Recording Sunnah #2

The Age of Taba Tabiun (Followers of the Successors)

>In this age the Prophet's traditions were separated from the reports of the companions and their successors. >The authentic traditions were very carefully and painstakingly sifted from the "weak" traditions and then these were compiled in book-form. >Elaborate rules were framed, canons were devised to distinguish the true from the false traditions following clear principles. >This is the period in which six authentic collections of traditions were compiled. These works are considered standard works on Hadith and are known as the six correct books (Sihah-e-Sittah).

STAGE 3- Period of Tabiun

Hadith compiled from 101 A.H. to 200 A.H.- the disciples of the companions of the prophet (PBUH)

STAGE 4- Period of Taba Tabiun

Hadith compiled from 200 A.H. to 300 A.H.- the disciples of the disciples.

STAGE 1

Hadith compiled of The period of Prophet till 10 A.H.

STAGE 2- Period of Sahaba

Hadith compiled of the period of Prophet from 11 A.H. to 100 A.H.- The companions of the Prophet (PBUH), but a very few copies have survived

Compilation of the time of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH)

People became keener to preserve the precious Hadith literature that had been stored in their memories, after the death of the Prophet (PBUH) >This was the age of the rightly guided Caliphs. In this age, the Companions had settled in almost all the countries conquered by the Muslims. People flocked to them to hear traditions from them. >In this period, there were not many regular compilations. This was rather the period of collecting traditions.

Compilation during the life of the Prophet (pbuh)

There was no regular compilation of the traditions, for they were not generally recorded in writing. However, they were orally transmitted, with high accuracy of detail. >Some Companions prepared written collections of traditions. >Some companions had administrative offices to record written materials. >Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, a young Makkan, also used to write down all that he heard from the Prophet. He had even asked the Prophet if he could make notes of all that he said. The Prophet replied in the affirmative. >Anas, a young Madinan, was the Prophet's attendant. >Ali ibn Abi Talib was one of the scribes of the Prophet. The Prophet once dictated to him, and he wrote on a large piece of parchment on both sides

The Age of Tabuin (the followers of the companions of the Prophet)

They devoted their entire lives to collecting traditions from different centres of learning, with the result that a large number of traditions were preserved. >Mohd. Ibn Shihab Al Zuhri, the first regular compiler, was one of the most distinguished traditionists. Ibn Shihab Zuhri and Abu Bakr Al-Hazm were asked by Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, the Umayyad caliph, to prepare a collection of all available traditions. >The compilations made in this period do not exist today independently, having been incorporated into the more significant collections of the later period. >After the individual compilations of this period, comes the Al Muwatta of Imam Malik (716-795), the first regular work which contained a well-arranged collection of traditions.