The Methodology of Ahmad ibn Hajar Al-Haytami (d. 974 AH) in Hadith Criticism: Through His Book Ithaf Ahl Al-Islam bi-Khususiyyat Al-Siyam

Abstract

This research explores Al-Haytami’s methodology of Hadith criticism in Ithaf Ahl Al-Islam bi-Khususiyyat Al-Siyam, focusing on his techniques for attributing narrations, evaluating narrators’ reliability, and analyzing Hadith texts. Structured into an introduction, two main sections, and a conclusion, the study first outlines Al-Haytami’s biography and his book, then examines his critical approach to isnad and matn, his handling of rare terminology, conflicting narrations, and his jurisprudential and exegetical methods. Employing descriptive analysis in the first section and analytical-critical methods in the second, the research finds that Al-Haytami compiled a wide range of fasting-related Hadiths, from authentic to weak and even fabricated, often relying on authoritative scholars to clarify issues of narrator reliability and textual authenticity. It also highlights his inconsistent source attribution, noting that while he sometimes organized citations chronologically by authors’ death dates, he frequently departed from this pattern.