Derivatives between Morphological Structure and Semantic Orientation (In Hadith Terminology)

Hadith terminology is one of the most significant disciplines within the Islamic sciences, as from its very inception it has been primarily concerned with the evaluation and critical analysis of hadiths transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), whether through the critique of the text (matn) or the chain of transmission (isnād). Hadith scholars sought to develop terms that convey meanings agreed upon among them. Undoubtedly, the study of the morphological structure of these terms is of crucial importance for understanding any given term, as morphology makes a significant contribution to the determination of meaning. The relationship between morphology and semantics is an established fact that cannot be overlooked. This connection is particularly evident in the study of derived words, considering the additional meanings they carry and the new significances they introduce. Hadith terminology provides a rich resource for this research, aimed at examining derived words in terms of both their structure and meaning. The study has shown that hadith scholars were fully aware that the structure of their terms needed to be oriented toward specific meanings. They employed the active participle for all mutable concepts, and the adjectival participle for all immutable ones. They also employed derived words and forms to describe the text, which differed from those used to describe the transmitters and the chain of transmission. The study demonstrated that several important findings indicate that hadith scholars utilized all available linguistic resources to create and develop their terminology.