How Scholars Grade a Hadith: Sahih, Hasan, Muwaththaq, Da'if

Grading the whole Hadith: Once scholars have graded every narrator in a chain, they grade the whole Hadith. In Shia Hadith science, there are four main grades:

• Sahih (Sound): Every narrator in the chain is an Imami (Twelver Shia) and Thiqa — trustworthy. This is the strongest grade.
• Hasan (Good): Every narrator is an Imami, and they are praised and good, but they do not all reach the full grade of Thiqa. The Hadith is accepted, but below Sahih.
• Muwaththaq (Trustworthy): Every narrator is Thiqa — trustworthy — but one or more of them is not an Imami. Their honesty is accepted, even though their school is different. The Hadith is accepted.
• Da'if (Weak): One or more narrators in the chain is weak or unknown. The Hadith cannot be used as proof on its own.

A team of players: Think of it like a team. Sahih is a team where every player is from your own club and excellent. Muwaththaq is a team where every player is excellent, even if one plays for another club. Hasan is a good team, but not perfect. Da'if has a weak player in it.

Example

All strong and careful — Sahih: Four students are asked to carry a glass tray together. If all four are strong and careful, the tray arrives safely — that is Sahih.

Careful, one fairly strong — Hasan: If all four are careful but one is only fairly strong, the tray still arrives, but more slowly — that is Hasan.

One from another school — Muwaththaq: If all four are strong and careful, but one student is from another school, the tray still arrives — that is Muwaththaq.

One careless student — Da'if: If one student is careless, the tray may fall — that is Da'if.

Key Terms

• Sahih (صحیح) — sound; all narrators Imami and Thiqa
• Hasan (حسن) — good; all narrators Imami and praised, but not all Thiqa
• Muwaththaq (موثق) — trustworthy; all narrators Thiqa, but not all Imami
• Da'if (ضعیف) — weak; one or more narrators weak or unknown

Quran or Hadith

None used in this topic.

Fresh diagram to be drawn: A ladder with four steps: Sahih at the top (green), then Muwaththaq, then Hasan, then Da'if at the bottom (red) — with one line under each grade.