Hadith of Golden Chain Hadith of Golden Chain Hadith al-Silsilah al-Dhahab () (Hadith of the Golden Chain) is a hadith narrated from Ali al-Ridha, the eighth Imam of the Shia. The "chain" is a reference to the continuity of spiritual authority which is passed down from Muhammad to Ali ibn Abi Talib, through each of the Imams, to Imam Ridha. As transmitters of Hadith, the Imams link subsequent generations to the teachings of Mohammad. This transmission makes the Hadith of the Golden Chain valued as among the most truthful and accurate of all Hadiths for the Shi'ite. The hadith is important to shia because
Hadith terminology "hadith" the text of which contradicts established norms of the Prophet's sayings, or its reporters include a liar. There are several factors which may motivate an individual to fabricate a narration: A number of "hadith" specialists have collected fabricated "hadith" separately in order to distinguish them from other "hadith". Examples include: In "hadith" terminology, a "hadith" is divided into two categories based, essentially, upon the number of narrators mentioned at each level in a particular "isnād". Consideration is given to the least number of narrators at any level of the chain of narration; thus if ten narrators convey a "hadith"