Isnad (Chain of Narration)
The chain of narrators connecting a hadith back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Isnad is the chain of narrators connecting a hadith back to its original source, typically the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The isnad system is unique to Islamic scholarship and is considered one of the most sophisticated methods of historical verification in the ancient world.
Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: "Isnad is part of the religion. Were it not for isnad, anyone would say anything." Hadith scholars (muhaddithin) developed detailed criteria for evaluating each narrator: their memory, honesty, precision, and whether they had actually met the person they narrated from.
Regarding prayer legislation, isnad is crucial because many details about how to perform the prayer are only known through hadith. Imam Muslim dedicated the introduction of his Sahih to a discussion of the importance of isnad scholarship, and Imam al-Bukhari was famous for his strict evaluation of chains of narration.
Related terms
Salat al-Istikhara (Guidance Prayer)
A prayer where one asks Allah for guidance to make the right decision.
Amr bil-Ma'ruf wa Nahy 'an al-Munkar
Enjoining good and forbidding evil — an Islamic duty connected with prayer.
Munajat (Intimate Supplication)
Intimate, personal conversations with Allah, an important part of Shia prayer tradition.
Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)
Legal analogy used to derive Islamic rules for new situations based on established rules.
Iqamah (Second Call to Prayer)
The second call to prayer, recited just before the prayer begins.
Tabi'in (The Successors)
The generation of Muslims who met the Prophet's companions but did not themselves meet the Prophet.