What are the subjects covered in Hadith literature?
The reports in Hadith books are largely of the following kinds: • Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad about the basic teachings and practices of Islam, such as beliefs, prayer, fasting, etc. • His Sayings on various practical aspects of life, such as family life, business dealings, the law, food and drink, moral qualities, etc. • Apart from Sayings, the actions and personal example of the Holy Prophet which illustrate his teachings and go to show how he put them into practice (e.g., reports of how he said his prayers, what he did during the days of fasting, how he gave in charity, etc.) • Reports about what sort of a person the Holy Prophet Muhammad was, his everyday life, his noble character, his dealings with friend and foe, the important events in his life, etc. • Prophecies of the Holy Prophet relating to the future of Islam, the Muslims, and mankind generally. Are all the recorded reports in Hadith true and genuine? No, not every single one. The people who passed on these reports
