METHODOLOGY OF HADITH CONTENT CRITICISM: A Study on the Thought of Salah al-Din bin Ahmad al-Adlabi

This article examines Salah al-Din bin Ahmad al-Adlabi’s thought on the subject of methodology of criticism of the Prophet’s hadith content (matan). Al-Adlabi is a hadith scholar who has significat influence on the research methodology of hadith content. In his work entitled Manhaj Naqd al-Matn ‘Inda ‘Ulama al-Hadith al-Nabawiy, al-Adlabi outlines that the background necessitating the importance of the research methodology of hadith content comprises two factors, namely, there have been occurrences of falsification of the Prophet’s hadith at the time of transmission, and there has been a spread of al-wahm, that is, some errors or mistakes in the transmission of the Prophet’s hadith. To determine the quality of a hadith content, al-Adlabi put forward four standards for the validity of hadith content, they are: a), not contradicting to the instructions of al-Qur`an; b), does not conflict with more authentic hadith; c) does not conflict with a healthy mind, senses and history; d) the composition of its statements does not show the characteristics of prophethood. Al-Adlabi’sthought on the methodology of criticism of hadith content obviously worth further discussion. Hence, further study and deeper digging is required in order to give birth to more accurate, constructive, and comprehensive ideas.