SCIENCE OF HADIT

(53 : 1-5)

وَ النَّجْمِ اِذَا هَوٰیۙ۝  مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَ مَا غَوٰیۚ۝  وَ مَا یَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوٰیؕ۝  اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا وَحْیٌ یُّوْحٰیۙ۝  عَلَّمَهٗ شَدِیْدُ الْقُوٰیۙ۝

By the star when it sets, Your guide (i.e. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)) has never erred nor gone astray. He does not speak out of (his own) desire. It (i.e. his speech) is only a revelation sent down (to him). The Lord of Mighty Power taught him. (53:1-5)

Types of WAHI: 1) Wahi Matlu (وحي متلو) and 2) Wahi Ghair Matlu (وحي غير متلو). These are two important classifications of revelation in Islamic studies.

1. Wahi Matlu (وحي متلو) – "Recited Revelation"

Definition: Wahi Matlu is the revelation that is recited as part of the Quran. Its wording and meaning are both from Allah. The entire Quran is Waḥy Matlu.

Characteristics: Both the words and meanings are from Allah, Almost revealed through the Angel Jibril, Preserved exactly as revealed, Recited in prayer, Every letter of its recitation is an act of worship, Cannot be altered or paraphrased.

2. Ghair Matlu (وحي غير متلو) – "Non-Recited Revelation"

Definition: Ghair Matlu is revelation from Allah that is not part of the Quran. It guided the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in explaining and implementing Islam. Many rulings explained by the Prophet (ﷺ) that are not explicitly detailed in the Quran (ie Hadit).

Characteristics: The guidance is from Allah, but it is not Quranic text, It is not recited in Salah, It is primarily preserved in the authentic Sunnah and Hadith, It explains, clarifies and supplements the teachings of the Quran.

Islamic scholars emphasize that both forms of revelation are authoritative. The Quran itself instructs Muslims to obey the Messenger, indicating that the Prophet's authentic teachings are also a source of guidance.

"He does not speak out of (his own) desire. It (i.e. his speech) is only a revelation sent down (to him)." (53:3–4)

In the study of Ulum al-Hadit and Usul e-Hadit, understanding the distinction between Wahi Matlu (the Quran) and Wahi Ghair Matlu (the authentic Hadit) is fundamental to understanding the sources of Islamic law and guidance.

Hadith: Refers to any specific statement, incident or silent approval attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, even if it happened only once.

Sunnah: Refers to his ﷺ practices and his ﷺ "way of life".

The Core Foundations (Muwatta,1661): Malik reported that it reached him that the Messenger of Allah said: "I have left among you two matters; you will never go astray as long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet."

Sanad or Isnad: The part of the hadit which have names of the narrators from the compiler of the hadit up to the narration of the companion or the prophet. Sanad is the chain of Narrations and it only have names.

Matan: Actual text of that Hadit, which could be any specific statement, incident or silent approval attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. 

The Scholars of Usul e Fiqua defined it as: All that which is transmitted from the Prophet (ﷺ) which is other then Quran is either His Speech (Qaul) or His Actions (Fail) or His tacit approval to His Companions (Taqriri), which is possible to be a legal evidence for a ruling in the sacred law.

                 Types of Hadith by Matan

        ┌──────────────────┼──────────────────┐

        ▼                                             ▼                                             ▼

       1. Speech (Qaul)                  2. Actions (Fi'l)                  3. Tacit Approval (Taqriri)