The First to Formally Write Hadith

Abstract

It is widespread in most past and contemporary research that the first person to collect the Prophet's Hadith in a separate book was Imam Muhammad ibn Muslim Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhri (124 AH), after he was instructed to do so by the Umayyad Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz (101 AH).This study discusses the issue of "the first to formally write Hadith". In this study, the concept of "Tadween" or formal writing of Hadith will be clarified, and it will be pointed out that the intended meaning of (Tadween), or formal documentation is writing the Prophet's Hadith and collecting it in arranged papers with the aim of circulating and publishing it among people. The study also shows the difference between the sporadic writings that existed in the prophetic era, and (formal documentation) in a separate book.Afterwards, the study addresses the scientific error in the saying: The first to start to formally document Hadith was Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhri, as the one who instructed Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhri to write the Hadith was another Caliph who ascended to the throne four years after Omar bin Abdul Aziz, namely the Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abdul Malik (125 AH). The study concludes that the Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-'Aziz instructed another person to write the Hadith and this person was Imam Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Hazm (135 AH), who was probably the first person to start formally documenting the Hadith.