Hadith Authentication in the Digital Sphere: The Dissemination of Weak and Fabricated Hadith in Social Media

Abstrak

The rapid expansion of social media has significantly transformed the circulation of religious knowledge, including the dissemination of hadith within digital preaching. This study aims to analyse the phenomenon of potentially weak or fabricated hadith circulating in religious sermons on social media and to evaluate their authenticity using scientific methods within hadith studies. The research is important because the use of unverified hadith in digital sermons may influence public religious understanding and contribute to the spread of religious misinformation in contemporary Muslim societies. This study employs a qualitative research design that combines social media content analysis with classical hadith verification methods. Data were collected from selected religious sermons circulating on YouTube that contain hadith quotations suspected to be weak or fabricated. The analysis involved identifying the hadith cited in the sermons and examining their authenticity through the process of takhrij al-hadith, including the analysis of sanad (chain of transmission) and matan (text) using classical hadith literature as reference sources. In addition, audience responses were examined through comment sections to understand how digital audiences interpret and respond to the dissemination of such hadith. The findings indicate that several hadith cited in the analysed sermons do not have clear references in classical hadith sources and are presented without explanation of their sanad or textual authenticity. Despite this, these hadith are often delivered as authoritative religious statements that strengthen the persuasive power of sermons. The study also reveals that social media functions both as a platform for the rapid dissemination of unverified hadith and as a space where audiences engage in clarification and critical discussion. This research contributes to contemporary hadith studies by integrating classical hadith methodology with digital media analysis. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening digital hadith literacy to prevent the spread of religious misinformation in the digital era.