A Simple Guide to ISLAM
Hadith – Traditions
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times of prayer, methods of prayer, ablution, booty, taxation,
zakat,
etc.
3. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, a young Makkan also used to write
down all that he heard from the Prophet. He had even asked
the Prophet if he could make notes of all that he said. The
Prophet replied in the affirmative. Abdullah called this
compilation
Sahifah Sadiqa
(the book of the truth). It was later
incorporated into the larger collection of Imam Ahmad ibn
Hambal.
4. Anas, a young Madinan, was the Prophet’s personal attendant.
Since Anas remained with the Prophet day and night, he had
greater opportunities than the other companions to listen to his
words. Anas had written down the traditions in the scrolls. He
used to unroll these documents and say: “These are the sayings
of the Prophet, which I have noted and then also read out to
him to have any mistakes corrected.”
5. Ali ibn Abi Talib was one of the scribes of the Prophet. The
Prophet once dictated to him and he wrote on a large piece of
parchment on both sides. He also had a
sahifa
(pamphet) from
the Prophet which is on
zakat
(the poor due) and
taxes.
Besides these there were some other documents dictated by the
Prophet himself — official letters, missionary letters, treaties of
peace and alliance addressed to different tribes— all these were
later incorporated into larger collections of hadith.
