Hadith & Sunnah MCQs With Answers
After the Quran, examiners turn to the second source of Islamic law. This set of Hadith MCQs tests the Sihah Sitta and their compilers (Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Nasai and Ibn Majah), Muwatta Imam Malik, Hadith Qudsi, the Hadith of Jibreel, Isnad and Matn, and grades such as Sahih, Hasan, Daif, Mutawatir, Marfu, Mawquf and Mawdu, along with Sunnah Muakkadah and the great narrators Abu Hurairah (RA) and Hazrat Aisha (RA). It is solid preparation for the Islamiat portion of PPSC, FPSC, CSS, PMS and teaching tests.
Take a scored quiz instead →What is the sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) called?
Hadith literature records the Prophet's (PBUH) statements, actions, and tacit approvals, forming the second major source of Islamic law after the Quran.
Which collection of Hadith is considered the most authentic by most Sunni scholars?
Compiled by Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, Sahih Al-Bukhari is widely regarded as the most authentic hadith collection after the Quran itself.
Who compiled Sahih Muslim?
Sahih Muslim, compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, is considered the second most authentic hadith collection after Sahih Al-Bukhari.
What is the collective name for the six most trusted Sunni Hadith collections?
"Sihah Sitta" (the Authentic Six) refers to the collections of Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, An-Nasai, and Ibn Majah.
Who compiled the “Muwatta,” one of the earliest hadith and law compilations?
Imam Malik ibn Anas compiled the Muwatta, blending hadith with the practiced legal customs of Madinah, making it one of the earliest surviving Islamic legal texts.
What grade is given to a hadith with a complete, reliable chain of narration and no defects?
A "Sahih" (authentic) hadith meets the highest standard of reliability in terms of chain of narrators and content.
What is a “weak” hadith, whose chain or content fails to meet strict criteria, called?
A "Da'if" (weak) hadith has some deficiency in its chain of transmission or content that lowers confidence in its authenticity.
What term describes a hadith narrated by so many people at every stage that fabrication is practically impossible?
A "Mutawatir" hadith has such a large number of independent narrators at each stage of transmission that collusion or error is virtually ruled out.
What is the chain of narrators through which a hadith is transmitted called?
The "Isnad" (or sanad) is the chain of narrators tracing a hadith back to the Prophet (PBUH), used by scholars to assess its authenticity.
What is the actual text/content of a hadith called?
The "Matn" refers to the wording or content of a hadith, as distinct from its chain of narration (isnad).
Who compiled “Sunan Abu Dawood”?
Sunan Abu Dawood, compiled by Imam Abu Dawood as-Sijistani, focuses heavily on hadiths relevant to Islamic law and jurisprudence.
Who compiled “Jami at-Tirmidhi”?
Imam Abu Isa Muhammad at-Tirmidhi compiled this collection, notable for grading each hadith's authenticity and noting differing juristic opinions.
What is the study of the reliability of hadith narrators called?
"Ilm-ur-Rijal" (science of narrators/biography) evaluates the character, memory, and reliability of each narrator in a hadith's chain.
What is a hadith in which the Prophet (PBUH) narrates directly from Allah, though not part of the Quran, called?
A "Hadith Qudsi" (sacred hadith) conveys a divine statement in the Prophet's own words, distinct from the Quran which is the literal, unaltered word of Allah.
What does the term “Sunnah” refer to?
Sunnah refers to the teachings, practices, and example set by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which Muslims are encouraged to follow.
Who was the Prophet’s (PBUH) young wife known for narrating a large number of hadiths?
Hazrat Aisha (RA), known for her sharp intellect, is one of the most prolific narrators of hadith and a major source of knowledge on Islamic jurisprudence.
Which later scholar compiled the widely studied hadith collection and commentary known as “Riyad-us-Saliheen”?
Imam Nawawi compiled "Riyad-us-Saliheen" ("Gardens of the Righteous"), a widely read collection of hadith organized by moral and spiritual themes.
What two sources did the Prophet (PBUH) leave for the Muslim community to hold onto after him, according to the Farewell Sermon?
The Prophet (PBUH) stated that he was leaving behind the Quran and his Sunnah (example), and that the community would never go astray as long as they held firmly to both.
What is the term for a highly emphasized voluntary Sunnah practiced consistently by the Prophet (PBUH), rarely if ever omitted?
"Sunnah Muakkadah" refers to strongly emphasized voluntary practices the Prophet (PBUH) performed almost without exception, such as the Sunnah units before Fajr prayer.
What is the term for a less emphasized voluntary Sunnah, which the Prophet (PBUH) performed but sometimes left?
"Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah" refers to recommended but less consistently emphasized practices, offering more flexibility than Sunnah Muakkadah.
What is a collection of hadith organized according to the companion who narrated them, rather than by topic, called?
A "Musnad" collection, such as Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, arranges hadith by the name of the original narrating companion rather than by subject matter.
What is a hadith collection organized by legal/topical chapters, focused primarily on matters of jurisprudence, called?
"Sunan" collections, such as Sunan Abu Dawood, are organized according to topic (e.g., prayer, fasting, transactions), primarily focused on legal rulings.
What is a hadith called whose chain of narrators (isnad) has a break, with a narrator missing in the middle of the chain?
A Munqati (broken) hadith has a gap in its isnad, usually of one narrator, at a point in the middle of the chain.
Related terms: Mu'allaq (narrators missing at the start of the chain, on the compiler's side), Mursal (the Companion is missing) and Mu'dal (two or more consecutive narrators missing). Mutawatir is a hadith reported by so many narrators that fabrication is impossible, and Marfu is a report traced back to the Prophet (PBUH).
What is a hadith directly attributed to the Prophet (PBUH) himself, as opposed to a companion’s own statement, called?
"Marfu" (elevated/raised) refers to a hadith explicitly attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), whether describing his words, actions, or approvals.
What is a statement or ruling attributed only to a companion, not directly to the Prophet (PBUH), called?
"Mawquf" (stopped) refers to a report whose chain stops at a companion rather than being traced back to the Prophet (PBUH) himself.
What grading describes a hadith that is authentic overall but slightly weaker in its chain than a “Sahih” hadith?
"Hasan" (good) hadith is considered reliable and acceptable, though its chain may have a narrator with a slightly less perfect memory than required for the highest "Sahih" grade.
What is a fabricated hadith, falsely attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), called?
"Mawdu" (fabricated) refers to a report that scholars of hadith have determined was invented and falsely attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), and such reports are rejected.
What is the term for a hadith that does not reach the level of Mutawatir, however many chains it has?
A Hadith Ahad is any hadith whose narrators do not reach the very large number required for Mutawatir. It includes Mashhur (three or more narrators at every stage), Aziz (at least two) and Gharib (a single narrator at some stage), and it may still be Sahih or Hasan.
What is the general Arabic term for the entire structured body of hadith literature and its associated sciences?
"Ulum-ul-Hadith" (the sciences of hadith) refers to the comprehensive field of study covering hadith collection, classification, and authentication.
What is the term for a hadith that appears to contradict another authentic hadith, requiring scholarly reconciliation?
"Mukhtalif al-Hadith" (apparently conflicting hadith) is a specialized area of hadith scholarship dedicated to reconciling reports that seem contradictory on the surface.
What is the term for a hadith narrated by only one narrator at some point along its chain, even if otherwise considered reliable?
"Gharib" (rare/scarce) describes a hadith transmitted by only a single narrator at some point in its chain, a factor scholars weigh carefully in assessing its status.
What is the term for a hadith narrated by at least three separate chains at every stage, but not reaching the very high threshold of Mutawatir?
"Mashhur" (well-known) describes a hadith transmitted by three or more chains at each stage, more widely narrated than "Aziz" (two chains) but not reaching the certainty level of Mutawatir.
In which city was Imam Bukhari, compiler of Sahih Al-Bukhari, born?
Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari was born in the city of Bukhara, from which his name is derived, in present-day Uzbekistan.
What is the specific term for a scholar specializing in the study, collection, and verification of hadith?
A "Muhaddith" is a scholar specializing in hadith sciences, including narrator biography, chain verification, and grading.
Which scholar, known for his extensive commentary on Sahih Bukhari titled ‘Fath al-Bari,’ is considered a major authority in the field of Hadith?
- Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, a 14th-15th century scholar, authored the extensive and highly regarded commentary on Sahih Bukhari titled 'Fath al-Bari,' considered a major authoritative work within the field of Hadith studies.
- His meticulous scholarship addressed the chains of narration, textual meanings, and legal implications of the Hadiths compiled within Bukhari's collection.
- For exams, note that this commentary remains one of the most extensively referenced works for understanding the deeper context and implications of Sahih Bukhari.
Which of the following is NOT one of the Sihah Sitta (the six major Hadith collections)?
The Sihah Sitta are Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa'i and Sunan Ibn Majah.
The Muwatta of Imam Malik is one of the earliest Hadith collections but is not counted among the six. Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim together are called the Sahihayn.
Which famous Hadith outlines the essential pillars and articles of faith through a dialogue between the Prophet (PBUH) and a visiting stranger?
- The Hadith of Jibreel describes an encounter in which the Angel Jibreel, appearing in human form, questioned the Prophet (PBUH) about Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, allowing him to comprehensively outline the pillars and articles of faith for the companions present.
- It is considered a foundational text summarizing core Islamic beliefs and practices.
- For exams, remember that this Hadith is recorded in both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
The Hadith ‘Actions are judged by intentions’ emphasizes the importance of which concept?
- This well-known Hadith emphasizes the central importance of Niyyah, or intention, in Islamic worship and daily conduct, teaching that the value and reward of an action are determined by the sincerity and purpose behind it.
- It is often cited as one of the foundational principles in Islamic jurisprudence.
- For exams, note that this Hadith, known as the Hadith of Intentions, opens many classical collections, including Sahih Bukhari, due to its foundational significance.
Which companion is known as the most prolific narrator of Hadith?
- Abu Hurairah (RA) is recognized as the most prolific narrator of Hadith, having transmitted thousands of narrations due to his close and dedicated companionship with the Prophet (PBUH) over several years.
- His remarkable memory allowed him to preserve many detailed accounts of the Prophet's sayings and actions.
- For exams, note that despite embracing Islam relatively late, Abu Hurairah's dedication to learning and preserving Hadith made him a central figure in Islamic scholarship.
Which Hadith collection is specifically known for its detailed compilation of legal rulings (Ahkam)?
- Sunan Abu Dawood, compiled by Imam Abu Dawood as-Sijistani, is specifically known for its detailed focus on Hadiths related to legal rulings (Ahkam), making it a significant reference for Islamic jurisprudence.
- It is one of the six authentic books within the Sihah Sitta.
- For exams, remember that Imam Abu Dawood reportedly collected around 500,000 Hadiths before narrowing his final compilation to approximately 4,800 narrations.