Hadith Commentary: Continuity And Change

Hadith commentary has been a central site of Islamic intellectual life for more than a millennium, across diverse periods, regions and sects. This volume of scholarly essays explores the key texts and critical themes of hadith commentary, unfolding chronologically from the early centuries of Islam to the modern period. It features studies by international experts on Sunnis, Shi'is and Sufis who interpret and debate the meaning of hadith across different regions including Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and India. The volume models a variety of methodological approaches, such as social history, intellectual history, the study of religion, and digital history. By highlighting both differences and commonalities as the practice of hadith commentary circulated across distant eras and lands, it sheds new light on the way Muslims have historically understood the meaning of Muhammad's ﷺ example.