TRACED TRUTH

Mutawatir Reports

Mutawaatir vs. Aahaad

Mutawaatir (Mass Transmitted) Ahadith are those Ahadith which are narrated with an unspecified number of chains, such that there are a large number of them. Aahaad Ahadith is the name given to Ahadith that do not reach the level of Tawaatur (Mass Transmission). Through Mutawatir Ahaadith, we get to know of events that happened for sure in the past, as it is not possible for so many people to get together in such circumstances to come together and fabricate a report. There are three conditions for a Mutawatir report:

  1. It must be transmitted by a group of many people.
  2. It should be impossible for all of them to collaborate on a lie.
  3. It should be reporting something that can be observed using the senses.

Example of Mutawatir Ahadith:

مَن كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا، فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ

[The Prophet ﷺ said]: Whoever lies upon me intentionally, then let him take his seat in the Hellfire.

Notice how such a crucial statement, that is absolutely necessary to ensure authenticity is massly transmitted. Which believer would dare lie upon the Prophet ﷺ after hearing something like this?

Example of a miracle transmitted by Tawaatur:

سأل أهل مكة النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - آية ، فانشق القمر بمكة مرتين

The people of Makkah asked the Prophet ﷺ for a sign, so the moon split in Makkah twice.

This same incident is mentioned in multiple narrations from numerous companions of the Prophet ﷺ, as is mentioned by the medieval scholar Ibn Kathir in his exegesis of the Great Qur'aan. Glory be to Allaah. Is this not enough evidence?

It is good to know that this is merely one out of the numerous miracles recorded by means of mass transmission.