In the study of Hadith and Islamic epistemology, the term khabar holds a significant place. As a general term for “report” or “narration,” it encompasses both divine and human sources of information, as well as both truthful and false statements. Understanding the nature and classification of khabar is crucial for grasping how Islamic scholars evaluate transmitted knowledge. This article explores the linguistic and technical definitions of khabar, as well as its primary types: mutawatir (mass-transmitted) and ahad (solitary or non-mass-transmitted).

Definition and Nature of Khabar

The Arabic term khabar (or khabr) is derived from the root khabara, meaning “to explore or examine something in order to understand its true nature.” Technically, khabar refers to a statement or report about something that either occurred in the past or is expected to occur in the future. Its content may be either true or false, depending on its correspondence with reality.

In this context, khabar is generally concerned with events that are observable or perceptible, though when based on divine revelation (wahy), it can also relate to future occurrences. The truthfulness of a khabar depends on whether it matches reality and whether it can be verified by sensory evidence, logical reasoning, or reliable transmission.

Types of Khabar

1. Khabar al-Mutawatir (Mass-Transmitted Report)

The term mutawatir is derived from the Arabic root watar, meaning “to follow in succession.” In Islamic theology (kalām) and jurisprudence (fiqh), a mutawatir report is one that is transmitted by such a large number of narrators, across multiple levels of the transmission chain, that it is inconceivable for them to have conspired to fabricate it. The report thus conveys certain and self-evident knowledge (ʿilm al-yaqīn).

According to classical Islamic epistemology, the primary sources of knowledge are the senses, intellect, and trustworthy reports. Among these, mutawatir reports are regarded as self-evidently true. Their authenticity does not require further validation through investigation, as the sheer number of independent transmitters eliminates doubt.

For instance, reports that are mutawatir in nature serve as direct sources of knowledge—just as if one had witnessed the event firsthand. If a hadith is mutawatir, it must be accepted without hesitation, as it carries indisputable authenticity. Interestingly, the status of a report as mutawatir may change over time; a narration not originally mutawatir may become so as it spreads and is widely accepted across generations.

It is important to note that mutawatir reports are not the primary focus of Hadith criticism because they inherently meet the highest standards of reliability. Hadith sciences are mainly concerned with evaluating non-mutawatir (ahad) reports to determine their strength or weakness.

2. Khabar al-Wahid (Solitary Report)

The term khabar al-wāḥid, or khabar al-ahad, refers to any report that does not meet the criteria of mutawatir. It may be transmitted by one person or a few, and its classification does not depend solely on the number of narrators, but rather on whether it lacks the mass-transmission feature of tawātur.

In Hadith sciences, a reliable khabar al-wahid must be transmitted by narrators known for their moral uprightness (ʿadālah) and precision (ḍabt), and the report must be free from textual anomalies (shudhūdh) and hidden defects (ʿilal). Such a report yields a high degree of probability (zann al-ghālib) but not absolute certainty.

There are three subcategories of ahad reports based on the number of narrators at each stage of transmission:

• Gharīb (Fard): Transmitted by only one narrator at some point in the chain.
• ʿAzīz: Transmitted by at least two narrators at every level.
• Mashhūr: Transmitted by three or more narrators but still not reaching the level of tawātur.

These distinctions help scholars assess how much confidence can be placed in a given report. In Islamic legal theory, most scholars—except for the Muʿtazila and Khawārij—have accepted khabar al-wahid as a valid basis for deriving legal rulings.

The classification of khabar into mutawatir and ahad is a critical aspect of Islamic epistemology and Hadith methodology. While mutawatir reports carry the weight of certainty and require no further scrutiny, ahad reports are subject to rigorous analysis in terms of their chain and content. Together, these categories provide scholars with a structured framework for verifying the authenticity of transmitted knowledge and ensuring that Islamic teachings are based on sound and credible sources.

 Ahmet Furkan Usta