Towards Understanding Hadeeth

Written in the second Islamic century by al-Imam al-Shafi’i (d. 204AH/820AD), the founder of one of the four Sunni schools of law. This important work gives the fundamental principles of Islamic jurisprudence and its influence continues to the present day. During the early years of the spread of Islam, the exponents of Islamic legal doctrine were faced with the problems raised by ruling and administering a diverse and rapidly growing empire. In Medina and Kufa, as well as other cities of early Muslim rule, schools of law had to be developed, but it took the genius of Muhammad b. Idris al-Shafi’i, born in the year 150AH/767AD, to establish the principles by which the various legal doctrines could be synthesised into a coherent system. In the Risala, which laid down the basis for such a synthesis, al-Shafi’i established the overriding authority, next only to the Qur’an, of the Sunna or example of the Prophet Muhammad as transmitted in the traditions.

Description From The Publisher I begin with praise, sending prayers upon Muhammad S.A.W, the best of Prophets sent From the most noble of sciences is the science of Hadith. It is the key to unlock the Sunna of the Prophet S.A.W through his words, actions, qualities and tacit approvals. Allah says: “Follow him so that you may be guided.” The Messenger of Allah S.A.W said: “May Allah illuminate the one who hears my speech, understands it and conveys it.” For this reason, the scholars of Hadith have spared no effort to establish the principles by which to verify narrations and deduce—with the utmost precision—what can and cannot be attributed to the guide of mankind S.A.W. Facilitating this quest for the beginning student, the erudite Imam ʿUmar al-Bayquni al-Dimashqi (d. 1080 H.) succinctly defined thirty-four categories of Hadith in his famous thirty-four verses of poetry. Completed, with goodness they are sealed! Numerous commentaries upon this treatise followed, of which one of the most sought after in recent times is the masterpiece we have before us, written by the master [hafiz] of Hadith and exegete of the Qurʾan, Imam ʿAbdallah Sirajuddin al-Husayni. In his unique and eloquent style, the saintly Imam takes the reader on an illuminating path of learning, guiding him towards the guidance of the most beloved S.A.W.

"The unqualified truth is that all of the Muwatta is sahih without any exception!" Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani This quote from one of the greatest authorities on hadith of all time is sufficient recommendation. The version of the Muwatta narrated by Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, one of the two leading pupils of Imam Abu Hanifah, directly from his three years of study with Imam Malik will be of particular interest not only to students of Hanafi fiqh, but also to students of hadith in general. The Muwatta' Imam Malik composed the Muwatta over a period of forty years to represent the well-trodden path of the people of Madina. Its name also means that it is the book that is many times agreed upon about whose contents the people of Madinah were unanimously agreed and that is made easy and facilitated . Its high standing is such that people of every school of fiqh and all of the imams of hadith scholarship agree upon its authenticity. Imam Shafi i said, There is not on the face of the earth & after the Book of Allah a book & which is more sahih than the book of Malik. Shah Wali Allah Dihlawi (1114-1176 AH) said, My breast expanded and I became certain that the Muwatta is the most sahih book to be found on the earth after the Book of Allah. Imam Malik Imam Malik is the imam of the imams, the leader of the people of knowledge of Madinah, Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik ibn Abi Amir al-Asbahi al-Madani, born in 94 AH, 95 AH or even 99 AH. He was called the Man of Knowledge of madinah. People of knowledge understood that it was him the Prophet saw indicated in the hadith from Abu Hurayra, People will soon beat the livers of their camels [in travelling in search of knowledge] but they will not find a man of knowledge more knowledgeable than the man of knowledge of Madinah. Among his pupils were the Imams Sufyan ath-Thawri, Sa id ibn Mansur, Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, Abd ar-Rahman al-Awza i who was older than him, Layth ibn Sa d who was one of his peers, Imam ash-Shafi i, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, the Malikis Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim, Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi, Ibn Wahb, and Dhu n-Nun al-Misri. He died in 179 AH on the morning of the 14th of Rabi al-Awwal. Imam Muhammad al-Shaybani He is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Farqad al-Shaybani. Muhammad was born in Wasit in 132 AH, and grew up in Kufa. He was a pupil of Abu Hanifah. Imam Shafi i said, I have not seen anyone more eloquent than him. I used to think when I saw him reciting the Qur an that it was as if the Qur an had been revealed in his language. He also said, I have not seen anyone more itelligent than Muhammad ibn al-Hasan. Adh-Dhahabi said, He narrated from Malik ibn Anas and others, and he was one of the great oceans of knowledge and fiqh, and he was strong [when he narrated] from Malik. Muhammad said, I stood at Malik s door for three years and I heard [the Muwatta ] from him [with] more than seven hundred hadith. He died in Ray in 189 AH. Translated by Mohammed Abdurahman, Abdassamad Clark and Dr Asadullah Yate (The science of (Jarah) Invalidation and Authentication (Tadil). Editors Mufti Zubair Ismail Bayat, Uthman Ibrahim Morrisson and Sister Safira Batha.