The Hadith book in which all the Hadith narrated by a particular Sahabi (companion) are compiled is called?

A Hadith book that compiles all the narrations reported by a specific Sahabi (companion of the Prophet ﷺ) is called a Musnad. The term Musnad comes from the Arabic root “سنَد,” meaning “to support” or “to rely upon.” In Hadith sciences, it refers to a collection organized according to the names of Sahabah rather than by subject or chapter headings. This arrangement allows scholars to trace the narrations of each companion in one place, making it easier to study their contributions and cross-reference chains of transmission.

The most famous example of this type of compilation is Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, one of the largest Hadith collections in Islamic history. Imam Ahmad arranged his work by listing narrations of each Sahabi individually—beginning with the ten promised Paradise (Asharah Mubasharah), followed by prominent companions like Hazrat Ayesha (RA), Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA), and Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA). This structure highlights not only their personal contributions but also the diversity of Hadith narration among different companions.

Musnad literature is especially valuable for scholars who focus on isnād (chains of narration), as it preserves narrations grouped by their original transmitters. This makes it easier to evaluate the reliability, frequency, and historical transmission of Hadith from specific companions. It also helps in Hadith criticism, comparison, and authentication by giving scholars direct access to the narrations of one Sahabi without navigating thematic compilations like Jami‘ or Sunan works.

This format is different from a Jami‘, which organizes Hadith by topics such as faith, prayer, transactions, and ethics. It also differs from a Mustadrak, which includes additional narrations that meet the conditions of earlier collectors, and a Mustakhraj, where another scholar republishes a work using different chains of transmission.

Therefore, remembering that such a book is called a Musnad is important for Hadith studies, competitive exams, and Islamic Studies MCQs.