When Less is More: On the Chapter Headings and Organization of Ḥadīths in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

By Muntasir Zaman

A Beginner’s Companion to Arabic Manuscripts

By Muntasir Zaman

The Ṣaḥīḥs of Imām al-Bukhārī (d. 256 ah) and Imām Muslim (d. 261 ah) occupy a sacrosanct space in the hearts of Muslims and are justifiably considered the most reliable collections after the Qurʾān. While each of these two works possesses features that have persuaded scholars over the centuries to prefer one over the other, al-Bukhārī’s literary genius truly shines in his chapter headings (tarājim). Although Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim’s astonishing structure and systematic presentation of ḥadīths are unparalleled, there is considerable scholarly debate on the authorship of its chapter headings.

For students unaccustomed to classical handwriting, the thought of consulting Arabic manuscripts can be daunting. However, anyone in the field of Islamic studies will testify that at times research requires that a student refer to these sources; it is, therefore, inescapable. This treatise hopes to serve as a companion for students who aspire to learn the fundamentals of this field. It explores scribal terminology, sources of manuscripts, dealing with catalogs, etc. It is adapted from an intensive on Arabic manuscripts by Shaykh Salih al-Azhari, an experienced curator at the Egyptian National Library.