Analysis of the Hadith on the Duration of the Revelation of the Sacred Scriptures in Al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:185), as Presented in al-Durr al-Manthūr fī al-Tafsīr bi al-Ma’thūr

Abstract

This study aims to examine the hadith cited by Imam al-Suyūṭī in al-Durr al-Manthūr when interpreting the verse, (Syahru ramadhanalladzi unzila fiihi-l Qur’an…){Qur’an 2:185}, which relates to the timing of the revelation of the divine scriptures during Ramadan. The significance of this topic lies in the fact that al-Suyūṭī often reports narrations without explicitly judging their authenticity, which necessitates verification of their chains of transmission before relying on them for scholarly inference. Accordingly, the research problem centers on determining the reliability of this hadith in terms of both chain and text, and clarifying its scholarly status based on the principles of hadith authentication and criticism. The study employs a descriptive-analytical library-based methodology, utilizing tools of hadith verification, isnād analysis, and textual criticism, with reference to primary sources such as Musnad Ahmad, the tafsīrs of al-Ṭabarī and Ibn Kathīr, as well as works on narrators and hidden defects. The findings indicate that all transmission routes converge at ʿImrān ibn Dāwar, from Qatāda, from Abū al-Malīḥ, from Wāthila, and that the isnād is sound at the level of ḥasan li-dhātihi (good in itself), elevated to ḥasan li-ghayrihi (good due to corroboration) through multiple routes and scholarly acceptance. The text itself aligns with the Qur’an and other authentic hadiths. The study recommends that every narration be critically examined before use in exegesis, and calls for broader analytical studies of other exegetical reports, combining isnād and matn analysis, while training students of knowledge in the tools of hadith verification and the use of biographical and critical works.