Studies in early Ḥadīth literature : with a critical edition of some early texts

Studies In Early Hadith Literature by M. M. Azami Ahadith are the repository of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S), which is the second principal source of Islamic legislation. Thus, literature on the nature and science of ahadith is the richest source of study and investigation of early Islamic history. It provides material for an understanding of the legal, cultural and religious ideas of this period. This book contains a survey of the literary activities in pre-Islamic Arabia, and of the early days of Islam in the region. Then follows a discussion of whether or not the recording of the ahadith was permitted by the Prophet (S), to be proceeded by a comprehensive survey of pre-classical Hadith literature. This book is an excellent source of in-depth study of the role of ahadith in the first years of Islam. It includes information on thousands of books circulating among scholars in the pre-classical period. The most important field of research, relative to the study of Hadith, is the discovery, verification, and evaluation of the smaller collections of Traditions antedating the six canonical collections of Hadith. Dr Azami has done pioneer work of the highest value, and he has done it according to the exact standards of scholarship.