Some Notes on Digital Ḥadısh Databases: The Cases of “Jawāmi‘ al-Kalim” and “Jāmi‘ Khādim al-Ḥaramayn”

Abstract

The digital ḥadth databases “Jawāmi‘ al-Kalim” and “Jāmi‘ Khādim al-Ḥaramayn” include standard features that help to define the sources of ḥadths, scan voluminous hadth sources, and swiftly access information about the narrators. They also include a feature that presents the number of narrations, allowing users to see the relationship between scholar and disciple and quickly determine the forms of transmission (ṣgha) used among them. However, when these digital ḥadth databases are used intensively and more actively to research specific issues, it has been determined that they contain some technical flaws. It is anticipated that presenting 15 identified issues with concrete examples will prevent the loss of work and time that researchers who actively use these digital ḥadth databases in the field of ḥadth encounter.