Tahdith

Tahdith is an Arabic term with multiple senses. In general Arabic usage, it means informing, narrating, or updating someone about information. In modern contexts it is also used to mean updating or refreshing information. In Islamic scholarship, tahdith refers specifically to the science of reporting and evaluating the transmission of hadith, the reported sayings and actions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad.

In traditional hadith studies, tahdith is part of a broader project that includes the study of isnad (the chain of transmitters) and matn (the text of the report). The aim is to determine the reliability and credibility of a hadith by examining how it was transmitted and by whom. This involves the discipline of rijal (the study of narrators) and its associated methods of jarh wa ta’dil (criticism and praise or endorsement). Based on these assessments, hadiths are categorized into levels such as sahih (sound), hasan (good), da’if (weak), or mawdu’ (fabricated).

Historically, tahdith developed in the early centuries of Islam as scholars sought to preserve authentic reports. It reached maturity in the works of eminent hadith scholars and compilers, including systematic biographical dictionaries and methodological treatises. These efforts underlie the credibility of canonical collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, and they continue to influence contemporary hadith scholarship.

See also: Hadith, Isnad, Jarh wa Ta’dil, Ilm al-Rijal.