From Isnad to Institution: The Transformation of Hadith Knowledge Transmission in Shoutheast Asian Islamic Education

Abstract

Historically, the transmission of hadith knowledge has relied on the isnad system and the personal authority of scholars legitimized through traditional ijazah. This article examines the structural and epistemological transformations in the transmission of hadith scholarship in Southeast Asia, highlighting a sharp shift from the isnad-based model of authority toward the authority of modern educational institutions. Through a historical-sociological review, this study traces the evolution of learning spaces from traditional institutions such as pesantren and surau with their talaqqi system, through the era of tiered madrasahs, culminating in Islamic universities. The main argument put forward is that the institutionalization of Islamic education has triggered three fundamental impacts: (1) the redefinition of the ijazah from a spiritual license to merely an academic certification; (2) the objectification and textualization of knowledge, in which the memorization of hadith narrations has been replaced by historical-critical analytical methodologies; and (3) the emergence of a paradoxical tension between the democratization of access to knowledge and the desacralization of the teacher-student relationship. In conclusion, modern institutions have expanded the scope of hadith studies in the public sphere, yet at the same time have effectively reshaped the traditional scholarly architecture by placing institutions rather than individual scholars at the center of religious authority validation. Keywords: Hadith Transmission, Isnad, Institutionalization, Southeast Asian Islamic Education, Religious Authority