Sunan Ibn Majah

Read ahadith recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, a venerated collection of Ahadith in Islam compiled by Imam Muhammad bin Yazid Ibn Majah al-Qazvini (rahimahullah). The work, which is highly regarded by all scholars, is packed with all the teachings and acts of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and is recorded and determined by their detailed explanation reflecting the Islamic values.

Amongst the pages of this compilation, there are layers of rich wisdom for the guidance of the whole ummah. From moral guidance to practical advice, this compilation is full of teachings that go with Muslims worldwide.With our website's comprehensive guide to Sunan Ibn Majah, you can easily go through different areas of the compilation, search through the database, and gain insightful analysis that'll help you explore and deeply understand the fundamentals and essentials of Islam through its teachings.

Let's begin the spiritual journey as we discover the hidden depths of Sunan Ibn Majah, exploring and understanding the lessons taught to make ourselves better Muslims.

Sunan Ibn Majah

سنن ابن ماجه

Sunan Ibn Majah is a collection of hadith compiled by Ibn Mājah. It is widely considered to be the sixth of the six canonical collection of hadith (Kutub as-Sittah) of the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ). It consists of 4341 ahadith in 37 books.

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Current Location: Islamabad, Pakistan

The compilation of Sunan Ibn Majah is not just a mere book. It is among six of the major and extremely revered ahadith collections, also known as Kitub al-Sittah. These collections serve as a primary source for understanding and practicing Islam and represent the essence of the Holy Prophet's (ﷺ) teachings, actions, and guidance meant for the enlightenment of the whole ummah.

Sunan ibn Majah, specifically, is specially held on a high pedestal because of its uniqueness, as it includes around 1,329 hadiths that are not found elsewhere in the Kutub al-Sittah. Ibn Majah traveled extensively for over 15 years to confirm his sources and gain knowledge from prominent Hadith scholars across the Islamic world, which resulted in a wide range of sources for his collection. The Hadiths were then meticulously selected and organized according to topics and the reliability of the chain of narrators (Isnad).

It is imperative that the Hadiths are reliable as they are crucial in understanding Islam in a better way. Hadiths provide practical applications of Quranic principles, and by implementing their teachings in our lives, Muslims strive to emulate the Prophet Muhammad's exemplary conduct. 

About Ibn Majah

Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Yazīd ibn Mājah al-Rabʿī al-Qazwīnī, commonly known as Ibn Mājah, distinguishes himself as a prominent scholar in the Islamic world in the fields of Hadith and Islamic jurisprudence. He was born in Qazwin, Persia (modern-day Iran), under the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate, which is considered by many the golden age of Islam. 

The mission of his life revolved around the study and preservation of Hadith (the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad). Ibn Majah's intellectual career was distinguished by an uncompromising dedication to thoroughness, attention to detail, and a true conviction in his faith.

Throughout his whole life, Ibn Majah was concerned with the rigorous work of collecting, verifying, and categorizing Hadith. At the same time, he traveled extensively to find authentic narrations and consult with well-known scholars from different parts of the Islamic world. His devotion to safeguarding the authenticity of the Prophet's instructions earned him legendary status as one of the most comb attention in his Islamic studies. 

The final product of his efforts was a complete collection of Hadith known as Sunan Ibn Majah, and to this very day, it remains a valuable source for scholars and Muslims around the world, especially in the field of Islamic jurisprudence. Ibn Majah not only made a huge contribution to the compilation of Sunan Ibn Majah but also to the Islamic Scholarship as a whole. He, due to his highly detailed approach and impressive scholarly intellect, served as the model to follow for the coming generations of Hadith transmitters. 

Subsequently, he became the guide for Muslim scholars who wanted to receive superior theological education and acquire truthful knowledge about their faith. Ibn Majah's legacy in Islamic scholarship shows how his complete dedication, professionalism, and superior reverence for the prophetic narrative are the reasons for his long-lasting influence.

Structure of Sunan Ibn Majah

Sunan Ibn Majah is divided into 37 books (kutub) encompassing various themes of Islamic life, practices, and beliefs. Some examples include:

  • The Book of Purification and its Sunnah
  • The Book of Prayer
  • The Book of Zakat 
  • The Book of Marriage
  • The Book of Jihad

Each book is then further divided into numerous chapters (abwaab) that are focused on specific topics within the broader theme of the book. Each chapter then has individual Hadith narrations, and each Hadith narration is made up of 2 parts, i.e., Isnad and Matan. 

Matan is the main text of the Hadith and contains the Prophet's (ﷺ) sayings, actions, or approvals, while Isnad is the chain of narrators that have transmitted the Hadith, tracing it back to the Prophet PBUH.

While there, unfortunately, isn't a documented record of Imam ibn Majah's exact selection criteria for hadiths, scholars generally believe he followed the common practices of his era for Hadith evaluation, which included Isnad reliability, contextual compatibility, and textual analysis.

Explanation of Methods of Classification and Annotation:

The Ahadith in Ibn Majah have been carefully evaluated and then arranged through an intense procedure.

  • Isnad reliability: It was crucial that each narrator in the chain of narrators was trustworthy, had a good memory, and was reliable
  • Contextual compatibility: It was made sure that the context of the Hadith was compatible with the teachings and values of Islam and was not in contradiction with any of it.
  • Textual analysis: No inconsistencies or irregularities would have to be present.

Explanation of Terms

Below are a few of the terms that you may encounter while exploring Sunan Ibn Majah.

  • Hadith: (pl. Ahadith) Sayings, actions, or approvals of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) transmitted through a chain of narrators. They are considered a secondary source of Islamic guidance alongside the Quran.
  • Sunnah: The Prophet's (ﷺ) practices and traditions, encompassing his behavior, teachings, and approvals. Studying Hadith is a way of understanding and following the Sunnah.
  • Isnad: The chain of narrators transmitting a Hadith. It starts with the Companion (sahaba), who heard it from the Prophet (ﷺ), and continues down through subsequent narrators who heard it from each other. The reliability of an Isnad is crucial for evaluating the Hadith's authenticity.
  • Sahih Hadith: A Hadith with a strong, uninterrupted chain of reliable narrators, considered authentic and trustworthy.
  • Hasan Hadith: A Hadith with a good chain of narrators, but not as strong as a Sahih Hadith. It may be considered a good source of guidance.
  • Dai’f Hadith: A Hadith with a weak chain of narrators, considered unreliable and not used for deriving Islamic rulings.
  • Kutub al-Sittah: The "Six Books," referring to the six most trusted and revered collections of Sunni Hadith, including Sunan Ibn Majah.
  • Fiqh: Islamic jurisprudence, the process of deriving legal rulings (ahkam) from the Quran and authentic Hadith.
  • Tafsir: Quranic commentary, explaining the meaning and interpretation of the Quranic verses.

Explain Search and Navigation Tools

The Muslim and Quran app and website offer user-friendly search and navigation utilities, making it much easier to find a specific Hadith or different topics, leading to a better understanding and close relationship with Islamic principles.