After the Quran, the hadith (the sayings, actions and approvals of the Prophet ﷺ) are the main source of Islamic guidance. They were collected by great scholars into books, each with its own purpose and arrangement. With so many collections, it is hard to know where to begin. This guide explains the major books and suggests an order to read them in.
All the collections below are free to read on IslamOne in Arabic with Urdu translation, most also in English, at islamone.app/hadith.
Where to start: books arranged by topic
If you are new to reading hadith, start with a book arranged by everyday topics, with explanations, rather than one of the large collections.
Riyad-us-Saliheen
Compiled by Imam an-Nawawi (d. 676 AH): a selection of hadith on character, worship, manners and daily life, arranged in short chapters, each opening with related ayahs of the Quran. Probably the most widely read hadith book in the world, and an excellent first book. On IslamOne it has Urdu translation and commentary. Read Riyad-us-Saliheen.
Maarif-ul-Hadith
By Maulana Muhammad Manzoor Nomani: a selection of hadith arranged by topic, with clear explanation in Urdu, written for ordinary readers. Read Maarif-ul-Hadith.
Mishkat al-Masabih
Compiled by Khatib at-Tabrizi (d. 741 AH), expanding Imam al-Baghawi's Masabih as-Sunnah. It gathers hadith from the major collections and arranges them by topic, so it works as a one-volume overview of the hadith literature. Read Mishkat.
The six major books (Kutub as-Sittah)
These six collections are the core of the hadith literature studied in madrassas and universities.
Sahih al-Bukhari
Compiled by Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH). Imam Bukhari accepted only hadith meeting very strict conditions, and most scholars regard it as the most authentic book after the Quran. Its chapter headings are famous for their insight. On IslamOne: 7,282 hadith with Urdu and English translation. Read Sahih Bukhari.
Sahih Muslim
Compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (d. 261 AH). Together with Bukhari it forms "the two Sahihs". It is known for gathering the different narrations of a hadith in one place. Read Sahih Muslim.
Sunan Abu Dawood
Compiled by Imam Abu Dawood (d. 275 AH), focused on the hadith that rulings of fiqh are based on. A key book for understanding how practice is derived from the Sunnah. Read Abu Dawood.
Jami at-Tirmidhi
Compiled by Imam at-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH). Imam Tirmidhi often comments on each hadith's authenticity and on how scholars acted on it, which makes the book an education in itself. On IslamOne it includes his comments and the gradings of Sheikh al-Albani. Read Tirmidhi.
Sunan an-Nasai
Compiled by Imam an-Nasai (d. 303 AH), known for his careful scrutiny of narrators. On IslamOne it includes the gradings of Sheikh al-Albani. Read Nasai.
Sunan Ibn Majah
Compiled by Imam Ibn Majah (d. 273 AH), the sixth of the six books, containing many hadith not found in the other five. Read Ibn Majah.
Two more early collections
- Al-Muwatta, by Imam Malik (d. 179 AH): one of the earliest written collections, combining hadith with the practice of the people of Madinah.
- Musnad Ahmad, by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH): one of the largest collections, with over 26,000 hadith on IslamOne, arranged by the companion who narrated them.
A suggested reading order
- Riyad-us-Saliheen, a little each day: it builds both knowledge and character.
- Maarif-ul-Hadith or Mishkat for a topic-by-topic overview.
- Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, one chapter at a time.
- The Sunan (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah) when you want to understand rulings and their evidence.
Hadith are best understood together with the Quran and the explanations of scholars. If something is unclear, ask a scholar or teacher you trust.
A note on hadith numbers
The same hadith can have different numbers in different printed editions and websites, because editors number narrations differently. If a number you have doesn't match, search for a few words of the hadith instead. IslamOne's search works in Arabic, Urdu and English.
خلاصہ
احادیث پڑھنے کی ابتدا کے لیے ریاض الصالحین بہترین کتاب ہے، جو روزمرہ موضوعات پر مختصر ابواب میں ترتیب دی گئی ہے۔ اس کے بعد معارف الحدیث یا مشکوٰۃ المصابیح، اور پھر صحیح بخاری، صحیح مسلم اور سنن کی کتابیں۔ IslamOne پر یہ تمام کتابیں عربی متن اور اردو ترجمے کے ساتھ مفت موجود ہیں، اور اکثر انگریزی ترجمے کے ساتھ بھی۔