Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

An Analysis of the Transmission of Narrations Affirming the Title "Ṣiddiq" for the First Caliph, with Emphasis on Hadiths in the Ṣaḥīḥayn

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Akbar Khadim al-Zhakreen 1
Abdullah Bahramizad 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Jurisprudence and Principles, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran
2 Researcher at the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) Jurisprudential Center
10.22034/jis.2025.457070.1953
Abstract
The recognition and analysis of the title "Ṣiddīq" (the strictly veracious) and its attribution to the first caliph have always been a serious and contentious topic among Islamic sects, as it signifies a fundamental virtue and serves as important evidence in proving the legitimacy of his caliphate. Some Islamic sects, relying on Qur'anic and narrational (i.e. hadith-oriented) evidence—including hadiths in Ṣaḥīḥayn (i.e.: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)—consider this title exclusive to the first caliph. However, by employing a historical-descriptive and content-analysis approach to examine the evidence, objections can be raised against this claim. In this research, we first deliberate on the supposed consensus regarding the hadiths in the Ṣaḥīḥayn. Then, we examine the chain of transmission (isnād) of these narrations, considering the presence of narrators who have been severely criticized (i.e. discredited) in biographical evaluation (rijal). Finally, we highlight the thematic inconsistencies in the narrations that affirm the title "Ṣiddīq."
Keywords
Title of Ṣiddīq
the first Caliph
external criticism
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
Subjects
The Holy Qur'an
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Journal of Imamiyyah Studies
Volume 11, Issue 21 - Serial Number 21
September 2025
Pages 161-191