The study of Mohammad Rashid Reza's views on the Hadith

Hadith criticism and the sciences related to it have always been sources of different thoughts and opinions. One of the influential scholars in the field of Hadith in the contemporary age is Rashid Reza. Having a general belief in religious narratives and sayings, he provided us with criticism that goes beyond the well-known Moslem expert's criticisms of Hadith (religious leader's sayings). Lack of Hadith scribing in the early centuries after Prophet Mohammad, spread of paraphrases for religious sayings, devising sayings (which are not quoted from the Prophet and Imams) and emphasis on textual criticism to distinguish true narratives from untrue, are some of the topics worthy of attention in his thought. Many scholars might consider Rashid Reza a Salafi scientist and one of those who belong to the Al-Quranioon. This is true but his view of the Hadith can be a taken as a balance between the Al-Quranioon's perspective and the dominant popular viewpoint towards Hadith. This article attempts at investigating Rashid Reza's principles and opinions in Hadith criticism in addition to showing the origins and intellectual and social causes of such ideas.