The reporting of Hadith was thus a very strong trend whose...

The reporting of Hadith was thus a very strong trend whose influence can be clearly understood from `Umar ibn al-Khattab’s famous saying, “You have reported very much Hadith from the Messenger of Allah,” and from the statement of Ibn Sa`d, in al-Tabaqat al-Kubra , that reads, “During the reign of `Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Hadiths were noticeably big in number,” and from the statement of al-Khatib al-Baghdadiy, in Taqyid al-`Ilm , that reads, “When `Umar knew that people had kept books of Hadith...” as well as many other historical texts.

(2) Abu-Bakr Prohibited The Reporting And Set Fire To His Book Of Hadith After the reporting from the Holy Prophet had increased so prominently that it had become a sweeping trend, Abu-Bakr, having been the caliph, ordered the Sahabah not to report any material from the Holy Prophet to any further extent. He thus said, “Do not report anything from the Messenger of Allah.

If one asks you about it, you should say: only does the Holy Qur'an stand between you and us.” He then set fire to his book of Hadith after he had said to his daughter `Ā'ishah, “Daughter; collect and bring me the papers comprising Hadiths that you have.” When she brought these papers to her father, he set fire to them... etc.

(3) `Umar Ordered The Sahabah To Reduce Reporting The Hadith Because the reporting of Hadith continued increasingly during his reign and because the Sahabah did not comply with the instructions of Abu-Bakr, `Umar ibn al-Khattab, more insistently, continued Abu-Bakr’s proposal of prohibiting the reporting and recordation of the Hadith. As he saw off a group of the Sahabah that he had delegated to al-Kufah, `Umar asked them, “Do you know why I am seeing you off?” “Yes, we do,” they answered.

“This is because for the sake of our being the companions and supporters of the Holy Prophet.” Replying them, `Umar said, “This is true. But I am seeing you off for another matter that I wanted to tell you in private… you must reduce reporting the Hadith and I am responsible for this decision.” On another occasion, he said to them, “Reduce reporting from the Messenger of Allah except the affairs that are needed (or apparently needed)...