English rendering of one of the most renowned Arabic didactic poems on

adth methodology (Ul al-adth)

Composed by Imm Umar ibn Muammad al-Bayqn al-Shfi (d.1080AH)
Rendered into English: a gift for Muslims all over,
By Al-Hud courses in mid-October [1436 Hijri]

1. To start with praise of He while prayers I send

Upon Amad; the best of prophets ever sent

2. Hadith are many types upon enumeration

With each one bearing its own definition.

3. Thus firstly comes a: Its chain is connected,

Without incongruity or being defected.

4. Narrated by upright, accurate persons,

Trusted in precision and transmissions.

5. asan is sound in transmission too,

But its men are unlike a in virtue.

6. af is what falls in rank below these two,

Its types number more than a few.

7. Marf is anything to the Prophet attributed,

Maqt is anything of a Follower related.

8. Musnad has a chain which we take,

To the Fount of Muaf without any break.

9. If each narrator relates from the one before,

Till Muaf, then its chain is Muttail for sure.

10. Musalsal bears a trait with the words stated,

Performed by each speaker when he narrated.

11. Like He spoke to me while standing straight,

Or he said with a smile on his face.

12. adith with two or so chains is Azz,

Mash-hr may have more but three at least.

13. Muanan is like this: Sad relates from Karam.

Unidentified narrator: the adth is Mubham.

14. li describes a chain with few narrators,

Its opposite is Nzil which has many relaters.

15. Words of a companion or his action:

Mawqf is the name of that classification.

16. Mursal chains omit a companion for sure.

While Gharb has one chain and no more.

17. If a report is not all the way connected,

Its chain is Munqai or disconnected.

18. Mual breaks at two consecutive places.

While Mudallas reports have two cases:

19a. Omitting the teacher from the chain on purpose,

Then relating from someone higher with words ambiguous.

20b. Not omitting the teacher - but its the same:

Calling him by an unfamiliar trait or name.

21. Shdh: A sound narrator contravenes a group.

As you read, there are two types of Maqlb:

22. Switching the names of narrators is one category,

Adding the wrong chain to a text is another variety.

23. Fard is the unique report of a person trustworthy,

Or that of a particular group, town or city.

24. Whatever contains a defect hidden or masked,

By them as Muallal such a report is classed.

25. Texts or chains with unsettled difference,

Are termed Muarib by the people of this science.

26. Mudraj is when the adth is related,

With some words of the narrator inserted.

27. Whatever is reported from someone of similar generationIt is Mudabbaj; take pride in this realisation.

28. Same sound and orthography, this is Muttafiq.

In contrast to this there is Muftariq.

29. Same orthography only, it is called Mutalif,

While its opposite is termed Mukhtalif.

30. Munkar: The peculiar report of someone weak,

Not worthy of relaying reports unique.

31. Matrk: an isolated report of a liar accused,

Unanimously weak; his words are disused.

32. The concocted lie with attribution,

To the Prophet, is Maw a fabrication.

33. Coming forth like pearls of the sea,

I have named this poem: the Ode of Al-Bayqn.

34. Complete with thirty four couplets, no less,

Each type explained, finished with goodness.