Comparative Critical Analysis of Methodologies for Establishing the Validity of Hadith Among Sunni and Shia

Abstract

From the perspectives of Sunni and Shia, Hadith holds immense significance, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) assured his followers that they would not go astray as long as they held onto both the Hadith and the Quran. However, these two groups significantly differ in terms of the classification and formulation of the quality of Hadith, even concerning the status of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a source of Hadith and the credibility of the companions, including the criteria for the authenticity of Hadith, which ultimately impacts whether a hadith is accepted as a source of Islamic teachings. This research is a library research conducted with an analytical-descriptive approach, utilizing primary sources related to the methodology of Hadith authenticity and complemented by secondary sources from various relevant journals and books. The findings of this research reveal that from the perspective of Sunni, one of the conditions for the authenticity of a Hadith is that its chain of transmission (sanad) must be continuous and unbroken back to the Prophet Muhammad. In contrast, the Shia view requires the authenticity of Hadith to be traced back to the Prophet and the infallible Imams without interruption, relying on the Ahlul Bayt lineage, while rejecting sources from Sunni except to reinforce their methodology. These differing viewpoints undoubtedly influence the acceptance of the hadith of the Prophet as a source of Islamic teachings between Sunni and Shia.