حديث‎

In Arabic the word ḥadīth (Arabic: حديث‎ ḥadīth  IPA: [ħaˈdiːθ]) means a "report, account, or narrative".^[7] The Arabic plural is ʾaḥādīth (أحاديث) (IPA: [ʔaħaːˈdiːθ]). Hadith also refers to the speech of a person.^[8] It is a noun.^[9]

^{In Islamic terminology, the term hadith refers to reports of statements or actions of Muhammad, or of his tacit approval or criticism of something said or done in his presence.[10] Classical hadith specialist Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani says that the intended meaning of hadith in religious tradition is something attributed to Muhammad but that is not found in the Quran.[11] Other associated words possess similar meanings including: khabar (news, information) often refers to reports about Muhammad, but sometimes refers to traditions about hiscompanions and their successors from the following generation; conversely, athar (trace, vestige) usually refers to traditions about the companions and successors, though sometimes connotes traditions about Muhammad. The word sunnah (custom) is also used in reference to a normative custom of Muhammad or the early Muslim community.[10]I} 

Hadith (Arabic: حديث‎, /ˈhædɪθ/^[1] or /hɑːˈdiːθ/^[2]) in religious use is often translated as 'tradition', meaning a report of the teachings, deeds and sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The hadith literature was compiled from oral reports that were present in society around the time of their compilation after the death of Muhammad. Bukhari's collection is considered by many traditional religious scholars as the most reliable, it was compiled two centuries after the death of the Prophet.

The Hadith also had a profound and controversial influence on molding the commentaries (tafsir) on the Quran. The earliest commentary of the Quran by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari is mostly sourced from the hadith. The hadith was used in forming the basis of 'Shariah' Law (See Criticism of Hadith). Much of early Islamic history available today is also based on the hadith and is challenged for lack of basis in primary source material and contradictions based on secondary material available.

Each hadith is composed of two parts, a chain of authorities reporting the hadith (isnad), and the text itself (matn).^[3][4] Hadiths are still regarded by traditional Islamic schools of jurisprudence as important tools for understanding the Quran and in matters of jurisprudence.^[5]Hadith were evaluated and gathered into large collections during the 8th and 9th centuries. These works are referred to in matters of Islamic law and history to this day. The largest denominations of Islam, Sunni, Shiʻa, and Ibadi, rely upon different sets of hadith collections. Clerics and jurists of all denominations classify individual hadith as sahih (authentic), hasan (good) and da'if (weak).^[6] However, different traditions within each denomination, and different scholars within each tradition, may differ as to which hadith should be included in which category.