Resources for Learning Chains of Narrations

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: 

There are many books which may be used to help find out about the soundness of hadeeth, some of which are organized by topic and others are organized by first words, and some by the names of narrators. 

These books include Saheeh al-Jami’ al-Sagheer and Da’eef al-Jami’ al-Sagheer, both by al-Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him). These are organized by the first words of hadeeth, and in alphabetical order. 

Another book is Irwa’ al-Ghaleel fi Takhreej Ahadeeth Manar al-Sabeel, also by Sh. al-Albani. This is organized by fiqhi (jurisprudential) subjects. 

Another book is al-Talkhees al-Habeer  fi Takhreej Ahadeeth al-Rafa’i al-Kabeer, by al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Aqsalani, and Nasb al-Rayah fi Takhreej Ahadeeth al-Hidayah by al-Hafiz al-Zayla’i, both of which are organized by fiqhi subjects. 

Another book is Tuhfat al-Ashraf bi Ma’rifat al-Atraf by al-Hafiz al-Mazzi, which is organized by the names of narrators, in alphabetical order. When he quotes a hadeeth he mentions the imams who narrated it, and he puts in front of the hadeeth, for example (kha’ meem ta’) i.e., it was narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim and al-Tirmidhi. 

Secondly: 

As for computer programs, there are many, the most useful of which is Burnamaj al-hadeeth al-Shareef, by the Harf company, and Burnamaj al-Mawsoo’ah al-Dhahabiyyah li’l-Turath, and Burnamaj al-Mawsoo’ah al-Shamilah. 

And Allah knows best.