Introduction to Hadith Literature

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course offers an introduction to hadith literature, which encompasses traditions about the life of the prophet Muhammad, his speeches and deeds. The aim is to familiarize students with the basic terminology, the different genres of hadith literature, the development of the classical hadith scholarship, the most important hadith collections, as well as studies on hadith criticism. We will examine the methods of collecting and transmitting the hadiths in Islamic history, their evaluation and assessment by Muslim scholars, the role of hadiths in law, theology and Sufism, and the modern academic debates on the authenticity of the hadiths. Additionally, the course will engage with the genesis of Twelve Shiite and Zaidi hadith.