Sahihs

Sahihs is a term used in Islamic hadith studies to refer to authentic hadith collections or to individual reports that are judged sahih, meaning sound or trustworthy. In Arabic, sahih denotes a report that meets strict criteria for reliability in its chain of transmission and its content.

The most famous sahihs are the two canonical Sunni collections compiled in the 9th century: Sahih al-Bukhari by Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. Together they are often called the Sahihayn, or “the two Sahihs.” These works are highly regarded for their rigorous methods and are among the primary sources used for deriving Islamic doctrine and legal rulings. Other hadith collections titled with sahih include works such as Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah and Sahih Ibn Hibban, which are regarded as authentic by many Muslim scholars, though their acceptance may vary among different schools of thought.

The classification of a hadith as sahih rests on methodological criteria. Compilers assess the isnad (chain of narrators) for uninterrupted transmission, the reliability and memory of narrators, and the absence of hidden defects (illah) or contradictions. The biographical evaluation of narrators, a discipline known as rijal, is central to this process. Because of these standards, sahihs are typically prioritized in legal and theological discussions, though scholars may still examine weaker reports for corroboration or context.

In summary, sahihs encompasses both the concept of authentic hadith and the principal collections regarded as authentic by many scholars, forming a cornerstone of classical hadith literature.