Mtu anapaswa kufahamu maana za maneno yanayotumiwa mara kwa mara na wanazuoni wa hadith (muhaddithin). Maneno hayo ni: hadith, khabar, athar na Sunnah; kwa mtazamo wa istilahi za hadith na usimulizi wake: matn, sanad, isnad, musnad na musnid; kwa mtazamo wa wasimulizi: muhaddith, hafidh, hujjah na hakim. Kuhusu ufafanuzi wa maana za maneno haya katika istilahi ya hadith, ni kama ifuatavyo:

One should be familiar with the meanings of terms that are frequently used by the muhaddithin. They are: hadīth, khabar, athar and Sunnah; from the perspective of the terms of hadīth and its transmission: matn, sanad, isnād, musnad and musnid; from the perspective of the transmitters: muhaddith, hāfidh, hujjah and hākim. As for the exposition of the meanings of these words in the terminology of hadīth, then it is as follows:

1. Hadithi: Chochote kilichohusishwa kwa Mtume ﷺ, iwe ni maneno yake, vitendo vyake, kibali chake, au sifa zake za kimwili, yaani zinazohusu umbile lake, kama vile kutokuwa mrefu wala mfupi, au tabia yake, yaani zinazohusu tabia yake, kama vile [kutomjibu yeyote kwa jambo lolote lenye kuchukiza]. Khabari na Sunnah zina maana hii hii. Zinafanana kimaana na neno hadithi. Zote hizi, yaani hadithi, khabari na Sunnah, zina maana moja. Kuhusu athari, ni hadithi iliyoishia kwa Maswahaba.