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Fatwa CenterComprehensive Hadeeth books
Question
Which is the most comprehensive Hadith book (ex. Jaami Al-Usool Ibn Athir, Mishkaat Masaabeeh At-Tibrizi, Jaami Al-Masaanid Ibn Kathir, Silsilah Sahihah Al-Albaani, etc.)?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Asking the question with this wording, "the most comprehensive book," or, "the best book," poses extreme difficulty to the person answering the question. It is better to ask about comprehensive Hadeeth books that include extensive compilations of ahaadeeth or the like. That said, we say that one of the largest Hadeeth collections that was published is Musnad Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, which listed about thirty thousand ahaadeeth.
As for the comprehensive Hadeeth books in which the authors compiled certain Hadeeth collections, one of the most extensive of such books that was printed and published is Kanz Al-ʻUmmaal fi Sunan Al-Aqwaal wal-Af'aal by Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi, in which he incorporated Al-Jaamiʻ Al-Kabeer and Al-Jaamiʻ As-Sagheer and its appendices by As-Suyooti. Al-Hindi arranged the chapters of his book according to the classical arrangement of the Fiqh books chapters. It included close to forty-seven thousand ahaadeeth and reports. It was published by Daar Al-Kutub Al-ʻIlmiyyah in Beirut and revised by Mahmood ʻUmar Ad-Dimyaati. Perhaps this is the most extensive Hadeeth book within our hands. It should be noted, though, that it included authentic as well as weak and fabricated ahaadeeth and that the author did not judge the authenticity of the ahaadeeth cited therein. Other extensive books are Al-Jaamiʻ Al-Kabeer and Al-Jaamiʻ As-Sagheer by As-Suyooti.
Allaah knows best.
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