Khabar, ambayo ni sawa na maneno hadīth na Sunnah, kwa upande wa mnyororo wa usimulizi, imegawanywa katika khabar mutawatir (taarifa iliyopokewa mfululizo na wengi) na khabar ahad (taarifa ya mtu mmoja mmoja). Mutawatir inajumuisha mambo manne, nayo ni:

The khabar (report) which is synonymous with the terms hadīth and Sunnah, in terms of the line of transmission is divided into the khabar mutawatir (continuously recurrent report) and khabar ahad (isolated report). The mutawatir comprises of four issues, they are:

1. Idadi ya wasimulizi inapaswa kuwa ya kundi, na haipaswi kuwekewa idadi maalum yoyote. Kwa hiyo idadi yoyote itakayothibitika kuwa kundi inachukuliwa kuwa mutawatir, ilimradi itimize sharti nyingine. 2. Inapaswa kuzuia uwezekano wa kula njama juu ya uongo. Hili hutofautiana kulingana na tofauti za watu na mahali. Kwa hiyo watu watano kama 'Ali ibn Abi Talib wanatosha kuifanya habari kuwa mutawatir. Pengine kwa watu wengine watano wasitoshe. Wasimulizi watano ambao hawakukutana, kutoka nchi tano tofauti, wanaweza kutosha habari kuchukuliwa kuwa mutawatir kwa sababu hawakukutana mahali pamoja ili kula njama. Pengine habari (khabr) inayosimuliwa na idadi hiyo hiyo ya watu katika nchi moja haitatosha.

1. The number of transmitters should be such that they are a group and not be restricted to any specific number. So whatever number proves to be a group is considered mutawatir provided it fulfills the other conditions. 2. It should preclude the collusion on a lie, this differs according to the difference of persons and places, so five people like 'Ali ibn Abi Talib are sufficient to consider a report as mutawatir. Probably with other people five may not be sufficient. Five transmitters who have not met from five different lands may be enough for the report to be considered as mutawatir because they did not meet in one place so as to collude. Probably a report (khabr) by the same number of people in one land may not suffice.

3. Kwamba wao wapokee hadithi kutoka kwa kundi la watu kama wao tangu mwanzo hadi mwisho wa mnyororo wa usimulizi, kwa namna inayozuia kula njama juu ya uwezekano wa uongo, hata kama hawakuwa idadi moja. Kwa maneno mengine, sharti mbili za kwanza zinapaswa kutimizwa katika kila tabaka la wasimuliaji.

3. That they transmit the report from a group like them from the beginning to the end of the transmission, in a manner that precludes collusion on a possible lie, even if they were not of the same number. In other words, the first two conditions should be met in every tier of transmitters.

4. Msingi wa hitimisho lao unapaswa kuwa ni utambuzi wa hisi, kwa kusikia na hisi nyingine kama hizo, na si kile ambacho akili safi inathibitisha, kwa sababu inaweza kufanya makosa isipokuwa ikiwa imejengwa juu ya utambuzi wa hisi. Kwa hiyo hilo halifikii kiwango cha uhakika. Hukumu (hukm) ya khabari ya mutawatir ni kwamba inatoa elimu ya moja kwa moja (ʿilm ḍarūrī). Ni kitu ambacho mtu analazimika kukubali kiasi kwamba hawezi kukipinga. Ni jambo la lazima kwa sababu halihitaji utafiti, yaani khabari ya mutawatir inamletea mtu yakini (yaqīn). Khabari ya mutawatir imegawanywa katika aina mbili: mutawatir ya maneno (lafẓan), kama hadīth:

4. The basis of their conclusion should be sense perception, by hearing and other such senses and not what the pure reason establishes because it can make mistakes if it is not based on sense perception. Therefore it does not amount to certainty. The rule (hukm) of the mutawatir report is that it yields positive knowledge ('ilm daruri). It is what one is compelled to accept such that he is unable to confute it. It is indispensable because it does not require study i.e, the the mutawatir report imparts certainty (yaqin). The mutawatir report is divided into two categories: verbal (lafzan) mutawatir like the hadīth:

“Yeyote atakayesema uongo kwa makusudi juu yangu, na aandae makazi yake Motoni” [Imepokewa na Muslim kutoka kwa Abu Hurairah]. Na hadithi ya kupangusa juu ya soksi za ngozi, hadithi ya hawdh (mto wa Peponi), hadithi ya shafaa'a (uombezi) na hadithi ya kuinua mikono (raf' al-yadayn) katika swala. Mutawaatir kwa maana (ma'na) ni pale wapokezi wanapokubaliana juu ya jambo lililotokea katika matukio tofauti, kama vile Sunnah ya swala ya alfajiri (Fajr) kuwa rakaa mbili. Jambo hilo lipo. Hadithi nyingi za mutawaatir zimepokewa ingawa Waulama hutofautiana juu ya nini kinachounda mutawaatir kulingana na mitazamo yao tofauti kuhusu taarifa ya mutawaatir.

“Whosoever intentionally lies about me, let him reserve his place in the Hellfire” [Reported by Muslim on behalf of Abu Hurairah ] And the hadīth of wiping on the leather socks, hadīth of hawd (river in paradise), hadīth of intercession (shafa'a) and the hadīth of raising the hands (raf' al-yadayn) in prayer. The mutawatir by meaning (ma'na) is when the transmitters concur on a matter occurring in difference incidents such as the Sunnah of the morning prayer (Fajr) being two rakats. It does exist. Numerous mutawatir ahadīth have been reported even though the '‘Ulamā differ on what constitutes mutawatir according to their different views about the mutawatir report.

Kuhusu khabar al-ahad (habari ya mtu mmoja), ni habari ambayo wapokezi wake hawajafikia idadi inayohitajika kwa khabar mutawatir, iwe imepokewa na mpokezi mmoja au wanne; yaani, ni habari ambayo haikidhi masharti manne yaliyotajwa hapo awali kwa habari mutawatir. Kwa kuangalia idadi ya wapokezi, imegawanywa katika aina tatu.

As for the Isolated report (khabar al-ahad), it is the report whose narrators have not reached the number required for the mutawatir, whether it was reported by one or four narrators i.e, it is the report which falls short of the preceding four conditions mentioned for the mutawatir report. It is categorised in terms of the number of narrators, into three categories:

1. Gharib (mgeni): ni hadīth iliyosimuliwa na msimulizi mmoja tu, yaani kuna msimulizi mmoja tu katika hatua moja ya isnādi. Imegawanywa katika: gharib katika isnādi pekee, na gharib katika isnādi na matni pamoja. Hakuna kitu kinachoitwa gharib katika matni pekee. Gharib katika matni na isnādi ni simulizi inayosimuliwa na msimulizi mmoja, kama hadīth inayokataza kuuza wala (udhamini wa ukoo) na zawadi zake. Gharib katika isnādi na si katika matni ni matni ambayo yamesimuliwa na kundi la Maswahaba, lakini msimulizi mmoja ana simulizi moja tu kutoka kwa Sahaba mwingine, kama hadīth:

1. Gharib (alien): it is the report narrated by a single transmitter i.e, there is a single narrator throughout the narration at a stage in the isnād. It is divided into: gharib in isnād only, and gharib in isnād and matn together. There is nothing called gharib in matn only. The gharib in matn and isnād is the narration by a single narrator, such as the hadīth prohibiting the sale of wala (patronage) and its gifts. The gharib in isnād and not in matn is the matn which has been narrated by a group of Sahabah but a transmitter has a single narration from another Sahabi like the hadīth:

2. Aziz (adimu): Ni hadithi iliyopokewa na zaidi ya msimulizi mmoja lakini chini ya wanne, yaani kile ambacho wasimulizi wawili au watatu wamekipokea, hata kama wako katika daraja moja, huitwa aziz (adimu) kwa sababu ya uchache wake.

2. Aziz (scarce): It is a report transmitted by more than one narrator but less than four i.e, what two or three narrators have transmitted even if they are of the same rank, it is called aziz (scarce) due to its rarity.

3. Mashhur (maarufu): Hadithi ambayo imesimuliwa na wapokezi zaidi ya watatu lakini haijafikia kiwango cha mutawatir. Inaitwa mashhur kwa sababu ni wazi na imetajwa sana miongoni mwa watu, iwe ilipatikana sanad (mnyororo wa wapokezi) kwake au haikupatikana tangu mwanzo. Pia inaitwa mustafid (yenye kuenea). Ina aina mbili: mashhur kwa mujibu wa wanazuoni wa hadithi na mashhur kwa watu wa kawaida. Ya kwanza ni kama hadithi ya Anas:

3. Mashhur (famous): A report which has been narrated by more than three narrators but did not reach the level of mutawatir. It is called mashhur due to it being clear and widely mentioned amongst the people whether a sanad (chain) was found for it or was not found originally. It is also the mustafid (comprehensive). It has two categories: mashhur according to the scholars of hadīth and mashhur for the general public. The first is like the hadīth of Anas:

Na aina ya pili ni kama hadīth:

And the second category is like the hadīth:

Si kila hadithi maarufu miongoni mwa watu ni Sahihi. Huenda hadithi fulani zikaenea miongoni mwa watu ilhali hazina msingi wowote au zimezuliwa kabisa. Zipo nyingi, kama hadithi isemayo:

Not every mashhur report among people is Sahih. Certain hadīth may become famous amongst people which do not have any basis or are entirely fabricated. There are many, .like the hadīth:

Ni batili. Khabar al-ahad, iwe ni gharib, aziz au mashhur, mnyororo wake wa isnad una mwisho; either unaishia kwa Mtume ﷺ au kwa Sahaba au tabi'i. Kwa upande wa mwisho wa mnyororo, kuna aina tatu:

It is baseless. The Khabar al-ahad also, whether it is gharib, aziz or mashhur, its isnād has a termination point; either it ends with the Prophet  or with a Sahābi or tabi'i. In terms of the end of the chain there are three types:

1. Marfu': Ni hadithi ambayo imehusishwa moja kwa moja na Mtume ﷺ kwa vitendo vyake, maneno yake, idhini yake au sifa zake, iwe aliyeihusisha na Mtume ﷺ ni Sahabi, Tabi'i au mtu aliyekuja baada yao. Pia imejumuishwa hapa pale Sahabi anaposema:

1.Marfu': It is a report which has been specifically ascribed to the Prophet  in terms of his action, saying, consent or attribute, whether the one who attributed it to the Prophet  was a Sahābi, tabi'i or someone after them. Included in this is when the Sahābi says:

Au

Or

Au

Or

Au

Or

Au

Or

Au

Or

Ikiwa pia ni pale Sahābi anaposema:

Included in this is also when the Sahābi says:

Au

Or

Kutoka kwenye hadithi ya marfu' pia ni pale Sahaba anaposema:

From the marfu' report is also when the Sahābi says:

Hata kama hawakuihusisha na Mtume, kwa kuwa hili linaonyesha idhini. Vivyo hivyo, kauli ya Anas ibn Malik inachukuliwa kuwa ni riwaya ya marfu' pale alipoyasema:

Even if they did not attribute it to the Prophet  because this indicates a consent. Similarly, the saying of Anas ibn Malik is considered as a marfu' report when he said:

Na Anas alipokuwa akisema;

And when Anas said ;

Vivyo hivyo, tafsīr ya Maswahaba inayohusu sababu ya kuteremka kwa aya (asbāb al-nuzūl) iko chini ya hukumu ya riwaya ya marfūʿ. Chochote kingine kutoka katika tafsīr ya Maswahaba hakizingatiwi kuwa sehemu ya Hadīth. Hii ni kwa sababu Maswahaba walifanya ijtihādi nyingi katika kufafanua Qur’ani, na kwa sababu hiyo walitofautiana. Pia tunaona kuwa wengi wao walikuwa wakisimulia israʾiliyyāt kutoka kwa watu wa Kitabu. Ndiyo maana tafsīr yao haichukuliwi kuwa sehemu ya Hadīth, achilia mbali kuchukuliwa kuwa Hadīth marfūʿ.

Similarly the tafsīr of the Sahabah concerning the cause of revelation comes under the rule of the marfu' report. Anything other than that from the tafsīr of the Sahabah is not considered part of the hadīth. This is because the Sahabah performed many Ijtihāds in explaining the Qur’ān and they disagreed as a result. Also we find many of them used to narrate israiliyyat from the people of the Book. That is why their tafsīr is not considered part of the hadīth let alone be considered as a marfu' hadīth.

2. Mawqūf: Ni simulizi kutoka kwa Maswahaba kwa mujibu wa kauli zao na vitendo vyao, na matumizi yake yanahusu Sahabi huyo mahsusi. Isnadi yake inaweza kuwa endelevu au iliyokatika. Ni simulizi ambalo wanazuoni wengi wa fiqhi na wa hadith pia hulita athar. Mawqūf haitoi hoja (hujjah) kwa sababu Allah {…} amesema.

2. Mawqūf: It is the narration from the Sahabah in terms of their saying and action, its application is specific to the Sahābi. Its isnād can be continuous or broken. It is the report many of the Fuqaha and muhaddithun also call athar. The mawqūf does not establish a proof (hujjah) because Allah  said:

Maana yake ni: kile kinacholetwa kwako kutoka kwa mtu mwingine asiyekuwa Mtume, usukichukue. Kwa hiyo, hakina nguvu ya hoja (hujjah) kwa mtu yeyote isipokuwa kikitoka kwa Mtume wa Allah ﷺ. Haijuzu kukihusisha na Mtume wa Allah ﷺ, kwa sababu ni dhana tu ya uwezekano na si dhana iliyo na nguvu (zann), na uwezekano hautambuliwi.

The understanding is: whatever is brought to you from other than the Messenger  do not take it. Therefore, it is not a proof (hujjah) for anyone except when it is from the Messenger of Allah . It is not permitted to ascribe it to the Messenger of Allah  because it is a mere possibility and not a preponderant opinion (zann) and possibilities are not recognised.

3. Maqtu': Si sawa na munqati'. Isnadi inasimama kwa Tabi'i; kwa upande wa kauli yake na kitendo chake. Hoja haithibitishwi kwa hadithi hii, nayo ni dhaifu zaidi kuliko mawquf.

3. Maqtu': It is not the same as munqati'. The chain stops at the Tabi'i; in terms of his saying and action. A proof is not established by it and it is weaker than the mawqūf.