Al-Sihah al-Sitta: Difference between revisions

'''Al-Ṣiḥāḥ al-Sitta''' (Arabic: {{ia|الصحاح الستة}}, literally: the six reliable ([[Sahih (Hadith)|sahih]]) books) refers to 6 huge [[Sunni]] collections of [[hadiths]]. They are very [[Sahih (Hadith)|reliable]] for Sunni Muslims and are considered as their most important religious sources after the [[Qur'an]]. Only two of these sources are entitled, “Sahih” (reliable) and the rest are entitled, “Sunan” (traditions), but all of them are called, “Sihah” (plural form of “Sahih”). They include: ''[[Sahih al-Bukhari (book)|Sahih al-Bukhari]]'', ''[[Sahih Muslim]]'', ''[[Sunan Abi Dawud]]'', ''[[Sunan ibn Maja]]'', ''[[Sunan al-Tirmidhi]]'', and ''[[Sunan al-Nasa'i]]''.

* ''Sahih Muslim'' is problematic with respect to chains of transmissions as well as the contents of some of its hadiths. In some hadiths, the transmitters between the author and the main transmitter are not mentioned (which is called “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Mu'allaq|ta'liq]]” or suspension), and in some cases, the transmitter's comments are also cited (such a hadith is called “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Mudarraj|mudarraj]]” or “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Maqtu'|maqtu']]”). [[Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani]] wrote the book, ''Wuquf 'ala ma fi Sahih Muslim min al-mawquf'' (knowing “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Mawquf|mawquf]]” hadiths in ''Sahih Muslim''), in which he mentioned 192 such hadiths. There are 14 cases of “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Mu'allaq|ta'liq]]” in this book, as there are cases of “tadlis” in this book as well (that is, cases in which an unreliable transmitter is eliminated from a chain of transmitters or a reliable transmitter is added to it to make the hadith look reliable).

Many hadiths which are cited in Abu Dawud's book, are rejected or called into question by other Sunni scholars. Some prominent Sunni scholars believe that there are many unreliable, and even fabricated, hadiths in ''Sunan Abi Dawud''. In his book, ''al-Mawdu'at'' (fabricated hadiths), in Jawzi has mentioned some fabricated hadiths in this book. Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani wrote a book called ''Da'if Sunan Abi Dawud'' ([[Types of Hadith#Al-Da'if Hadiths|weak]] hadiths in ''Sunan Abi Dawud''). He holds that there are over 800 unreliable hadiths in this book. Moreover, he believes that there are about 50 “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Munkar|munkar]]” or denounced hadiths (hadiths whose contents are not accepted by the majority of Muslims) and about 50 “[[Types of Hadith#Al-Shadhdh|shadhdh]]” or irregular hadiths (ones which are transmitted by a reliable person but goes against another hadith which is transmitted by a more reliable person).

In an answer to questions regarding the reliability of all hadiths in his book, al-Nasa'i said: “it is not the case that all hadiths in this book are reliable”. He later selected reliable hadiths of his book and called it ''al-Mujtaba'' (selections) or ''al-Sunan al-Sughra''.

==Sunan ibn Maja==

{{main|Sunan ibn Maja}}

''Sunan ibn Maja'' was written by Muhammad b. Yazid b. Maja al-Qazwini, known as ibn Maja (d. 273/886-87). The book contains about 4000 hadiths, 428 of which are reliable, 199 of which are good, 613 of which are unreliable, and 99 of which are rare (contrary to established views).

According to Sandi, a commentator of ''Sunan ibn Maja'', there are about 400 hadiths in this book which are unreliable with respect to their chains of transmitters. There are so many unreliable and fabricated hadiths in ibn Maja's book that some prominent Sunni scholars held that the book should be excluded from “al-Sihah al-Sitta”. They believed that ibn Maja's book does not deserve to be one of the “Sihah”. They included [[Malik b. Anas]]'s ''al-Muwatta''' in al-Sihah al-Sitta, instead.

Many Sunni scholars believe that ibn Maja's book is rife with fabricated and unreliable hadiths. Al-Albani in his book, ''Da'if Sunan ibn Maja'', and 'Abd al-Baqi in his ''Miftah al-Sunan'', have criticized ''Sunan ibn Maja''.

The 6 books known as “al-Sihah al-Sitta” are the most reliable sources for Sunni Muslims with regard to the principles of the Islamic beliefs, jurisprudential rulings, the exegesis of the [[Qur'an]], and the history of the early period of Islam. They rely on hadiths cited in these books in their scholarships. Thus, it has been widely accepted by them that whatever is cited in al-Sihah al-Sitta is reliable.