The Collections of Sunnite Hadith

This book is a survey and inquiry into the sources of the Sunnis, especially their Narrative communities. These communities with their compilations and collections were the guardians of Hadiths and traditions remaining from the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) and which have been recorded since the late second century AH. Some of these efforts have continued to the present age. With regard to the historical process of these works one can briefly point out that although the Holy Prophet’s Hadith and Tradition were so invaluable they had not been written down immediately after his tragic demise. In fact, a sequence of events occurred which consequently made the Hadiths and Traditions mainly passed down orally from generation to generation in the first century. Also, in the second century, when quoting and writing Hadiths were officially done, unchecked freedom let some forged and invalid Hadiths spread. So that in the latter half of the second century some Muhadithun (the Narrators of Hadiths) decided to make the comprehensive compilation of Hadiths. They made attempts to build a collection of Hadiths and present an assortment of Hadith books– such as Musannafat, Masanid, Sunan and Sahah – through employing technical criteria. This has been the stance taken for centuries which has resulted in the presentation of important works in the domain of Hadith in each era.
This book has been written to introduce the most important Sunni Hadith communities in various eras.The content of the book is divided into three parts and eleven chapters. In the introductory part, under the title of “the stages of compiling Hadiths among the Sunnis; An Overview”, the overall situation of Hadith in the first century, the official compilation of Hadiths and the periods of compiling Hadiths among the Sunnis are probed into. In the next part, titled “an study of early Sunni Hadith communities”, important Hadith books and communities in the second century, central Hadith communities in the third century and other significant works on Hadiths such as ibn Habban va Al-Sahih, Tabrani wa Moajem, the trilogy of Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir, Al-Mo’jam Al-Vasat, and Al-Mo’jam Al-Saghir among the forerunners are examined. In “the later Sunni Hadith communities and books”, compiled books by the members of Sahhihin community, compiled book by the members of Sahhah Sette, all-inclusive Hadith communities among the Sunnis, important juridical Hadith communities and books, alon with main communities and books in Zawaed Al-Hadith (unwarranted Hadiths) are examined.