Sahih.html



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Sahih is an Islamic term that means authentic. It is commonly used to describe the authenticity of a Hadith.

Definition

Sunni Muslims use the term the "Two Sahihs" referring to Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, since they consider them to contain only Sahih Hadith. Similarly, the "Six Sahihs" refers to the "two Sahihs" and in addition the four other famous collections, being Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and al-Nasa'i. Altogether, there are forty-nine books of authenticated hadith-collections, which include, apart from these six more famous ones, also the Muwatta' Imam Malik, Musnad Imam Abu Hanifah, Musnad Imam Shafi'i, Musnad Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Bayhaqi, Darimi, Dar Qutni, Jami' Kabir, Jami' Saghir, Mustadrak Hakim, etc.

Shia's use of sahih books

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Shia do not believe that the sahih books are completely authentic; only a small percentage of the hadith are accepted by the Shia. Even though Shia don't believe the sahih books contain hadiths that are all authentic, they do use some hadiths from those books to argue that the ideology of the Shia is right. For example, in the Sahih Bukhari it is mentioned that Uthman ran away from the battle of Uhud. Running away from battle is a capital sin in Islam. Shia use this hadith to argue that Uthman could not have been the ruler of all Muslims if he committed capital sins. It can, however, be argued that the Qur'an states that all those who fled from Uhud were forgiven:

3:155 Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met (i.e. the battle of Uhud), it was Shaitan (Satan) who caused them to backslide (run away from the battlefield) because of some (sins) they had earned. But Allah, indeed, has forgiven them. Surely, Allah is OftForgiving, Most Forbearing.

This, however, does not forgive the crimes of fleeing from Hunain and Khaybar, which is argued (authentically) by Shi'i Muslims to be crimes of the Sahaba who later become Khulafa (Caliphs) of the Islamic world (with the exception of Ali, who is recorded to have been the champion and standard-bearer for the vast majority of the battles).

This tradition is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari about the fleeing of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab al-Farooq:

Volume 5, Book 59, Number 610:

Narrated Abu Qatada:

We set out along with the Prophet during the year of Hunain, and when we faced the enemy, the Muslims (with the exception of the Prophet and some of his companions) retreated. [...] Afterwards I followed 'Umar and said to him, "What is wrong with the people?" He said, "It is the Order of Allah." Then the Muslims returned.

Source: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/059.sbt.html#005.059.610 (Note that the Arabic is different from the English translation - the Arabic shows that the narrator of the Hadith (Abu Qatada) was amongst the people when they fled and that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab fled with them).

There is another tradition in Sahih Bukhari to show that the Prophet (a.s.) did not flee:

Volume 5, Book 59, Number 606:

Narrated Abu Ishaq:

Al-Bara' was asked while I was listening, "Did you flee (before the enemy) along with the Prophet on the day of (the battle of) Hunain?" He replied, "As for the Prophet, he did not (flee). The enemy were good archers and the Prophet was saying, "I am the Prophet undoubtedly; I am the son of 'Abdul Muttalib."

Source: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/059.sbt.html#005.059.606

Similar traditions are authentically narrated about the similar deed of Abu Bak'r, and no forgiveness for the fleeing from Hunain is found in al-Qur'an.

External links

• The Classification Of Hadith: According To The Reliability And Memory Of Reporters