The Authenticity of Hadith Collections

Question:

My question is a simple one, do we still have preserved the original Hadith collections done by the Collecters? Imam Bukhari, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj's collection etc? Do we have their original works still preserved? How do we know that the present day collections have not been edited at all?

This is no attacks, but I just wish to know out of curiosity.

Jazak Allah

Mashhood


Answer:

As your question, the answer is also simple. It is history, which provides us sufficient proof in favour of these collections, and on the basis of historically proven and established facts we can safely conclude that these books are not different from those written by their authors.

If we trace back in the history we would find a surprising similarity in the books of these days and that, which pertain to the 3rd or 4th century. Now in some libraries their manuscripts can also be seen which are also quite similar to that printed matter found in our shelves.

For example in case of Mawatta you will find almost 28 versions ascribed to various students of Imam Malik. All these books contain similar matter except the variations found in the total number of Ahadith and it is but natural because these are actually notes compiled by his students. And it is quite possible that due to leave or some other cause a particular student could not have written a particular Hadith. Similarly in all other collections there can be variations as far as the total or order of the book is concerned but as for the text you will find negligible differences.

The matter preserved in the world famous libraries pertaining to different periods of history and to different regions also endorses the fact stated above.

Regards,

Siddiq Bukhary
April 15, 2003

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