Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World (Foundations of Islam) Paperback – June 1, 2009

If you want a thorough but readable coverage of hadith--Islam's second scripture, considered by some to be of more practical importance to the legal tradition than the Qur'an--this is it. Brown's book covers the complex Muslim science of hadith criticism in an approachable way. It also gives the best short overview I have seen of Western criticism of the authenticity of hadith, covering not only the skeptics like Goldziher, but also Harald Motzki, who has argued that some hadith can be authenticated by standards that will satisfy non-believing Western scholars. The book also covers Shiite approaches to hadith and looks at ways in which hadith are approached within legal, theological, and mystical discourses. It closes with modern reassessments of hadith by Muslims. This book, for the first time, really, makes hadith accessible to non specialists. More importantly, it makes hadith much easier to teach. If you have come to this page and care enough to bother reading this review, get this book...yesterday!

Having worked among Muslims for almost a decade, I will say that this is probably the most well-written book on the subject. The author has been able to breakdown what are sometimes complicated issues and make them accessible to the non-muslim.

As a practicing Sunni Muslim and a high caliber Hadith scholar, who has tremendous respect for the roots of Hadith and scholars of the past, Prof. Brown managed to bring forth an unbiased and unparalleled work explaining not only Sunni Hadith tradition but also Shia understanding of this science. He also looks at the Hadith criticism from all possible and valid angles, such as traditional Sunni, Shia, Orientalist, modernist & revivalist Muslims, the "Only Qur'an" movement etc. While doing this, he is meticulous, impartial and through. I benefited a lot from this book and I recommend it highly..

There must be millions of us still left after reading through the Quran, to wonder "where are these people coming from?" Reading the Hadith is a crucial next step to understanding that - whether you use this particular volume, or a competing one. I bought it to read "as soon as possible" and life has gotten in the way - but I still want it on the shelf, and intend to read it through, probably before the end of the summer of 2013. It's a book to inform, not to entertain - but the world is in critical need of informational books

Amazing text that breaks down the science of Hadith. Though an introductory text, it is a deep and makes a great textbook for any college level class.

Incredible introduction to hadith sciences and the history of how we got to where we are today, including both Sunni and Shia history. He writes in an easy format to move the reader from little knowledge to a solid foundation of understanding how ahadith are authenticated and used today.

Good read

Love it. The Sufism chapter is excellent.

The epigraph on the flyleaf is an excerpt from Koran 5:32 and is entirely out of context and conveys an impression of peace. 'Whoever has saved one life, it is as if has saved all humanity.' Mr. Brown has quoted it just like that with a period at the end as if it is complete when it is not. In fact, in it's entirety this is quite a violent proclamation and is part of a revelation from Allah directed specifically to the Jewish people in a story taken from that of Cain and Abel in the Hebrew Bible. I will quote it here in it's entirety and in context including the following verse because the two go together. You can judge for yourself. Hilali/Khan translation but any will do.Koran 5:32Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allah by committing the major sins) in the land!.Koran 5:33The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter.

the dat before I have ordered it I was actually going through an interview/lecture of Mr brown which he had given in Zaytuna univ,calif,usa...and then I got really convinced about the author(fear of orintalist) By ALLAH'S will the next day I opened amazon and found a heavy discount on his book... although.earlier my eyes have gone through his book on amazon but I have not purchased it...I bought it....gone well through it...awsome piece....awesome work... great insight...the least i can say is MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU FOR IT.

This is a brilliant book. Jonathan Brown has produced a classic here that belongs on all bookshelves of any serious student of religion or history. Free from bias the book sets out to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the Muslim hadith scriptures including it's collection, transmission and function in legal theory, theology and various Islamic practices including Sufism. The chapter on the authenticity question is particularly well laid and enlightening and shows how far the debate has moved on from the now outdated Western positions of outright skepticism.

Some of the facts in this book is not digestible and writer has not considered the lies and fabrication of hadiths .

Brown’s text is probably the best bit of English-written scholarship on Hadith. It embraces the debates, polemics and rigorous surrounding perhaps one of the most contentious areas of Islam, while remaining scholarly detail and analytical. Brown maintains an easy to read posture which I appreciated