Research Notes
What Are ḥadīth Gradings?
This page explains what ḥadīth gradings are, why they matter, and why they should be read as part of a broader scholarly method rather than as self-sufficient verdicts.
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For non-specialists, grading labels should be read cautiously. They are useful guides, but they are not substitutes for scholarly context.
Transmitted Knowledge
One of the most significant sources of human knowledge is transmitted knowledge. Transmitted knowledge is any knowledge relayed from one person to another orally or through a written document and then accessed by another person by hearing it or reading it.
The daily news you watch, the personal experiences your friends and family share with you, the information you are relayed at work, the blogs you read, or even a customer service representative telling you which aisle a certain product is in are all examples of knowledge formed on the basis of oral and written transmission.
Why ḥadīth Study Matters
One of the most important examples of transmitted knowledge are the ḥadīth (pl. aḥadīth), the traditions and reports attributed to the Prophet ﷺ and the infallibles 
.
In the words of Ayatullah Borūjerdī 
, the study of ḥadīth is among the noblest of disciplines because it is through it that one learns Allah's (swt) laws, the Qurān, its exegesis, and the hidden meanings of revelation. The preservation of religion itself depends on the preservation and transmission of these reports.
The Disciplines Behind Gradings
Given the importance of the ḥadīth, one naturally needs an epistemic framework by which reports can be judged, ascertained, and verified as authentic reflections of what the Prophet ﷺ and the infallibles imparted.
When people assess transmitted knowledge in ordinary life, they do so through some criterion: certainty, confidence, trust in the source, or confidence in the medium through which it was received. The study of ḥadīth operates with comparable concerns, but in a disciplined and technical way.
ʿIlm al-Rijāl
The discipline that studies the qualities of the individuals who record and transmit ḥadīth, including whether they are reliable or not.
ʿIlm al-Dirāyah
The discipline that studies the descriptions of the ḥadīth themselves, including whether they are authentic or unauthentic.
Why Labels Alone Are Not Enough
These disciplines help organize and categorize narrators, scribes, authors of ḥadīth books, and the ḥadīth themselves. Yet it is imperative to note that there are technicalities involved in accepting and rejecting a ḥadīth beyond these mere descriptions.
It is possible for one or more transmitters of a ḥadīth to be known as untrustworthy and for the report to be classified as weak, yet when placed alongside similar traditions or other contextual indicators, its content may still be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ or the infallibles with conviction.
Likewise, it is possible for transmitters to be judged trustworthy and a ḥadīth to be classified as authentic, yet other contextual indicators may still lead one to conclude that its content cannot be attributed to the Prophet ﷺ or the infallibles with conviction. At times, contrary evidence may even be strong enough to suggest fabrication.
How Thaqalayn Uses Gradings
Purpose
As an aid for researchers, students, and scholars who recognize the significance of these questions and discussions, Thaqalayn.net has made a humble effort to publish the gradings of particular ḥadīth according to the opinions of a number of scholars.
Current Sources
These currently include the gradings of 'Allāmah Majlisī and Shaykh Bāqir Behbūdī for the aḥadīth in al-Kāfī. You may also find the gradings of Shaykh Hādī al-Najafī and Shaykh Āṣif al-Moḥsini sporadically.
Caution for Non-specialists
For non-specialists, these gradings should be taken with a grain of salt. One should not be inclined to derive conclusions regarding the narrators or contents of a ḥadīth solely on the basis of these labels.