HADITH LITERATURE Its Origin, Development and Special Features HADITH LITERATURE 7(1) Its Origin, Development and Special Features Muhammad Zubayr Siddiqi Hadith form a sacred literature which for Muslims ranks second in importance only to the Qur’an itself and as a source of law, ethics and doctrine, it continues to exercise a decisive influence. Islamic scholarship has thus devoted immense efforts to gathering and classifying the Hadiths and ensuring their authenticity, an undertaking which stands today as a highly original and impressive scholarly achievement. The present book is a fine introduction in English which presents all aspects of the subject. It explains the origin of the literature, the evolution of the isndd system, the troubled relationship between scholars and the state, the problem of falsification, and the gradual development of a systematic approach to the literature. An interesting appendix demonstrates that a high proportion of medieval Hadith scholars were women. In a second appendix, a brief account is given of the varied opinions held by Orientalist writers in this field. *** “A well-informed and commendable thesis.. a valuable contribution to Hadith scholarship” —Islamic Culture *** “An excellent introduction to the subject, presenting it with considerable detail” —The Muslim World