Is it correct to say that the chain of narration (isnad) of a hadith, according to the Salaf, reaches the Prophet (peace be upon him), from Jibreel, from the Lord of the Worlds?

Allah honored the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the science of Isnad (definition) (chains of transmission) to preserve the knowledge transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Sanad is the narration about the path of the text (matn), and Isnad is the attribution of a hadith (definition) to its speaker. These two terms are closely related.

Hadith is divided into: 1. Mawquf: A hadith whose Isnad ends with one of the Companions. 2. Marfu': A hadith whose Isnad ends with the Prophet (peace be upon him).

If a hadith is qudsi (the Prophet, peace be upon him, narrates it from his Lord), then it is from the words of Allah Almighty. This type is rare, and it is not a condition that it be transmitted through the angel; rather, the qudsi hadith may come to him through other methods of revelation.

As for the rest of the Sunnah (definition), it is from the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and is not attributed to Allah Almighty. There are three categories of speech attributed to Allah Almighty: 1. The Qur’an: The most honorable of them, distinguished by its miraculousness (i’jaz), its preservation from alteration, the unlawfulness of touching it for one in a state of ritual impurity (muhdith), its recitation for one in a state of major ritual impurity (junub), its narration by meaning, its indispensability in prayer, and the reward of ten good deeds for every letter. 2. The books of the Prophets: Before they were altered. 3. The Qudsi Ahadith: What was transmitted singularly (ahadan) from the Prophet (peace be upon him) from his Lord, and they are from the words of Allah Almighty.

The Qur’an is attributed only to Allah, whereas the Qudsi Ahadith are attributed to Allah (in terms of origination) and to the Prophet (peace be upon him) (in terms of narration). The entire Sunnah is revelation, and the manner of revelation of the Qudsi Ahadith is not limited to a specific manner among the forms of revelation.