Advanced Hadith

Definition: When a narrator conveys the content of a Prophetic hadith in his own words rather than the Prophet's exact wording, provided he understands the meaning and masters the language.

Scholarly disagreement:

• Those who prohibit it: Ibn Sirin and others — every word is intentional; they cite the hadith: "May Allah brighten the man who hears my words and conveys them as he heard them."
• Those who permit it with conditions: The majority — allow narration by meaning for scholars fluent in Arabic who ensure no alteration of meaning.

Conditions for permissibility:

1. Narrator must know the meanings of the words and their implications.
2. The wording must not relate to acts of worship requiring exact text (like dhikr or supplications).
3. Narrator must indicate he is narrating by meaning, e.g., "or words to that effect."

Effect on the Quran: Narration by meaning applies only to hadith — the Quran may never be narrated by its meaning, as it is the word of Allah in both letter and meaning.

Source: Ibn al-Salah, Ulum al-Hadith (p.205); Ibn Hajar, Nuzhah al-Nathar (p.116); Al-Sakhawi, Fath al-Mughith (3/262)

Tags: الرواية بالمعنىعلوم الحديثالقرآنالفرق بين القرآن والحديث