This article aims to reconstruct the historical growth and development of hadith across three formative periods of Islam: the era of the Prophet Muhammad, the era of the Companions, and the era of the Tabi'in. Hadith, as the second source of Islamic teaching after the Qur'an, requires a clear historical account to explain how its authenticity has been preserved across generations. This study employs a library research method with a descriptive-qualitative approach, examining relevant scholarly books and journal articles on the history and periodization of hadith. The findings show that the transmission of hadith developed gradually: during the Prophet's era it relied primarily on oral transmission and memorization without official codification; during the Companions' era, emphasis shifted toward strict verification and the emergence of early hadith learning centers across the expanding Islamic territories; while during the Tabi'in era, transmission became more systematic, marked by the beginning of structured recording and compilation of hadith. This continuity of transmission across generations forms the foundation for the preservation of hadith authenticity as a source of Islamic law. These findings imply that a historical understanding of hadith transmission is essential for students and researchers of Islamic studies in assessing the reliability of hadith literature.
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