Traditions regarding the life of Muhammad and the early history of Islam were passed down both orally and written for more than a hundred years after the death of Muhammad in 632. According to Muslims, the collection of hadith or sayings by or about the Prophet Muhammad was a meticulous and thorough process that began right at the time of Muhammad. Needless to say hadith collection (even in the written form) began very early on - from the time of Muhammad and continued through the centuries that followed[citation needed]. Thus, Muslims reject any collections that are not robust in withstanding the tests of authenticity per the standards of the Science of hadith. This article goes through the historical evolution of the hadith literature from its beginning in the 7th century to present day.
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