Allah (swt) said in the Qur’an:” Verily, those persons who conceal what We have brought down from clarification and revealed guidance, after We have explained them to mankind in the Holy Book, will be cursed and condemned by all creation.” (Al-Baqarah: 159)..

The Prophet (saw) said:” People who are present (hearing my hadith) need to relate it to people who are not present, for it is hoped that people to whom the hadith is related are better retentive in memory and better in ability to understand than its relater.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The religion of Islam is meant for the whole human race, from one generation to another, and everywhere, till the end of the world. The Prophet (saw) left a bequest – every person who heard his hadith and the teachings he brought must relate them to those who have not heard them before.”

Thus, it is clear that the task for propagating a hadith is a religious decree, which is not made the duty of anyone in particular by appointment, but becomes by itself a bounden duty of everyone, who attends a gathering where he hears a religious lecture, or hears a hadith being mentioned. This task he needs to carry out with integrity and sincerity.

In carrying out this duty – passing on hadiths and religious teachings from one to the other – one need not be fully conversant with the hadith and the religious matter in question, as long as is sincere, honest, and earnest.

A person to whom a hadith or a religious matter is conveyed should accept what is conveyed to him. The question of whether he understand or accepts it in the same way transmitter understands and accepts it, is something else and is not important. He is free to interpret it according to what he thinks, on the basis of definite criteria allowable in religion.

It can be said that anyone who transmits a hadith or religious matter derived from the Messenger of Allah (saw) need not himself be an expert. He will surely be rewarded for his efforts. He is included in the master role of men of religion.

The Prophet (saw) also said:” Convey what you get from me, even one sentence only; and tell it (what has reached you) about sons of Israel, and (in that) there is no wrong (if you do not tell). And, (remember) whoever lies about me deliberately, he has to prepare his place in Hell.” (Bukhari)

Generally, religious knowledge must not be concealed. In fact, every person who knows it, is obliged to convey what he knows to the person who does not yet know – whether it be a sentence from the Holy Qur’an, a hadith or a decree. If this is done, knowledge, decrees and laws of Islam will be spread widely among mankind, as this is the intended mission of the Messenger of Allah and his followers.

In transmitting what the Prophet (saw) said, one has to be careful not to say anything differently or untruthfully. In relating about what came from the Prophet (saw) everyone must be specially careful, so that he does not make a mistake or commit a fault towards him by quoting him as the source of something which is not true.

To impute something untrue or false to the Messenger of Allah (saw) is very bad in its implications on the teaching and laws of Allah brought by him. For that reason, the person guilty of such misdeed deserves the most severe punishment coming to him, as warned in this hadith.

Al-Ubbi, a well-known hadith specialist, and commentator of Sahih Muslim, reminds us:” Things which are close to falsehood or of the semblance of falsehood are uttering words in hadiths of the Prophet (saw) in incorrect pronunciation. So, every person who is of faith must exercise utmost care concerning this matter.” 

It becomes a responsibility for a student of hadith to study the Arabic language and its grammar to such an extent as will save him from uttering the words of hadiths in an incorrect way and thereby impairing its real intentions, with bad results.

For readers of hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (saw) it is necessary that they listen to and accept the hadiths direct from the mouth of a hadith expert or specialist, who always preserves correct pronunciation.

(Prepared by Abdul Muhaemin Karim)