Dalam banyak kitab hadis, kita membaca perkataan sahih dan daif. Ramai orang memahami sahih sebagai lawan kepada daif, dan apabila perkataan ini tidak muncul selepas sesuatu hadis, mereka salah faham menganggapnya daif. Ini adalah kesilapan yang biasa kerana perkataan sahih dan daif sebenarnya merupakan istilah (nomenklatur) para ulama hadis. Lebih lima puluh istilah digunakan oleh para ulama hadis [untuk menentukan kedudukan sesuatu hadis], dan sahih hanyalah salah satu daripadanya. Apabila sesuatu hadis tidak dinyatakan sebagai sahih, ia mungkin termasuk dalam mana-mana daripada empat puluh sembilan jenis hadis yang lain dan tidak semestinya daif.

In many books of ahadith, we read the words authentic [Sahih] and weak [Daif]. Many people understand authentic to be the opposite of weak, and when this word does not appear after a hadith, they misinterpret it as weak. This is a common mistake because the words authentic and weak are actually nomenclatures of the hadith masters. Over fifty terms are used by the hadith masters [to define a hadith], authentic being only one of them. When a hadith is not identified as authentic, it may fall under the category of any of the other forty-nine types of hadith and may not necessarily be weak.

Banyak kali, sesebuah hadith itu sahih, tetapi para ahli hadith menolaknya, manakala hadith lain yang lemah pula dikatakan oleh para ahli hadith sebagai boleh diamalkan. Terdapat banyak sebab di sebalik perkara ini. Sebagai contoh, mungkin sahaja hadith yang sahih itu telah dimansuhkan, dan hadith yang lemah itu pula disokong oleh amalan para Sahabat.

Many times, a hadith is authentic, but the hadith masters reject it while another hadith may be weak but the hadith masters say it is okay to act upon. There are many reasons behind this. For example, it is possible that the authentic hadith is abrogated and the weak hadith supported by the practice of the Sahaba.

Di bawah ini, kita akan meneliti secara ringkas beberapa jenis hadith yang berbeza: Marfū‘: Mana-mana hadith yang disandarkan kepada Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ. Hadith sebegini dikenal pasti melalui kata-kata perawi apabila dia berkata, "Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ bersabda," "Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ melakukan begini," "Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ berdiam diri pada kesempatan ini," "apabila sesuatu perkara sedemikian dikatakan," atau bahawa "hadith ini disandarkan kepada Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ," atau bahawa "Ibn ‘Abbas menyandarkan hadith ini kepada Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ." Dengan itu, mana-mana hadith yang disandarkan kepada Nabi yang Diberkati ﷺ ialah hadith marfū‘.

Below, we will briefly examine some of these different types of Ahadith: Marfñ‘: Any hadith that is attributed to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH). Such a hadith is identified by the words of the narrator when he says, “the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) said,” “the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) did this,” “the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) remained quiet on this occasion,” “when such and such thing was said,” or that “this hadith is attributed to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH)” or that “Ibn ‘Abbas attributed this hadith to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH).” Thus, any hadith attributed to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) is a marfñ‘ hadith.

Mauqūf: Riwayat yang disandarkan kepada seorang Sahabat. Riwayat mauqūf dikenali melalui kata-kata perawi apabila dia berkata, "Ibn ʿAbbas berkata" atau "Ibn ʿAbbas melakukan perbuatan sekian," atau "dikatakan bahawa hadis ini diriwayatkan secara mauqūf." Maqṭūʿ: Mana-mana riwayat yang disandarkan kepada tabiin, iaitu generasi pertama selepas para Sahabat. Sebahagian ulama hadis juga menamakan riwayat maqṭūʿ sebagai athar [kesan]. Istilah athar memudahkan untuk membezakan hadis Nabi ﷺ daripada riwayat-riwayat Sahabat dan tabiin pertama. Oleh itu, hadis Nabi ﷺ dikenali sebagai hadis, manakala riwayat-riwayat Sahabat dan tabiin pertama dipanggil āthār [jamak bagi athar], walaupun perkataan athar juga sering digunakan untuk hadis-hadis Nabi ﷺ.

Mauqñf: A narration attributed to a Sahaba. A mauqñf narration is recognized by the words of the narrator when he says, “Ibn ‘Abbas said” or “Ibn ‘Abbas did such and such thing” or “it is said that this hadith is narrated as mauqñf.” Maqtñ‘: Any narration that is attributed to the first successors of the Sahaba [Tabiun]. Some hadith masters also call a maqtñ‘ narration athar [trace]. The term athar makes it easy to distinguish hadith of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) from the narrations of the Sahaba and the first successors. Thus hadith of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) are known as hadith, while the narrations of the Sahaba and the first successors are called óthór [plural of athar], though the word athar is frequently used for the ahadith of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) also.