by his nickname, an epithet, his trade, or the name of his mother by which he is commonly known. It is recommended that, in a dictation session, he gather a number of his own teachers, giving precedence to the most outstanding among them. From each shaykh he should relate a single hadith, selecting those whose isnad (chain of transmission) is as high as possible, whose wording is concise, and whose benefit is clear. He should indicate the hadith’s soundness, the elevation of its chain, the lessons it contains, and any clarification of difficult points, while avoiding material that the audience cannot comprehend. He should close the session with stories, rare reports, and poetic citations, all with their chains of transmission, giving priority to what deals with asceticism, etiquette, and noble character. If the muhaddith falls short, or is too busy to extract the hadiths for dictation himself, he should seek assistance from some of the ḥuffāẓ. Once the dictation is finished, he must collate it carefully and perfect it. Allah knows best.

Type Twenty-Eight: The Etiquette of the Hadith Student

Some of its points have already been mentioned in scattered form. The student must correct his intention, seeking the knowledge sincerely for Allah Most High and guarding against using it to pursue worldly aims. He should ask Allah for success, accuracy, and ease, and adorn himself with fine character and proper manners. Next, he should exert his utmost effort in acquisition, listening to the most competent shaykhs in his land—those superior in isnad, knowledge, reputation, piety, and otherwise. When he has obtained what is essential from them, he should travel, as the distinguished hadith masters customarily did. His eagerness must not lead him to laxity by compromising any of the conditions required for bearing hadith,