Abstract
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) is highly recognized as an eminent scholar of Hadith, particularly due to his tremendous work in the sciences of Hadith (Prophetic tradition). The scholar has made explicit efforts toward naming a variety of Hadith-related concepts and their classifications. Ibn Hajar often refers to Hadith-related terminologies with certain connotations that were not used by earlier scholars, such as the term al-Hadith al-Muhkam (perfect hadith). This term, alongside its usage, in particular, has been misunderstood by students and scholars of Hadith. As such, investigating the meaning and usage of the term becomes imperative. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the term al-Hadith al-Muhkam as used by Ibn Hajar as well as its connotation. The study utilized an inductive-analytical method in which evidence from Hadith books and Quranic verses was considered to obtain valid outcomes. The study revealed that Ibn Hajar coined and used the term al-Hadith al-Muhkam as a category of Hadith. Although scholars, such as Al-Hakim, pointed to the meaning of al-Muhkam, they did not enumerate the term as a category of Hadith. Additionally, Ibn Hajar defined the term as any acceptable Hadith that is free from disagreement with similar narrations. To the best of our knowledge, prior studies have not investigated the usage and connotation of al-Hadith al-Muhkam from the viewpoint of Ibn Hajar. In particular, this study could advance our understanding of al-Hadith al-Muhkam as a Hadith-related terminology and its connotation.