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
Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening Chapter)
The opening chapter of the Quran, recited in every single rak'ah.
Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque)
The holiest mosque in Islam, located in Mecca, which surrounds the Kaaba.
Muwalat (Continuity in Prayer)
The requirement of continuous and coherent performance of the prayer's parts.
Tahajjud (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer performed in the last third of the night.
Mashhad (Imam Reza's City)
The sacred city in Iran with Imam Reza's shrine, Iran's most visited pilgrimage destination.
Hayya ala Khayr al-Amal (Come to the Best of Deeds)
The third exhortation in the Shia adhan: "Come to the best of deeds".