The Book of Prayer - Travellers

Sahih Muslim 808 c - Reported by Abu Mas'ud through an alternative chain of transmitters from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Scholarly Commentary

The mention of an alternative chain (isnad) in this narration demonstrates the meticulous preservation of Prophetic traditions. When scholars note "through another chain of transmitters," it indicates the hadith's strength through multiple, independent routes of transmission.

This particular narration from Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari, a prominent Companion, concerns the rulings for travelers' prayers. The existence of multiple chains reinforces the authenticity of the legal rulings contained within, as it shows the hadith was widely known and transmitted among the Companions and their successors.

In classical Islamic scholarship, such alternative chains are highly valued as they provide corroborating evidence (mutaba'ah) and strengthen the overall reliability of the narration. This careful documentation reflects the scholarly principle of verifying each tradition through its transmitters and routes.

Legal Implications

The multiple transmission chains for this hadith give it greater weight in legal derivation. Scholars from all major schools of jurisprudence would consider such a well-attested narration as providing strong evidence for the permissibility of shortening prayers during travel.

This demonstrates how the science of hadith criticism directly impacts Islamic law, where the strength of transmission determines the authority of the legal ruling derived from the Prophetic tradition.