Hadith Transmission in the Digital Era: Reconstructing Sanad and al-Taḥammul wa al-Adā’ at Pesantren Tebuireng

Abstract

This study examines the transformation of hadith transmission at Pesantren Tebuireng by investigating the historical continuity of sanad and al-taḥammul wa al-adā’, the influence of digital technology on transmission practices and scholarly authority, and the reconstruction of an adaptive model for contemporary hadith scholarship. Employing a qualitative case study with historical, ethnographic, and epistemological perspectives, the study draws on interviews, participant observation, documentary analysis, and relevant scholarly literature. The findings demonstrate that digital transformation has not displaced the epistemological foundations of hadith transmission. Sanad, al-taḥammul wa al-adā’, and teacher authority remain central mechanisms of scholarly legitimacy, while digital technologies function as supporting instruments for knowledge production, documentation, preservation, distribution, and public access. Social media, digital archives, hadith databases, artificial intelligence, and online learning platforms expand the spatial and temporal reach of hadith education without independently determining the validity of transmitted knowledge. Based on these findings, the study reconstructs the Hybrid Transmission of Hadith Model, which conceptualizes contemporary transmission through two interconnected layers: an epistemic layer grounded in sanad, al-taḥammul wa al-adā’, and teacher authority, and a digital support layer oriented toward technological facilitation. The model contributes to contemporary hadith studies by conceptualizing digitalization as mediated continuity and selective adaptation rather than epistemological displacement, thereby demonstrating how pesantren can engage digital transformation while maintaining scholarly legitimacy, verification, pedagogical authority, and ethical responsibility.