一段圣训要被视为可靠（沙希赫），其传述链上的每一位传述者都必须具备公正品德（阿德拉）和完全的精确记忆（塔姆·阿德-达ㄅㄅ特），即完全准确。他在传述该圣训时必须理智、神智健全、已成年，并且是穆斯林。

A hadith is authentic if every narrator in a chain of transmission is of probity adala] and thoroughly accurate [tamm al-dabbt]. He must be intelligent, sane, mature and Muslim at the time of narrating the hadith.

"正直"（'adālah）意味着叙述者是一个敬畏神[Taqwa]的人；他不说谎，不犯大罪。如果偶尔犯了大罪，他会立即悔改。这样的人也尽量避免小罪，即使犯了，也不会持续坚持。此人避免任何形式的悖逆[fisq]和淫秽行为[fahsh]，并具有清晰的荣誉感。他不做那些在伊斯兰社会中被视为可耻或不体面的事情。例如，他不会在公共场合站着小便，或站着吃喝。

Probity means that the narrator is a person of Taqwa [God-fearing]; he is not a liar and does not commit major sins. If by any chance a major sin is committed, he repents immediately. Such a person also avoids minor sins as much as possible and if he does, he is not consistent upon them. This person avoids transgression [fisq] and sexual misconduct [fahsh] of any kind and has a clear sense of honor. He does not commit such acts as are looked upon as disgraceful or disreputable in Islamic society. For example, he will not urinate or eat and drink while standing in public.

“精确可靠之人”[al-tamm al-dabbt]指传述者极其聪慧。此人必须拥有强健的记忆力，以保存圣训的确切措辞。同时，词句必须准确记住，不容有任何关于其真实性的怀疑。

A thoroughly accurate person [al-tamm al-dabbt] means that the narrator is extremely intelligent. This person must possess a strong memory so as to preserve the exact wordings of the hadith. It is also important that the words are memorized accurately, leaving no room for doubt about it being authentic.

如果上述标准被每一位传述人所满足，从圣门弟子直到最后一位传述人，那么这段圣训才是可靠的（sahih）。如果所有条件都得到满足，那么这段圣训就是本身可靠（sound-in-itself）的传述。如果某位传述人记忆力欠佳，或被报道品行不良，但该圣训有其他圣训作为佐证，那么这段圣训就是健全（sound）的传述。

If the aforementioned criteria are fulfilled by every narrator, from Sahaba to the last narrator, only then will a hadith be authentic. If all the requirements are fulfilled, then the hadith is a sound- in-itself narration . If a narrator is lacking in sharpness of memory or is reported to be of bad character but the hadith is corroborated by other ahadith, the hadith is a sound narration.

如果传述人在某方面的品德有所欠缺，足以使圣训被削弱，且没有其他圣训加以佐证，这样的传述被称为“可接受的传述”（hasan，哈桑）。

If the narrator is lacking in some character, which calls for a weakening of the hadith and it is not corroborated by other ahadith, it is called a fair narration [hasan].

如果一段圣训的真实性或良好性所要求的条件，在一位或多位传述者身上未能满足，那么这段圣训就是弱的。例如，如果某位传述者不具备正直品德，或者不够精确可靠，并且这一缺陷影响了圣训的真实性，那么这段圣训就会降级为弱圣训。

If the criteria that makes a hadith authentic or fair is not found in one or more than one narrators, then the hadith is weak. For example, if the narrator does not possess probity or is not thoroughly accurate, and the authenticity of the hadith is affected by it, the hadith will be degraded to a weak hadith.

圣训主要分为四个分支。这些分支决定了圣训如何以及在何种状况下传到我们这里。

There are four main branches of hadith. These branches determine how and in what condition the hadith reaches us:

1. mutawatir（متواتر，大量传述的圣训） 大量传述的圣训（mutawatir）是指一段圣训在每一代都由人数众多的传述者转述，以至于人们无法想象他们会串通起来伪造它。

1. A mass-transmitted hadith [mutawatir] A mass-transmitted hadith is a hadith that is transmitted from one generation to the next in such large numbers, that one could not imagine that they conspired to forge it.

2. 一则广为人知的圣训［Mashhur］ 广为人知的圣训是指，在每一代人之间，有三人或三人以上传述同一则圣训的圣训。这类圣训也被称为mustafid。

2. A well-known hadith [mashhur] A well-known narration is a hadith in which three people or more narrated a hadith from one generation to the next. This hadith is also called mustafid.

3. 罕见圣训【'Aziz】 罕见圣训是指在每一代传述中，都有两人或两人以上传述同一段圣训的圣训。

3. A rare hadith [aziz] A rare narration is a hadith in which two people or more narrated a hadith from one generation to the next.

4. 孤独圣训 [gharib] 孤独圣训是指在整个传述链中，只有一人传述该圣训的圣训。

4. A solitary hadith [gharib] A solitary hadith is a hadith in which only one person narrated a hadith throughout the transmission.

其他术语也被使用:

Other terminologies are also used:

5. 反常的圣训（Shaadh） 一段真实可靠的圣训，但它与其他比它更可靠的圣训相矛盾。

5. An anomalous hadith A hadith that is authentic, but which conflicts with other ahadith that are more authentic than itself.

6. 一则被保留的圣训 一则真实可靠的圣训，但与另一些可靠性较低的圣训相冲突。

6. A preserved hadith A hadith which is authentic, but which conflicts with other ahadith that are less authentic than itself.

7. 被否定的圣训【munkar】：一段薄弱的圣训，且与其他真实可靠的圣训相矛盾。

7. A declined hadith [munkar] A hadith that is weak and which conflicts with other ahadith that are authentic.

8. 被接受的圣训：指传述人可靠的圣训，与传述人较弱的圣训相冲突的情况。

8. An accepted hadith A hadith having a strong narrator and conflicts with a hadith whose narrator is weak.

这是对圣训学者所用术语的一个简要总结。若想了解更详尽的术语表和圣训学术语的解释，可以查阅圣训学者的著作。不过，上述内容已足以让人理解本书以及圣训的实际情况。圣训学者的大部分术语对多数人而言都是行话，因为很少有人能够理解。

This is a summary of some of the terminologies used by the hadith masters. A more elaborate glossary and explanation of hadith terminology can be looked up in the works of the hadith masters. However the aforementioned is sufficient enough for one to understand this book and the reality of the hadith. Most of the nomenclature of the hadith masters is jargon for most people, as few will understand it.