sahih

Sahih is an Arabic term meaning authentic, sound, or correct. In Islamic hadith studies, it is a technical designation for the highest level of reliability attributed to a reported saying or action of the Prophet Muhammad. A sahih hadith is defined by a continuous chain of narrators (isnad) who are trustworthy and have strong memory and moral integrity (adalah and dhabt), combined with the absence of hidden defects (illah) and any contradictions with established reports.

The word is used both as a general descriptor and in the titles of specific collections. The most famous examples are Sahih al-Bukhari, compiled by Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, and Sahih Muslim, compiled by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. These two works are among the most highly regarded sources in Sunni Islam and are often dated at the pinnacle of the traditional Kutub al-Sihah (the six major hadith collections), though scholars differ in judgments on individual narrations.

Other traditional hadith compilations titled sahih exist, such as Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah and Sahih Ibn Hibban, which also aim to gather authentic reports. In broader use, sahih can describe anything verified as genuine or trustworthy, not limited to religious texts.

Overall, sahih denotes a high standard of authenticity in hadith literature and plays a central role in assessing the reliability of reported Islamic traditions.