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Sayings (Hadiths) of Prophet Muhammad

Transmission of Hadith in Prophet’s lifetime

The transmission of the practices and sayings of the Holy Prophet from one person to another, thus became necessary during the Prophet’s lifetime.

In fact, the Holy Prophet himself used to give instructions with regard to the transmission of what he taught. Thus when a deputation of the tribe of Rabi’a came to wait upon him in the early days of Madina, the Prophet concluded his instructions to them with the words : “Remember this and report it to those whom you have left behind" (MM.1: 1-i). Similar were his instructions in another case “Go back to your people and teach them these things" (Bu. 3: 25).

There is another report according to which on the occasion of a pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet, after enjoining on the Muslims the duty of holding sacred each other’s life, property and honour, added: “He who is present here should carry this message to him who is absent" (Bu. 3: 37).

Again, there is ample historical evidence that whenever a people embraced Islam, the Holy Prophet used to send to them one or more of his missionaries who not only taught them the Holy Qur’an but also explained to them how the injunctions of the Holy Book were to be carried out in practice. It is also on record that people came to the Holy Prophet and demanded teachers who could teach them the Qur’an and the Sunna: “Send us men to teach us the Qur’an and the Sunna." And the Companions of the Holy Prophet knew full well that his actions and practices were to be followed, should no express direction be met with in the Holy Qur’an.

It is related that when Mu’adh ibn Jabal, on being appointed Governor of Yaman by the Holy Prophet, was asked how he would judge cases, his reply was, “by the Book of Allah." Asked what he would do if he did not find a direction in the Book of Allah, he replied, “by the Sunna of the Apostle of Allah" (AD. 23:11). The Sunna was, therefore, recognized in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet as affording guidance in religious matters.