---
title: "The six canonical collections (Kutub al-Sittah)"
description: "6 collections · 34,477 narrations · 333 chapters."
last_updated: "2026-06-19"
---

# The six canonical collections (Kutub al-Sittah)

> 6 collections · 34,477 narrations · 333 chapters.

For centuries, scholars devoted their lives to gathering, verifying, and preserving the words and example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These six books — the Kutub al-Sittah — are the foundation of that tradition in Sunni Islam.

### [Sahih al-Bukhari](https://randomhadith.com/pages/books/sahih-al-bukhari.md)

*صحيح البخاري · Compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari · 846 CE · 7,563 hadiths · 97 chapters*

Sahih al-Bukhari is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH/870 CE) (rahimahullah). His collection is recognized by the overwhelming majority of the Muslim world to be the most authentic collection of reports of the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). It contains over 7500 hadith (with repetitions) in 97 books.

### [Sahih Muslim](https://randomhadith.com/pages/books/sahih-muslim.md)

*صحيح مسلم · Compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj · 875 CE · 3,033 hadiths · 56 chapters*

Sahih Muslim is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi (rahimahullah). His collection is considered to be one of the most authentic collections of the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ), and along with Sahih al-Bukhari forms the "Sahihain," or the "Two Sahihs." It contains roughly 7500 hadith (with repetitions) in 57 books.

### [Sunan Abi Dawud](https://randomhadith.com/pages/books/sunan-abi-dawud.md)

*سنن أبي داود · Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani · 888 CE · 5,260 hadiths · 43 chapters*

Sunan Abi Dawud is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath as-Sijistani (rahimahullah). It is widely considered to be among the six canonical collections of hadith (Kutub as-Sittah) of the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ). It consists of 5274 ahadith in 43 books.

### [Jami` at-Tirmidhi](https://randomhadith.com/pages/books/jami-at-tirmidhi.md)

*جامع الترمذي · Compiled by Imam Muhammad at-Tirmidhi · 884 CE · 3,956 hadiths · 49 chapters*

Jami` at-Tirmidhi is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Abu `Isa Muhammad at-Tirmidhi (rahimahullah). His collection is unanimously considered to be one of the six canonical collections of hadith (Kutub as-Sittah) of the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ). It contains roughly 4400 hadith (with repetitions) in 46 books.

### [Sunan an-Nasa'i](https://randomhadith.com/pages/books/sunan-an-nasai.md)

*سنن النسائي · Compiled by Imam Ahmad an-Nasa'i · 915 CE · 5,758 hadiths · 51 chapters*

Sunan an-Nasa'i is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Ahmad an-Nasa'i (rahimahullah). His collection is unanimously considered to be one of the six canonical collections of hadith (Kutub as-Sittah) of the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ). It contains roughly 5700 hadith (with repetitions) in 52 books.

### [Sunan Ibn Majah](https://randomhadith.com/pages/books/sunan-ibn-majah.md)

*سنن ابن ماجه · Compiled by Imam Muhammad ibn Majah · 887 CE · 4,341 hadiths · 37 chapters*

Sunan Ibn Majah is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Muhammad bin Yazid Ibn Majah al-Qazvini (rahimahullah). It is widely considered to be the sixth of the six canonical collection of hadith (Kutub as-Sittah) of the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ). It consists of 4341 ahadith in 37 books.

## How to browse a collection

1. **Choose a collection** — open any of the six books to see its author, period, and full chapter list.
2. **Select a chapter** — each collection is organised by theme (belief, prayer, manners, knowledge).
3. **Read & reflect** — every hadith appears in Arabic and English with its chapter, number, and reference.

## Why these six

The compilers developed a science of verification unmatched in the ancient world — examining the character, memory, and life of every narrator in a chain stretching back to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Each narration is traced through a documented chain of trustworthy narrators, carries its collection, chapter, and hadith number for verification, and is arranged thematically so related guidance sits together.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://randomhadith.com/sitemap.md) for all pages, or the machine-readable index at [https://randomhadith.com/llms.txt](https://randomhadith.com/llms.txt).