The Hadith Collections
Explore the preserved sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — authenticated through one of history's most rigorous systems of source verification.
📜What Are Hadith?
The word hadith (Arabic: حديث) literally means “speech” or “report.” In Islamic scholarship, it refers to the recorded sayings, actions, and silent approvals of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These records form the second most important source of guidance in Islam after the Qur'an.
Unlike the Qur'an — which Muslims believe is the direct word of God revealed through the Prophet — hadith represent the Prophet's own words and practices as observed and transmitted by his companions. Together, the Qur'an and the authentic hadith form the foundation of Islamic theology, law, and ethics.
🔗The Science of Isnad
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of hadith scholarship is the isnad (إسناد) — the chain of narration. Every hadith is accompanied by a complete chain of people who transmitted it, from the original companion who witnessed the Prophet, through each subsequent narrator, down to the scholar who compiled it.
This system, developed in the 7th–8th century CE, represents one of history's earliest attempts at systematic source verification. Consider a typical chain:
Example chain of narration (isnad):
Islamic scholars would verify each individual link in the chain — investigating every narrator's character, memory, truthfulness, and whether they had actually met the person they claimed to transmit from. A single weak link could cause an entire hadith to be downgraded or rejected.
This methodology predates modern academic citation and peer-review systems by over a millennium, and has been described by historians as “the first systematic approach to historical criticism.”
⚖️Understanding Hadith Grades
Based on the rigor of their chains and content analysis, hadiths are classified into grades:
Unbroken chain, every narrator verified as trustworthy with strong memory, no contradictions. The highest grade.
Similar to Sahih but with slightly less rigorous narrator requirements. Still considered reliable for religious practice.
Issues in the chain — a missing link, unreliable narrator, or contradictions. Generally not used as a standalone basis for rulings.
🏛️Al-Sahihain — The Two Authentics
Among the hundreds of hadith compilations created over centuries, two stand above the rest in scholarly consensus: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim — collectively known as Al-Sahihain (الصحيحان, “The Two Authentics”).
The compilers of these collections applied the most stringent criteria in hadith history. Both scholars traveled extensively across the Islamic world, personally interviewing narrators and cross-referencing chains. Muslim scholars across all schools of thought accept Al-Sahihain as the most reliable collections after the Qur'an itself.
A hadith found in both Bukhari and Muslim is said to be muttafaq alayhi (مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ — “agreed upon”), carrying the highest mark of authenticity in Sunni scholarship.
Browse the Collections
Sahih al-Bukhari
صحيح البخاري
Compiled by Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810–870 CE (194–256 AH))
Widely regarded as the most authentic hadith collection in Islamic scholarship. Imam al-Bukhari spent 16 years compiling this work, reportedly examining over 600,000 narrations and selecting approximately 7,563 unique hadiths that met his extraordinarily strict criteria for authenticity.
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Sahih Muslim
صحيح مسلم
Compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi (815–875 CE (206–261 AH))
The second most authentic hadith collection, compiled by a contemporary and student of Imam al-Bukhari. Imam Muslim examined over 300,000 narrations and selected approximately 7,500 unique hadiths. He is praised for his superior arrangement of hadiths by topic and his practice of grouping all narrations of a single hadith together.
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Referenced Hadith
Hadith specifically referenced in debates and Q&A entries on this site, with scholarly commentary and context.
Sahih al-Bukhari28 hadiths
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'There was no prophet among the prophets but was given miracles because of which people had security or had belief, but what I was given was the Divine Revelation which Allah revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other prophet on the Day of Resurrection.'
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar
A woman was found killed in one of the battles of the Messenger of Allah, so the Messenger of Allah forbade the killing of women and children.
Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
The Prophet said: 'Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what they intended.'
Narrated by Anas ibn Malik
The Prophet said: 'None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.'
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar
The Prophet said: 'Islam is built upon five pillars: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, establishing prayer, giving Zakaat, performing Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, all his past sins will be forgiven.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Treat women kindly.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his neighbor. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his guest.'
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
The Prophet said: 'The blood of a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah is not lawful except in three cases: a life for a life, the married adulterer, and the one who abandons his religion and separates from the community.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'The strong person is not the one who can wrestle others down. The strong person is the one who controls himself when angry.'
Narrated by An-Nu'man ibn Bashir
The Prophet said: 'That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Whoever avoids the doubtful matters clears himself regarding his religion and his honor.'
Narrated by An-Nu'man ibn Bashir
The Prophet said: 'The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are like one body. When one limb suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'There was a merchant who used to lend to people, and he would say to his servant: If you find someone in hardship, forgive his debt — perhaps Allah will forgive us. When he met Allah, Allah forgave him.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'He who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'I am the nearest of all the people to the son of Mary, and all the prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me and him (i.e. Jesus).'
Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
The Prophet said: 'Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'When any human being is born, Satan touches him at both sides of the body with his two fingers, except Jesus, the son of Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed, for he touched the placenta-cover instead.'
Narrated by Ubadah ibn as-Samit
The Prophet said: 'If anyone testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and His apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's slave and His apostle and His word which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few.'
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas
The Prophet said: 'You will be resurrected bare-footed, naked and uncircumcised.' He then recited: 'As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it' (21:104). He added: 'The first to be dressed will be Abraham. Then some of my companions will take to the right and to the left. I will say: My companions! It will be said: They had been renegades since you left them. I will then say what the pious slave Jesus, the son of Mary said: And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them; when You did take me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things. If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, You, only You are the All-Mighty the All-Wise.' (5:117-118)
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Jesus, seeing a man stealing, asked him: Did you steal? He said: No, by Allah, besides Whom there is none who has the right to be worshipped. Jesus said: I believe in Allah and suspect my eyes.'
Narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari
The Prophet said: 'If a person teaches his slave girl good manners properly, educates her properly, and then manumits and marries her, he will get a double reward. And if a man believes in Jesus and then believes in me, he will get a double reward. And if a slave fears his Lord (i.e. Allah) and obeys his masters, he too will get a double reward.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Faith consists of more than sixty branches, and Haya (modesty, self-respect, bashfulness, and scruple) is a part of faith.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day, would you notice any dirt on him?' They said: 'Not a trace of dirt would be left.' The Prophet added: 'That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out evil deeds.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'If one gives in charity what equals one date-fruit from honestly earned money — and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money — Allah takes it in His right hand and then enlarges its reward for that person who has given it, as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much so that it becomes as big as a mountain.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Whoever performs Hajj for Allah's pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins, then he will return after Hajj free from all sins as if he were born anew.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Allah said: All the deeds of Adam's sons are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it. Fasting is a shield from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling. By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the unpleasant smell coming from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person: one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
A man came to Allah's Messenger and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?' The Prophet said: 'Your mother.' The man said: 'Who is next?' The Prophet said: 'Your mother.' The man further said: 'Who is next?' The Prophet said: 'Your mother.' The man asked for the fourth time: 'Who is next?' The Prophet said: 'Your father.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Allah said: I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary deeds beyond what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection, I will protect him.'
Sahih Muslim9 hadiths
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the son of Mary will descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish the jizyah.'
Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
The Prophet said: 'Worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you.' This is part of the famous Hadith of Jibril, which also defines Islam (submission), Iman (faith), and Ihsan (excellence).
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Do not envy one another, do not artificially inflate prices against one another, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade. Be, O servants of Allah, brothers.'
Narrated by An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an
The Prophet said: 'Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which wavers in your heart and which you dislike people finding out about.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Faith has over seventy branches. The highest is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, the lowest is removing something harmful from the road, and modesty is a branch of faith.'
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet said: 'Whoever relieves a believer of a hardship of this world, Allah will relieve him of a hardship on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easy for one in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter.'
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As
A person asked the Messenger of Allah: Who amongst the Muslims is better? Upon this the Prophet remarked: 'From whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe.'
Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri
The Prophet said: 'Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.'
Narrated by Abu Dharr al-Ghifari
The Prophet said that Allah said: 'O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me and I shall guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except those whom I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from Me and I shall forgive you.'