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
Isha (Night Prayer)
The fifth and final daily prayer, performed when darkness has fallen.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Tawhid (God's Oneness)
Islamic monotheism — belief in Allah's absolute oneness, the core of prayer.
Tawbah (Repentance)
Sincere repentance and return to Allah after sin.
Mafatih al-Jinan (Keys to Paradise)
The most widely used Shia prayer book, compiled by Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi.
Salat al-Layl (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer consisting of 11 rak'ah, highly recommended in Shia Islam.