What are the requirements for the acceptance of a hadith from a narrator?

Question

I know that there are requirements that those who collected ahadith like Bukhari and others to ensure the authenticity of a hadith and accept it. For example, I hear often that the one giving the hadith must be trustworthy without ever having lied before, or that they must have good adab.

For example,

• I once heard a story where Imam Bukhari went to collect a hadith from a man, and when he got to this man's house, he saw that the man's donkey won't come to him. So what the man did was pick up his clothes and pretend that there was food in it to trick the donkey into coming. So Imam Bukhari got back on his horse and left without accepting a hadith from this man.
• I have also heard that those who collect hadith would not accept it from a person who stood up while drinking and eating, as they considered this to be bad manners.

So what I would like to know is, what are the requirements that allowed the collector of ahadith (e.g. Bukhari) to accept a hadith from any person? I would like an answer that is detailed.

Answer 1

These are the four fundamental requirements of "rawy el hadith":

1. Puberty, a narration is never accepted from a child who has not reached puberty.

2. Good memory and he must be able to differentiate between right and wrong.

3. He must be "saleh" (good man and knows his religion well) and not "fasek".

4. As you have mentioned already "be trustworthy and not have lied before".

As for blind men and slaves: their testimony in hadith was forbidden by Imam Shafe'y but allowed by Imam Malek. But reports are accepted from them.

As for women reports are not accepted from them, however there are 2 exceptions and they are A'esha and Ome-Salama

الحاوي الكبير في فقه مذهب الإمام الشافعي

Answer 2

The surveying of the authenticity of a hadith (tradition) is related to the Elm-al-Rejal and Mostalehul-Hadith.

In the science of Rejal (Elme-Rejal), it is discussed one by one of it in accordance with the:

1: Islam

2: Edalah (justice)

3: puberty

4: faith(Iman)

5: intellect(Aql)

And likewise other items and the document of the narration will be specified in accordance with the result (as the right hadith, authentic, goodness, or even weak ...

Researchers of the narrators says that there are four general conditions as the conditions of Hadith acceptance (in a specific step of it):

1: comparison or dis-opposition with the book of Allah

2: agreement or dis-opposition (no-opposition) with Nesbiat-al-Qat’ee

3: agreement or dis-opposition with rational reasons

4: dis-opposition with the items that Imamiah have Ijma’ and Itifaq.

(Note: Of course It was not a complete answer, since you inquired a very significant question which needs a long answer (I think). But briefly I mentioned some of its important pars as far as I could, hopefully it be profitable for you)

Reference:

• www.hadith.net

Answer 3

There aren't any official ones given by the Prophet or Companions. Omar Bin Alkhattab almost started to collect the hadiths but then thought of it as a bad idea and reverted, probably for the same reason why many give Hadith the same level as Quran at times, if not more.

The first person who ordered the collection of Hadith was Caliphate Omar Ben Abdel Aziz. He ordered Abu Bakir Ben Alhazam, to record ALL hadiths from the scholars. From there are came many more who organized and authenticated these hadiths solely based on their opinions.

There is a general rule, it is not much of a rule, but common sense where the person who is reporting from another person to have lived during their times and actually met.