The function of hadīth chains in the Arabic language sources (First three centuries of Islam)

Abstract

Fuad Sezgin’s (d. 2018) article on “The Importance of Isnad in Arab-Islamic Science” and the book titled Buhari’nin Kaynakları claims that Muhammad b. Ismāīl al-Bukhārī (d.256/870) -in the tafsīr book- summarizes Yahyā b. Ziyād al-Farrā’s (d. 207/822) al-Maāni al-Qur’ân and Abū Ubayda Mamar b. al-Muthannā’s (d. 209/824) al-Macāz al-Qur’ān. The main idea of Fuad Sezgin is that al-Bukhārī did not only rely on oral sources but also on written sources when he created the al-Jāmi al-Sahīh. Therefore, Arabic Language Literature in the first three centuries has to be investigated and compared with al-Kutub al-Sitta to reach a final conclusion. In this article, the claims of Fuad Sezgin will be extended and discussed in this respect. In order to verify the authenticity of these claims, the ahadith and the chain system of the al-Basra and al-Kūfa Arabic Language books will be determined. If the ahādīth given in these sources comes before the al-Kutub al-Sitta, this means that we can reach earlier sources about the ahādīth given in al-Kutub al-Sitta. In addition, the method of using the hadith in the these sources, the hadīth chains and the possible tariqs will be examined in a chronological and comparative way.