Hadith

Hadith, in Islam, the record of the precepts, actions, and life of the Prophet Muhammad, which constitute his Sunna, or example. It is accepted as a chief source of Islamic belief and practice and is second in authority only to the Koran. The six canonical Sunni collections of Hadith, which date from the 9th century, and the corresponding collections of the 10th and 11th centuries in Shiism delineate the various relationships among individuals and between the individual and God. They include provisions of Shari'ah law, discussions of theological matters, such as methods of fasting and prayer, and codes of personal, social, and commercial conduct.