[Solved] Hadith and its Relevance Q&A

Hadith and its Relevance

Question 1

Hadith refers to a record of sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad that are received as a guide to moral and religious laws in agreement with the authority of the Qur’an. It describes a biography of the prophet Muhammad perpetuated across many generations of his community for their exemplification and obedience to the authority of the Qur’an. For instance, a Maudhu hadith relies heavily on Prophet Muhammad’s actions and words to understand his teachings on a particular point of belief or subject matter. Therefore, Hadith is perceived to constitute a useful source of teachings concerning how to lead a fulfilling life and commit to the mission of Islam. Individual reports in a hadith are split into two parts, including the chain of narrators who have transmitted the report called the isnad and the matn, which constitutes the main text of the report (“The Prophet’s Word Then and Now,” p. 12). Isnad describes a list of authorities who took part in transmitting a report concerning a statement, action, or approbation of Prophet Muhammed across generations. Matn, on the other hand, refers to the saying or narration presented by the prophet. For example, the hadith of Abu Hurairah is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira and ends with a description of Allah’s instructions. Therefore, the two parts combine to form the hadith of Abu Hurairah.

Question 2

According to Brown, the hadith constitutes a useful source for religious laws and moral guidance that ranks second to the Qur’an. It serves as a source of knowledge for Muslims and helps them gain information regarding the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad and the revelation of Allah to his people. As a result, the hadith helps Muslims to get closer to Allah by doing his will and abstaining from what He forbids (“The Prophet’s Word Then and Now,” p. 7). Hadith also helps Muslims to affirm the position held by the prophet in Islam. Therefore, it allows Muslims to gain enlightenment concerning how to submit to the will of Allah by drawing insight from the Prophet’s teachings on various religious issues.

Reference

The Prophet’s word then and now: Hadith and its terminology.