Sahih Muslim (Muslim's Authentic Collection)
The second most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj.
Sahih Muslim is the second most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam after Sahih al-Bukhari. It was compiled by Imam Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi (815-875 CE). The work contains approximately 7,500 hadith (with repetitions) or around 3,033 unique narrations, selected from 300,000 narrations.
Imam Muslim organized his work thematically and gathered all narrations on a given topic in one place, making it easier to study than Sahih al-Bukhari, which distributes related hadith across multiple chapters. Imam Muslim's methodology was equally strict, and he required a continuous chain of trustworthy narrators.
In "Kitab al-Salah" (The Book of Prayer) in Sahih Muslim, one finds fundamental narrations about the five pillars of prayer, including the famous hadith: "Islam is built upon five pillars: The testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing the prayer, paying zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and pilgrimage to the House." Imam al-Nawawi wrote his famous commentary "al-Minhaj" on this work.
Related terms
Sunnah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary prayers based on the Prophet's practice.
Sujud al-Shukr (Prostration of Gratitude)
A prostration to Allah in gratitude, recommended after prayer and upon receiving blessings.
Ashura (The Tenth of Muharram)
The tenth day of Muharram, the commemoration of Imam Husayn's martyrdom.
Tabi'in (The Successors)
The generation of Muslims who met the Prophet's companions but did not themselves meet the Prophet.
Taslim (Concluding Greeting)
The concluding peace greeting that marks the end of the prayer.
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.