This thesis discussed about quality of ḥadith in al-Milal wa al-Niḥal by Shahrastānī especially ḥadīth in introduction.
Either Qurʹan or ḥadīth are often become as ḥujjah or dalīl in strengthening arguments or statements. One of them is arguments or statements that included in the book. As like Shahrastānī in his book entitled al-Milal wa al-Niḥal, so many Qurʹan and ḥadīth in it.
About ḥadīth used by Shahrastānī, according to the writer, ḥadīth in introduction are found in some themes. The first, all kinds of mankind. The second, the first mistake occurred among mankind. The third, the divergence of opinion among Muslim. The last, adherent of religion and belief. There are 16 ḥadīth researched and 17 ḥadīth done takhrīj with different themes. Not all of them are authentic about originality actually. But Shahrastānī has been consistent in using ḥadīth for all the ḥadīth in the book of al-Milal wa al-Niḥal overall uniform do not use sanad and not include matan completely.
In researching ḥadīth, the writer uses the rules of the autheticity of sanad and matan, takhrīj ḥadīth, and the rules of Jarḥ wa Ta’dīl. About quality of sanad and matan of ḥadīth is found 6 sanad of ḥadīth in ṣaḥīḥ quality, 7 sanad of ḥadīth in ḥasan quality, and 4 sanad of ḥadīth in ḍa’īf quality. Meanwhile, in terms of matan, there are 12 matan of ḥadīth in ṣaḥīḥ quality and 5 ḥadīth is getting status of ḍa’īf (false).The first ḥadīth is about disunity of mankind. Conclusion sanad from the first ḥadīth is ḥasan while ṣaḥīḥ in matan. The second ḥadīth also has same theme with the first ḥadīth. It has quality of ṣaḥīḥ al-sanad and that matan can be ḥujjah. The third ḥadīth can be concluded that sanad of ḥadīth from that line does not fulfill the requirements of ḥadīth ṣaḥīḥ but actually it has ṣaḥīḥ al-matan. About the fourth ḥadīth, the writer concludes that sanad of ḥadīth from riwayah Abū Dāwud from Ibnu ‘Umar rated ṣaḥīḥ in sanad and matan. The fifth ḥadīth, that ḥadīth is ḍa’īf. The sixth ḥadīth, it is concluded that sanad of ḥadīth from that line is ḥasan al-sanad. The seventh ḥadīth is about the divergence of opinion among Muslim. There are two ḥadīth that researched. Those are from Ibnu Mājah and Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal. Sanad ḥadīth from Ibnu Mājah is ṣaḥīḥ while ḥadīth from Ḥanbal is ḥasan. The eighth ḥadīth is ṣaḥīh al-sanad. The ninth ḥadīth is also ṣaḥīh al-sanad and ṣaḥīh al-matan. The tenth and eleventh ḥadīth, the writer concludes that ḥadīth is ḍa’īf. Then the twelfth ḥadīth has quality ḥasan in sanad and its matan does not contradict with the clear ḥadīth that has a more authentic quality. The thirteenth ḥadīth, the writer concludes that the sanad of this ḥadīth is authentic and ḍa’īf in matan. The fourteenth ḥadīth, it is concluded that sanad of ḥadīth from the line is ḥasan al-sanad. Then, the fifteenth ḥadīth is including into the category ḥadīth ḥasan al-sanad. And the last, the writer concludes that ḥadīth is ḍa’īf.