Naarmate de tijd verstreek, raakten er meer verslaggevers betrokken bij elke overleveringsketen (Isnad), waardoor de situatie strikte discipline vereiste bij het accepteren van overleveringen (Hadith); de regels die deze discipline reguleren, staan bekend als Mustalah al-Hadith (de classificatie van overleveringen (Hadith)).

As time passed, more reporters were involved in each isnad, and so the situation demanded strict discipline in the acceptance of ahadith; the rules regulating this discipline are known as Mustalah al-Hadith (the Classification of Hadith).

Onder de vroege traditionisten (muhaddithin, geleerden van de overlevering (Hadith)), waren de regels en criteria die hun studie van de overlevering (Hadith) bestuurden nauwgezet, maar sommige van hun terminologie varieerde van persoon tot persoon, en hun principes begonnen systematisch te worden opgeschreven, maar verspreid over verschillende boeken, bijvoorbeeld in Al-Risalah van al-Shafi'i (d. 204), de Inleiding tot de Sahih van Muslim (d. 261) en de Jami' van al-Tirmidhi (d. 279); veel van de criteria van vroege traditionisten, zoals al-Bukhari, werden door latere geleerden afgeleid uit een zorgvuldige studie van welke rapporteurs of isnads door hen werden geaccepteerd of verworpen.

Amongst the early traditionists (muhaddithin, scholars of Hadith), the rules and criteria governing their study of Hadith were meticulous but some of their terminology varied from person to person, and their principles began to be systematically written down, but scattered amongst various books, e.g. in Al-Risalah of al- Shafi'i (d. 204), the Introduction to the Sahih of Muslim (d. 261) and the Jami' of al-Tirmidhi (d. 279); many of the criteria of early traditionists, e.g. al-Bukhari, were deduced by later scholars from a careful study of which reporters or isnads were accepted and rejected by them.

Een van de vroegste geschriften die probeerden Mustalah uitgebreid te behandelen met behulp van standaard (d.w.z. algemeen aanvaarde) terminologie, was het werk van al-Ramahurmuzi (d. 360). De volgende belangrijke bijdrage was Ma'rifah 'Ulum al-Hadith door al-Hakim (d. 405), die vijftig classificaties van overlevering (Hadith) behandelde, maar nog steeds enkele punten ongemoeid liet; Abu Nu'aim al-Isbahani (d. 430) voltooide enkele van de ontbrekende delen van dit werk. Daarna volgde Al-Kifayah fi 'Ilm al-Riwayah van al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (d. 463) en een ander werk over de wijze van het onderwijzen en bestuderen van overlevering (Hadith); latere geleerden werden als zeer erkentelijk beschouwd tegenover het werk van al-Khatib.

One of the earliest writings to attempt to cover Mustalah comprehensively, using standard (i.e. generally-accepted) terminology, was the work by al-Ramahurmuzi (d. 360). The next major contribution was Ma'rifah 'Ulum al-Hadith by al- Hakim (d. 405), which covered fifty classifications of Hadith, but still left some points untouched; Abu Nu'aim al-Isbahani (d. 430) completed some of the missing parts to this work. After that came Al-Kifayah fi 'Ilm al- Riwayah of al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (d. 463) and another work on the manner of teaching and studying Hadith; later scholars were considered to be greatly indebted to al-Khatib's work.

Na verdere bijdragen van rechter (Qadi) 'Iyad al-Yahsubi (d. 544) en Abu Hafs al-Mayanji (d. 580) onder anderen, kwam het werk dat, hoewel bescheiden van omvang, zo uitgebreid was in zijn uitstekende behandeling van het onderwerp, dat het de standaardreferentie werd voor duizenden geleerden en studenten van overlevering (Hadith) in de eeuwen die volgden, tot aan de huidige dag: 'Ulum al-Hadith van Abu 'Amr 'Uthman Ibn al-Salah (d. 643), algemeen bekend als Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah, samengesteld terwijl hij lesgaf in de Dar al-Hadith van verschillende steden in Syrië. Enkele van de talrijke latere werken gebaseerd op die van Ibn al-Salah zijn:

After further contributions by Qadi 'Iyad al- Yahsubi (d. 544) and Abu Hafs al-Mayanji (d. 580) among others, came the work which, although modest in size, was so comprehensive in its excellent treatment of the subject that it came to be the standard reference for thousands of scholars and students of Hadith to come, over many centuries until the present day: 'Ulum al- Hadith of Abu 'Amr 'Uthman Ibn al-Salah (d. 643), commonly known as Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah, compiled while he taught in the Dar al-Hadith of several cities in Syria. Some of the numerous later works based on that of Ibn al-Salah are:

• Een verkorte versie van Muqaddimah, Al-Irshad door al-Nawawi (d. 676), die hij later samenvatte in zijn Taqrib; al-Suyuti (d. 911) stelde een waardevolle commentaar op de laatste samen onder de titel Tadrib al-Rawi.

• An abridgement of Muqaddimah, Al-Irshad by al- Nawawi (d. 676), which he later summarised in his Taqrib; al-Suyuti (d. 911) compiled a valuable commentary on the latter entitled Tadrib al-Rawi.

• Ikhtisar 'Ulum al-Hadith van Ibn Kathir (d. 774), Al-Khulasah van al-Tibi (d. 743), Al-Minhal van Badr al-Din b. Jama'ah (d. 733), Al-Muqni' van Ibn al-Mulaqqin (d. 802) en Mahasin al-Istilah van al-Balqini (d. 805), die alle drie verkortingen zijn van Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah.

• Ikhtisar 'Ulum al-Hadith of Ibn Kathir (d. 774), Al-Khulasah of al-Tibi (d. 743), Al- Minhal of Badr al-Din b. Jama'ah (d. 733), Al- Muqni' of Ibn al-Mulaqqin (d. 802) and Mahasin al-Istilah of al-Balqini (d. 805), all of which are abridgements of Muqaddimah Ibn al- Salah.

• Al-Nukat van al-Zarkashi (d. 794), Al-Taqyid wa 'l-Idah van al-'Iraqi (d. 806) en Al-Nukat van Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani (d. 852), die alle drie verdere aantekeningen zijn op de punten die door Ibn al-Salah zijn gemaakt.

• Al-Nukat of al-Zarkashi (d. 794), Al-Taqyid wa 'l-Idah of al-'Iraqi (d. 806) and Al-Nukat of Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani (d. 852), all of which are further notes on the points made by Ibn al- Salah.

• Alfiyyah al-Hadith van al-'Iraqi, een herschrijving van Muqaddimah in de vorm van een langdicht, die het onderwerp werd van verschillende commentaren, waaronder twee (één lange, één korte) door de auteur zelf, Fath al-Mughith van al-Sakhawi (gest. 903), Qatar al-Durar van al-Suyuti en Fath al-Baqi van Shaykh Zakariyyah al-Ansari (gest. 928).

• Alfiyyah al-Hadith of al-'Iraqi, a rewriting of Muqaddimah in the form of a lengthy poem, which became the subject of several commentaries, including two (one long, one short) by the author himself, Fath al-Mughith of al-Sakhawi (d. 903), Qatar al-Durar of al- Suyuti and Fath al-Baqi of Shaykh Zakariyyah al-Ansari (d. 928).

• Al-Iqtirah van Ibn Daqiq al-'Id (d. 702). Tanqih al-Anzar van Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Wazir (d. 840), het onderwerp van een commentaar door al-Amir al-San'ani (d. 1182).

• Al-Iqtirah of Ibn Daqiq al-'Id (d. 702). Tanqih al-Anzar of Muhammad b. Ibrahim al- Wazir (d. 840), the subject of a commentary by al-Amir al-San'ani (d. 1182).

• Nukhbah al-Fikr van Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, opnieuw het onderwerp van verschillende commentaren, waaronder één door de auteur zelf, één door zijn zoon Muhammad, en die van 'Ali al-Qari (d. 1014), 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-Munawi (d. 1031) en Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Hadi al-Sindi (d. 1138). Onder degenen die de Nukhbah in poëtische vorm hebben herschreven, behoren al-Tufi (d. 893) en al-Amir al-San'ani.

• Nukhbah al-Fikr of Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, again the subject of several commentaries, including one by the author himself, one by his son Muhammad, and those of 'Ali al-Qari (d. 1014), 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-Munawi (d. 1031) and Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Hadi al-Sindi (d. 1138). Among those who rephrased the Nukhbah in poetic form are al-Tufi (d. 893) and al- Amir al-San'ani.

• Alfiyyah al-Hadith van al-Suyuti, het meest uitgebreide poëtische werk op dit gebied. Al-Manzumah van al-Baiquni, die werd uitgebreid door onder anderen al-Zurqani (d. 1122) en Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (d. 1307). Qawa'id al-Tahdith van Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi (d. 1332).

• Alfiyyah al-Hadith of al-Suyuti, the most comprehensive poetic work in the field. Al-Manzumah of al-Baiquni, which was expanded upon by, amongst others, al-Zurqani (d. 1122) and Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (d. 1307). Qawa'id al-Tahdith of Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi (d. 1332).

• Taujih al-Nazar van Tahir al-Jaza'iri (d. 1338), een samenvatting van al-Hakim's Ma'rifah.

• Taujih al-Nazar of Tahir al-Jaza'iri (d. 1338), a summary of al-Hakim's Ma'rifah.