طرق تحمل حدیث اور حدیث کا تحریری تسلسل:صحیح مسلم کا اختصاصی مطالعہ

Methods of Hadith Transmission and the Written Continuity of Hadith: A Specialized Study of Sahih Muslim

Abstract

This study explores the methods of transmission and the written continuity of Hadith, with special reference to Sahih Muslim. Islamic scholarship has preserved religious knowledge through both oral and written traditions. The science of Hadith transmission developed systematic approaches for ensuring accuracy and authenticity across generations. Scholars classified eight primary methods of Hadith transmission; al-samā‘ min lafẓ al-shaykh, al-qirāʾah ʿalā al-shaykh, al-ijāzah, al-munāwalah, al-kitābah / al-mukātabah, iʿlām al-rāwī , al-waṣiyyah and al-wijādah. Among these, the first three involve oral and written modes, while the latter five explicitly indicate written sources. Through these methods, Hadith scholars devised technical terms and formulas that help determine whether a narration is based on oral transmission or written documentation. The article highlights the significance of such distinctions in evaluating Hadith authenticity, particularly in identifying narrations rooted in written sources. Special attention is given to Imam Muslim’s methodology in al-Jāmi‘ al-Sahīh, where he frequently relied on ‘owners of manuscripts’ (ashāb al-kutub) and narrators with authenticated written records. This indicates the strong presence of written Hadith collections prior to and during Imam Muslim’s compilation. By analyzing isnads and terminology, the research demonstrates that Imam Muslim consciously selected reports from written sources and ensured precision through comparison with earlier documented collections. The findings affirm that both memorization and writing coexisted as valid means of Hadith preservation, but written sources played a crucial role in ensuring textual stability. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of Hadith sciences by clarifying the balance between oral and written transmission in early Islamic scholarship.