Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to collect the chains of transmission (isnads) and wordings of the ḥadīth of the one who performed his prayer incorrectly, to provide an extensive scholarly takhrīj (hadith authentication), to examine its chains of transmission, and to identify the soundly preserved version in both text and chain. It also seeks to clarify the rulings and benefits derived from the ḥadīth and to discuss the principles and guidelines that some scholars have deduced from it. Methods: The study adopts an inductive, critical, and analytical approach. The narration of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and that of Rifa'ah (may Allah be pleased with him) were each treated with independent takhrīj. The research expands considerably in the takhrīj in order to distinguish the preserved wordings from the unpreserved ones. Conclusions: The study concludes that hadith of the one who prayed incorrectly was studied through the narrations of Abu Hurayrah and Rifa'ah (may Allah be pleased with them all). The study demonstrated the importance of giving due attention to explaining hadiths and understanding them properly. Moreover, the expanded takhrij of the two narrations showed that the hadith of Abu Hurayrah was agreed upon by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim) in their collections; therefore, it is authentic and free from any fundamental problem. However, differences occurred in some of its chains of transmission, and its text includes certain additional wordings reported outside the Ṣaḥīḥ collections, some of which are not authentic. As for the hadith of Rifa'ah, there is extensive disagreement regarding its chains of transmission and wordings, which indicates that it is a confused (muḍṭarib) narration and therefore not authentic.