Ḥadīth—Qudsī

Ḥadīth Qudsī, also known as “Sacred Ḥadīth,” refers to a special category of Prophetic traditions in which the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ relates words or meanings attributed to Allah, while the wording is transmitted through the Prophet himself. Unlike the Qurʾān, whose wording and meaning are both regarded as direct divine revelation, Ḥadīth Qudsī occupies an intermediate position between the Qurʾān and ordinary Prophetic Ḥadīth. These narrations are commonly introduced with expressions such as “Allah the Exalted said” or “The Prophet ﷺ narrated from his Lord.”

Muslim scholars distinguish Ḥadīth Qudsī from both the Qurʾān and Ḥadīth Nabawī (ordinary Prophetic traditions). The Qurʾān is recited as an act of worship, transmitted through tawātur, and regarded as miraculous in its wording, whereas Ḥadīth Qudsī does not possess these characteristics. At the same time, Ḥadīth Qudsī differs from ordinary Ḥadīth because its content is attributed directly to Allah, even though it is conveyed through the language of the Prophet ﷺ according to the majority of scholars. As a result, Ḥadīth Qudsī occupies a unique status within Islamic revelation and religious literature.

The subjects addressed in Ḥadīth Qudsī often focus on themes of divine mercy, forgiveness, repentance, worship, sincerity, and the relationship between Allah and His servants. Among the most famous examples are the traditions in which Allah declares, “My mercy prevails over My wrath,” and the narration beginning, “O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself.” Such reports emphasize spiritual and ethical teachings and have therefore occupied an important place in Islamic devotional literature, preaching, and moral instruction. Collections devoted exclusively to Ḥadīth Qudsī were compiled by later scholars, including al-Nawawī and al-Munāwī, who gathered these narrations from the major Ḥadīth sources.

The study of Ḥadīth Qudsī forms part of the broader sciences of Ḥadīth and requires the same critical evaluation applied to other narrations. Not every Ḥadīth Qudsī is automatically authentic; rather, each report must be assessed according to its chain of transmission and textual reliability. In sīrah studies, Ḥadīth Qudsī contributes to understanding the spiritual dimension of the Prophet’s mission by illustrating how divine guidance was communicated through him beyond the recited Qurʾān. Consequently, Ḥadīth Qudsī remains an important category of Islamic literature that highlights the intimate relationship between divine revelation and the Prophetic message.