What is the difference between Saheeh Al-Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim, and the difference between them and the other books of Hadeeth (narration) in terms of judging the degree of authenticity of a Hadeeth?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Scholars of Hadeeth agreed that a Hadeeth is not judged as authentic except under certain conditions:

1.     Uninterrupted chain of narration.

2.     Uprightness of the narrator.

3.     Veracity and accuracy of the narrator.

4.     Lack of irregularities.

5.     Lack of defects.

Differences in opinion among scholars occur in the manner of applying these conditions to a particular Hadeeth, not in the conditions themselves.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim are distinguished from other narrators by stipulating that they do not narrate a Hadeeth in their books except the ones of the highest degree of authenticity and whose narrators are known for their formidable memory and accuracy. Other scholars of Hadeeth did not stipulate these conditions. Some scholars stipulated to narrate Saheeh Hadeeths regardless of being of the highest degree of authenticity, such as Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibbaan ; whereas, others collected the Saheeh and Hasan Hadeeths, such as the compilers of the Sunan (At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah, Abu Daawood, and An-Nasaa’i ).

Allah Knows best.