Literally: a conversation. The Hadiths are traditions passed on from one generation to another, explaining things said or done by the prophet Muhammad, as told by his companions. Some of the Hadiths supplement the instructions of the Qur'an or offer an explanation for them. The Hadiths served as the main source for reconstructing the story of the Prophet's life in an important composition by Ibn Ishaq. The Hadiths were first edited during the eighth and ninth centuries CE.

There are three categories of Hadiths: (1) Hadith Quddasi – words spoken by Allah and passed on without the intervention of the Prophet. (2) Words spoken by the Prophet. (3) A description of the Prophet's deeds.

Many Hadiths were organized in volumes; two of the better known ones are Zahih Al-Buchari and Zahih Muslim.