Hadith as a Means of Routinizing Charisma

Abstract

AbstractThis article unpacks some of the important debates surrounding the Islamic science ofhadithcollection. Both Euro-American and Islamic methodologies in the deconstruction of the science are examined. More particularly, the authenticity ofhadithis brought into question by flagging the often spurious nature of oral transmissions, especially where chains of transmitters (isnads) are listed and can be checked. The deconstruction ofhadithis followed by a socio-historical analysis of the science using Max Weber’s theory on the routinization of charisma. In the end, this article implies that even the “historical” religions point towards an a-historical reality.