Hadith as Sunna, but it is not necessary that a Sunna would have a supporting hadith sanctioning it. Some sources (Khaled Abou El Fadl) limit hadith to verbal reports, with the deeds of Muhammad and reports about his companions being part of the "Sunnah", but not hadith. Joseph Schacht quotes a Hadith by Muhammad that is used "to justify reference" in Islamic law to companions of Muhammad as religious authorities — "My companions are like lodestars." According to Schacht, (and other scholars) in the very first generations after the death of Muhammad, use of hadith from "Sahabah" ("companions" of Muhammad) and
Hadith terminology in and of itself"with the same definition a "ṣaḥīḥ hadith" except that the competence of one of its narrators is less than complete; while a "hadith" that is "ḥasan ligharihi" ("ḥasan due to external factors") is determined to be "ḥasan" due to corroborating factors such as numerous chains of narration. He states that it is then comparable to a "ṣaḥīḥ hadith" in its religious authority. A "ḥasan hadith" may rise to the level of being "ṣaḥīḥ" if it is supported by numerous "isnād" (chains of narration); in this case that "hadith" would be "ḥasan lithatihi" (""ḥasan" in and of itself")