The Hadith are traditionally believed to be the words of the Prophet, memorised by his followers and eventually written down in the second century. However, for years Western scholars have been questioning their validity, and saying their link with the Prophet is tenuous. This book concentrates on the origins of the views presented in the Hadith and compares them with those of the Qur'an, focusing on the areas of fasting, prayer and marriage, and examining their treatment in exegetical literature before they passed into legal and ritual writings. It is a clear introduction to a complicated set of arguments.

Introduction: Hadith Studies -- The Mission of the Prophet -- The Islamic Tradition -- The Political Dimension of the Hadith -- The Study of the Hadith -- The Theological Dimension of the Hadith -- The Verification of the Hadith -- The Hadith Collections -- The Western Approach to the Hadith -- Conclusions: ijma' (Consensus) versus sunna.