STUDIES IN EARLY HADITH LITERATURE

Azami has written a well researched, detailed, and valuable English Language study of early Hadith literature, its compilers and transmitters. I recommend it for anyone, non-Muslim or Muslim, interested more in the early history and role of hadith literature and in the development of Islam's literary tradition.

Azami has made a great contribution to Hadith studies here!I am not a Muslim but anyone can appreciate such careful scholarship. Azami gives many citations from early Muslim sources such as Ibn Sad to prove that there were collections of ahadith that belonged to the companions & successors. He concludes these collections were absorbed into the later encyclopedia style volumes (I.e. Bukhari, Muslim etc). If you liked Azami's "Studies in Hadith methodology" you'll like this!

excellent read.