, and state
  • Saying, translation, tacit approval, and explanation
  • Action, narrator, state, and translation

Question 5

Hadith refers only to a reported saying of the Prophet ﷺ.

  • True
  • False

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