 of the ḥadīth in order to deeply understand its meaning and to practice it, all of this by linking it with the Book of God in complete clarity and fully reconciling between these two sources.
When the student combines these two matters in this way, he comes to the right way of differentiating between the Qurʾān and ḥadīth: that additional precaution is required with ḥadīth. This precaution is essential to realizing sound knowledge, and this was the approach of the predecessors of our ummah. Know that stripping ḥadīth reports of their isnād is an error of grave proportions which continues to afflict the ummah. I have previously authored two articles which can help in this regard: “Between Ḥadīth and Philosophy” and “the Neglect of the Scholars from the Way of the People of Ḥadīth.”
They asked: Can you let us know which book they should begin with, and how to proceed after that?
They must begin with the Muwaṭṭaʾ of Imām Mālik through the transmission of Yaḥyā b. Yaḥyā al-Laythī, along with a deep study of its isnāds in order to realize the methodology and caution of Mālik in accepting ḥadīth, and examining its contents for comprehension and application. When they complete the Muwaṭṭaʾ following all of these aspects, they should proceed to the Jāmiʿ of Abū ʿĪsā also studying its isnāds and meanings. They then move on to study Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, examining their chains and meanings. And then this same methodology is applied to the Sunan of Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah.
It is also essential for them to study some other seminal works such as the Muqaddimah of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, the ʿIlal of Tirmidhī, some portions from the Risālah of Imām Shāfiʿī, Maʿrifah ʿUlūm al-Ḥadīth of Ḥākim, the works of al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, the ʿIlal of Ibn Abū Ḥātim, the ʿIlal of Dāruquṭnī, and the Tārīkh of Bukhārī.
They said: But that would consume so much time!
This is what knowledge is: nothing other than exertion and struggle. Only those are blessed by it who have no other concern and no other preoccupation.
They asked: What is your opinion on studying Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn, Bulūgh al-Marām, and Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ?
This is the very same wrong approach which I warned you from. This is exactly what distorted in the minds and thoughts of the people the true meaning of ḥadīth. I am not denying that in the study of isnād-stripped books there is some benefit for the masses who are not students of ḥadīth.
They asked: Are not the books of fiqh stripped of isnād?
My thoughts on studying fiqh would be the same as my preceding thoughts on studying ḥadīth, only even harsher.
They asked: Please enlighten us.
I will devote a separate article to this, but look into what I have presented thus far and persist upon it if you desire traversing the path of truth and following the way of research and verification.
 A shādh, or anomalous, narration is one that is otherwise sound but conflicts with stronger narrations. In such a conflict the stronger narration is referred to as preserved (maḥfūẓ) and is accepted over the one of lesser strength.
 A munkar narration, like the anomalous one, conflicts with stronger evidences, but contains deeper, less benign, contradictions with often negative connotations or meanings. The converse of that, i.e. the strong narration that it is conflicting with, is referred to as maʿrūf, or accepted.
 Qurʾān and Sunnah.
 The Muwaṭṭaʾ of Imām Mālik of Madīnah (d. 179/795) was one of the first ḥadīth works compiled in the Islamic tradition and remains one of the most authentic works. It represented a subclass of the Muṣannaf genre of ḥadīth works, which were basically topically arranged fiqh-oriented ḥadīth works that represented the first organized works of Islamic scholarship. The Muwaṭṭaʾ is transmitted by many famous students of Mālik throughout the world, with slight variations based on when they studied with Imām Mālik (as his work was evolving). The version Dr. Akram is recommending to start with is that of his famous student Yaḥyā of Andalus (d. 234/848), who was one of the last students of Mālik to visit him in Madīnah. H