The science of ḥadīth is among the most important and detailed disciplines within Islamic scholarship. Through its precise principles and carefully developed methodologies, scholars of ḥadīth laid the foundations by which narrations could be examined, verified, and classified. By the permission of Allah ﷻ, these principles enable us to distinguish authentic reports from weak or fabricated ones that are falsely attributed to the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ.
Through mastery of these rules, millions of Prophetic narrations have been preserved and compiled in authoritative collections such as Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. This meticulous preservation stands as one of the greatest intellectual and spiritual achievements in Islamic history.
Among the scholars who contributed greatly to teaching and systemising the principles of ḥadīth classification was ʿUmar ibn Muḥammad ibn Futūḥ al-Bayqūnī, a well-known Shāfiʿī scholar of Syria. He authored the famous didactic poem known as al-Bayqūnīyyah, which serves as a foundational primer in the science of ḥadīth.
This concise and eloquent ode consists of thirty-four couplets, each addressing a different category of ḥadīth grading. Due to its clarity and structure, it has become a standard text that students of knowledge memorise and study as an entry point into this noble science.
In this series, Uways aṭ-Ṭawīl presents and explains al-Bayqūnīyyah using the scholarly insights of leading authorities such as Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar, ʿAbdullāh al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad Bāzmūl, and others. These explanations help students connect classical scholarship with practical application and deeper understanding.
For those who are memorising the text, the PDF of the Arabic version can be accessed here:
This series is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to strengthen their foundation in the science of ḥadīth and to appreciate the precision with which the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ has been preserved.
May Allah ﷻ grant us beneficial knowledge, sincere intentions, and the ability to act upon what we learn. Āmīn.
