I heard, that the Hadiths in general are not transmitted to their exact wording, but that the Sahaba just transmitted it according to meaning and not according to the exact wording. Is this true?
Answer
Some Sahabah and those after them would report the Hadiths with the exact wording that they memorized, while others would report the Hadiths in different wordings without changing the meaning. Therefore a large number of Hadiths have been transmitted with their exact wordings, while others have been passed on with their exact meaning.
This had been allowed for those who are masters of the Arabic language (like the Sahabah and others). When such people report the Hadith in different wordings, they don’t engage in (and are never suspected of) altering the meaning in any way.
Just as we are allowed to translate the meaning of the Hadith into a different language, its ‘translation’ in the same language (Arabic) is also allowed.
(Sharh Nukhbah & Fathul Mughith, vol.3 pg.121)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar