Monday, October 29, 2012

Proving this Hadith by Abu Hurayrah on "Qul" or "Say" is unreliable

Salam,

There is now a growing provocation on the tradition belief whether every word in the Quran is suitable to be recited in the salat. The Quran covers a wide topic and there is therefore a need to make intelligence choice of words and verses which are suitable to be recited in the salat. The salat is commanded for specific purpose as a ritual to communicate with God. The main purpose is to worship Him by praising, glorifying, commemorating His beautiful Names, seek help by praying to Him and to ask for the provision in this world and the hereafter. Therefore any verse that does not reflect the intention to the above should not be recommended to be recited in the salat. A familiar example is the recitation of the short surah of the Quran and the Surah Al Kafiruun is most common and this is claimed by the following hadith that the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) was reported to have recited every word from it in his salat:

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Recite in the two (Sunnah) rak’ahs of Fajr “‘Qul yaa ayyuha’l-kaafiroon (Say (O Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)to these Mushrikoon and Kaafiroon): “O AlKaafiroon (disbelievers” [al-Kaafiroon 109])’ and ‘Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad (Say (O Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “He is Allaah, (the) One” [al-Ikhlaas 112]).’” Narrated by Muslim (726).

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I watched the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on twenty occasions, reciting in the two rak’ahs after Maghrib and in the two rak’ahs before Fajr: “‘Qul yaa ayyuha’l-kaafiroon (Say (O Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to these Mushrikoon and Kaafiroon): “O AlKaafiroon (disbelievers” [al-Kaafiroon 109])’ and ‘Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad (Say (O Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “He is Allaah, (the) One” [al-Ikhlaas 112]).’ .”

Narrated by al-Nasaa’i (992).  Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (3/385): Its isnaad is jayyid. It was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (3328) and by Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir in Tahqeeq al-Musnad (8/89).

These are two separate narrations which are considered to be authentic.  The first the Prophet give an order to recite those two surats in the prayer.  Was the Prophet alhihassaswassalam forgetful when he didn't tell them not to say "Qul" or did he just figure there would come a time when someone will come and figure it out.

Then the next narration is of the great companion Umar may Allah be pleased with him in which he says he actually saw and heard the prophet alhihasswassalam actually reciting them with out omitting the "Qul"

These are the excuses that were given by the hadith gullible so, what are the ways to come to the conclusion that should we say or not to say "Qul" in our salat or did the Prophet say or did not say the “qul” when reciting the verses? The source of reference to when to exclude saying “Qul” or when to include saying “Qul” is clearly stated in the wisdom of the Quran.

On the narrations by Abu Hurayrah, Al Nasaa’I or Umar it is incorrect to attribute that the Prophet recited the Surah Al Kafiruun in his salat as the command by God to say this surah is directed to the Kafirs of his time. So it is outrageous to claim that something that is to be said to the Kafiruun (or disbelievers) is channeled back to be said to God.

We can then categorized those who read the Surah Al Kafiruun in their salat as one who does not understand what is being said in his salat or he is intoxicated as stated in the following verse of the Quran:

O ye who believe! Approach not salat with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say…..(Surah 4:43)

The other common short verses that is commonly recited in the salat is taken from the Surah Al Ikhlaas (Chapter 112), Al Falaq (Chapter 113) and AnNass (Chapter 114) all have the word “Qul” or “say” in the beginning of each chapter.

All the above Surah is relevant to be recited in the salat as it is magnifying God and duaa or prayer to seek refuge to Allah from being influence by the evil whisper of the Devil. Whether the Prophet read the surah without excluding the word “qul” or “say”, let us look from the perspective of the compulsory recitation that is commanded to be said in our salat and the tone that goes with it.

Say (Qul): "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speaks thy salat aloud, nor speaks it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between."

From the above verse it is beyond any reasonable doubt that the Prophet will obey the above command by applying the middle tone in his salat to call upon God by His beautiful names. The word “qul” or “say” just disappear when he obey this command to establish his salat.

However when there is a command to say in the following compulsory verse below the situation become similar as in the Surah Al Akhlaas (Chapter 112), Al Falak (Chapter 113) and the Surah AnNass (Chapter 114) there is the word “qul” or “say” in the beginning of the verse.
Surah 17:111

And say (in your salat) "Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in (His) dominion: Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation: yea, magnify Him for His greatness and glory!"

If we take the hadith by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet recited together the word “qul” in the above verse and the other surah examples in his salat, this mean that he (Abu Hurayrah) is saying that the Prophet is channeling the same command back to God to say or “qul” the same thing Say: “Praise be to Allah, who beget no son and has no partner in His dominion? Thus we should discard the inaccuracy
of Abu Hurayrah because it is just common sense that when there is a command to say or “qul”, the Prophet will obey and recite directly the commandment rather than repeating even the command word “qul” or “say” which is preposterous should it be repeated especially when it is to be recited in the salat a time we are to express our humble selves and not act as a drunkard to issue the same command back to God.

Thus if we encounter verses of these nature where there is the command word “qul” or “say” as in Surah 17:111 or Surah 112:1, Surah 113:1 or Surah 114:1 do apply the command directly and keep aside the “qul” because it becomes irrelevant especially when this is to be said in the salat. However many do not realized that one part of the recitation in the salat which is compulsory to be recited in the salat has a beginning with the word “qul” or “say” and yet Abu Hurayrah did not realized that this has been omitted or kept aside by the Prophet in his salat:

Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds: (Surah 6:162)

So if one still believe that the word “qul” or “say” must not be omitted then when one is reciting the above verse in his salat he has to readmit the “qul” which is there at the beginning of the verse if he does not want to practice double standard.


ASAR


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