Sahih Muslim and Its Distinction
Hafiz Ibn ‘Asakir and Imam al-Hakim mention that Imam Muslim intended to compile his book *Sahih Muslim* in two parts. He planned for the **first section** to contain authentic ahadith narrated by first-tier narrators (*Tabaqah Ula*) and the **second section** to contain authentic ahadith from second-tier narrators (*Tabaqah Thaniyah*).
However, Imam Muslim passed away after completing only the first section. Thus, *Sahih Muslim* remains limited to narrations from first-tier narrators and is considered a work from the final stage of his scholarly life.
*Sahih Muslim* represents the peak of his mastery in hadith sciences. All of Imam Muslim’s prior efforts, though complete in themselves, can also be viewed as preparation and groundwork for this monumental compilation. A book like *Sahih Muslim* could only be written after complete command over narrators (*rijal*), hadith texts (*matn*), and hidden defects (*‘ilal*).
At that time, the seekers of hadith were in search of a concise yet comprehensive book that would include only authentic narrations of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, encompassing matters of religious practices, laws, rewards and punishments, and issues to avoid or adopt— A book that contained reliable isnads approved by scholars of hadith, arranged in an orderly and non-redundant way, and one that could serve as a self-sufficient reference for understanding, reflection, and legal derivation in Islam. [*Muqaddimah Sahih Muslim*, p. 4]
Imam Muslim recognized this need of the Ummah and, realizing the significance and benefits of such a book, took on the responsibility of compiling a relatively brief collection of only the most authentic ahadith from the vast ocean of hadith literature.
Regarding the criteria for inclusion, Imam Muslim laid down a fundamental condition for his book: **“The isnad must be continuous, with each narrator being trustworthy, narrating from another trustworthy person, from the beginning of the chain to the end, and the hadith must be free from both irregularities (*shudhudh*) and hidden defects (*‘ilal*).”**
