THABAQAT AR-RUWAT: KLASIFIKASI GENERASI PERAWI DAN SIGNIFIKANSINYA DALAM METODOLOGI KRITIK HADIS

Abstract

This study examines the science of thabaqat ar-ruwat as a methodological instrument within the discipline of hadith sciences (ulumul hadis), which functions to classify hadith transmitters based on their generational proximity to the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Through a literature review approach drawing on classical sources such as Ibn Sa'd's Thabaqat al-Kubra, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's Nukhbatul Fikr, and adz-Dzahabi's Mizan al-I'tidal, this paper examines the definition, historical development, classification of levels, and practical benefits of this science. The findings reveal four principal categories: Companions, Tabi'in, Tabi'ut Tabi'in, and subsequent generations up to the third century of the Hijri calendar. These categories serve as the foundation for verifying chain-of-transmission continuity, detecting tadlis, identifying similarly-named transmitters, and applying the principles of jarh wa ta'dil. The study concludes that this science remains relevant in the contemporary context, particularly in addressing the spread of fabricated hadiths in digital spaces.