termPage.definition
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Sunan Abū Dāwūd, Jāmi‘ at-Tirmidhī, Sunan an-Nasā'ī, and Sunan Ibn Mājah — the most relied-upon ḥadīth compilations in Sunni Islam. Some scholars substitute Muwaṭṭa' Mālik or Sunan ad-Dārimī for Ibn Mājah.
termPage.pronunciation al-KU-tub as-SIT-tah
termPage.scholarlyNotes
The two Ṣaḥīḥs (Bukhārī and Muslim) hold a tier above the rest, with the entire Ummah agreed on their authenticity. The four Sunans contain authentic, ḥasan, and weak narrations — requiring scholarly grading.
termPage.practicalApplication
When studying ḥadīth, begin with the famous shorter compilations drawn from these (Riyāḍ aṣ-Ṣāliḥīn, Bulūgh al-Marām, the Forty of an-Nawawī) before approaching the full Six.
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The chain of narrators of a hadith.
A Tābi‘ī narrates directly from the Prophet ﷺ — skipping the Companion.
The generation that met the Companions.
The text/wording of the hadith.
Attributed to a Companion only.
Agreed upon by Bukhārī and Muslim.