Reassessing Goldziher’s and Schacht’s Theories of Hadith Attribution

The article presents a Persian translation of the Introduction to John Burton’s An Introduction to the Hadith. It critically re-examines the origins and function of Hadith and Sunna in early Islamic thought, focusing on the foundational yet contested contributions of Ignaz Goldziher and Joseph Schacht. While acknowledging their seminal insights—Goldziher’s recognition of Hadith’s polemical and developmental character, and Schacht’s rigorous analysis of isnād in legal traditions—the study challenges their shared skepticism regarding the historical authenticity of Hadith. It argues that both scholars overemphasized deliberate fabrication while underestimating the intellectual seriousness and exegetical motivations of early Muslim scholars. Situating Hadith transmission within a broader literary culture shaped by Qur’anic engagement, the article contends that internal disagreement and contradiction reflect not indifference but intense scholarly debate driven by the interpretive demands of revelation. It further critiques Schacht’s confinement of inquiry to the “purely legal” sphere, insisting instead that fiqh represents a comprehensive exegetical enterprise rather than a system of positive law derived from administrative practice. Reconsidering the relationship between Qur’an, Sunna, ra’y, and isnād, the article proposes that Sunna emerged not primarily from Umayyad practice but from sustained scholarly efforts to articulate divine intent through scriptural interpretation. Ultimately, it calls for a reassessment of Hadith origins that integrates attributional analysis with a deeper appreciation of Qur’anic exegesis as the driving force behind Islamic jurisprudence.