Mutawātir, Mashūr and Khabr Wāḥid according to the Aḥnāf

Definition of Mutawātir according to the Aḥnāf:

The definition of Mutawātir according to the Aḥnāf  is the same as that of the muḥaddithīn, namely that which has been narrated by: (1) a lot of people, (2) who have relied on their senses and not intellect, (3) such that it is impossible for everyone to collude upon a lie, (4) and the preceding three conditions are found in every generation, from the beginning of the sanad to the end of the sanad. 

Definition of Mashūr according to the Aḥnāf: 

That which was a khabr wāḥid in the first generation[1], and then became mutawātir in the second[2] or third generation[3]. 

Definition of Khabr wāḥid according to the Aḥnāf

According to the Aḥnāf that which is a khabr wāḥid from the first three generations is considered a khabr wāḥid, even if it became mutawātir later on. 

Difference between categorisation of aḥādīth between the Aḥnāf and the muḥaddithīn

Therefore, according to the Aḥnāf there are three categories of Aḥādīth, whereas the muḥaddithīn have two categories. 

The muḥaddithīn say there are two categories of aḥādīth, namely Mutawātir and Khabr Wāḥid. Whereas the Aḥnāf say that Mashūr is not a subtopic of Khabr Wāḥid but rather on the same level as can be seen in the table below.

Muḥaddithīn	Aḥnāf
1. Mutawātir 2. Khabr Wāḥid (Mashūr, Azīz & Gharīb)	1. Mutawātir 2. Mashūr 3. Khabr Wāḥid (Azīz & Gharīb)

Therefore, the definition of Mashūr and Khabr Wāḥid according to the Aḥnāf are different to those given by the muḥaddithīn.

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[1] The generation of ṣaḥābah 

[2] The generation of tābiee  

[3] The generation of tābi’ tābiee