Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The claim that Hadith/Sunnah is authorized in the Quran is a deception.

Salam,
Definition of Hadith
In Islamic terminology, the term hadith refers to reports of statements or actions of Muhammad, or of his tacit approval or criticism of something said or done in his presence. Classical hadith specialist Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani says that the intended meaning of hadith in religious tradition is something attributed to Muhammad but that is not found in the Quran. Other associated words possess similar meanings including: khabar (news, information) often refers to reports about Muhammad, but sometimes refers to traditions about his companions and their successors from the following generation; conversely, athar (trace, vestige) usually refers to traditions about the companions and successors, though sometimes connotes traditions about Muhammad. The word sunnah (custom) is also used in reference to a normative custom of Muhammad or the early Muslim community. The authority of applying the Hadith or the Sunnah is perceived to be the initiative by people who believe that Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) received inspiration beyond the Quran.
 
Obey God obey the Messenger
 
There are many verses in the Quran telling the believers to obey God and obey the Messenger. A simple verse will shows the following:
 
And obey Allah and the Messenger; that ye may obtain mercy. (Surah 3:132)
 
O ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him when ye hear (him speak). (Surah 8:20)
 
It is such as obey Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah and do right, that will win (in the end),
(Surah 24:52)
 
Thus from the above verses taking the simple meaning that whoever obey the Messenger naturally he is obeying God Who issue the command in the Quran for the whole of mankind to obey.
 
However the hadith pundits claimed that since both God and the Messenger are being mentioned then obey Allah is to mean to obey God command in the Quran and obey the Messenger is to obey the hadith/sunnah of the Prophet. They believe that not only God issue command, the Prophet can also issue commands besides the Quran. This is the basis of the argument by those in favor of the hadith/sunnah practices.
 
The following verses of the Quran were applied by Hadith pundits that disobedient to the Sunnah label the rejecter to be heretical and a hypocrites:
 
And when it is said to them, come unto what God has sent down and unto the messenger, you (O Prophet) see the hypocrites turn from you in aversion (Surah 4:61).
 
Our Lord, and raise in their midst a messenger from among them who would recite for them your signs and teach them the book and the wisdom and sanctify them (or make them grow). You are the one mighty, the wise (Surah 2:129).
 
Fight those who do not believe in Allâh and the Hereafter and do not hold unlawful what Allâh and His Messenger have made unlawful. (Surah 9:29)
 
No believer, neither man nor woman, has a right, when Allâh and His Messenger decide a matter, to have a choice in their matter in issue. And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger has gone astray into manifest error. (Surah 33:36)
 
But no, by your Lord, they shall not be (deemed to be) believers unless they accept you as judge in their disputes, then find in their hearts no adverse feeling against what you decided, but surrender to it in complete submission. (Surah 4:65)
 
Further The Holy Qur'ân says:
 
Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:  (Surah 53:2-4)
 
Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it. (Surah 59:7)
 
It is therefore claimed that with the above verses whoever do not obey the Hadith or the Sunnah of the Messenger is therefore heretical and should be punished
 
However all the above verses when read with the adjoining verses or with other supporting verses gives an entire different disposition. To obey God is to obey the Messenger who follows God’s command in the Quran. The Messenger has no prerogative to instill his own religious regulations, he has to abide only that of God’s as shown in the Quran. The following verses forbid the Messenger to promulgate his own decrees:
 
And if the messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name, We should certainly seize him by his right hand.  And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart: Nor could any of you withhold him (from Our wrath). But verily this is a Message for the God-fearing.  (Surah 69:44-48)
 
On the Surah 4:61 when the Messenger gave them the Quran you will see the hypocrites turn in aversion. Aversion towards the Messenger does not mean aversion towards the Hadith or the Sunnah but it is clearly referring to the command in the Quran in that verse. The verse below shows it was not the Messenger they hate but:
 
We know indeed the grief which their words do cause thee: It is not thee they reject: it is the ayat of Allah, which the wicked contemn. (Surah 6:33)
 
The following verses confirm all of the verses that claim aversion is actually pointing towards aversion to the Quran by the hypocrites not as the Hadith pundits interpreted of the “Prophet’s Sunnah”:
 
The Arabs of the desert are the worst in Unbelief and hypocrisy, and most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to His Messenger: But Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise. (Surah 9:97)
The Hypocrites are afraid lest a Surah should be sent down about them, showing them what is (really passing) in their hearts. Say: "Mock ye! But verily Allah will bring to light all that ye fear (should be revealed). (Surah 9:64)
 
Further the Surah 2:129, Surah 9:29, Surah 33:36 and Surah 4:65 all these are instruction to follow and obey the Book of Allah it was never meant to follow any other books on the Hadith or the Sunnah and this is stated clearly in the following verse of the Quran which the Messenger promised to do:
 
Now then, for that (reason), call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded nor follow thou their vain desires; but say: "I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you…..(Surah 42:15)
 
On their claim that everything the Messenger say and did was inspiration made up of the Quran and the Hadith/Sunnah as stated in the verse at Surah 53:3-4 “Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him” is far from the truth. The inspiration is only with those related to the Quran but while he was not receiving inspiration he was behaving as a normal man. The example of being an ordinary man is stated:
 
And they say: "What sort of a messenger is this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him? (Surah 25:7)
 
We did send messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and children: and it was never the part of a messenger to bring a sign except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is a Book (revealed). (Surah 13:38)
 
And as a normal man he makes mistake which is certainly cannot comes in the form of inspiration as shown in the following examples:
 
Reprimand by God for making his personal prohibition cannot be inspiration
 
O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surah 66:1)
 
He treated a blind man unfavorably was also his own and not inspiration
 
(The Prophet) frowned and turned away, because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)? Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?   As to one who regards Himself as self-sufficient,
To him dost thou attend; Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding). But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly, And with fear (in his heart), Of him wast thou unmindful
(Surah 80:1-10)
 
He refused initially to obey the command to marry the wife of his adopted son out of fear and shamed to his people was again not an inspiration from God.
 
Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favour: "Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife, and fear Allah." But thou didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And Allah's command must be fulfilled. (Surah 33:37)
 
All the above are examples that apart from the Quran the claim that the Hadith and Sunnah were inspiration were therefore false.
 
Finally the most popular verse used by pundits hooked by Bokhari, Muslim and the like to justify the hadith and sunnah practices in entirety covering all aspect of the religion of Islam is none other which is stated is the Surah 59:7 which says “So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.” The hadith pundits claimed this is the verse that legitimate all hadith and sunnah to be follow by all Muslims. Yet the verse if read in full is only describing the fair distribution of the booty by the Messenger among his community and nothing more than that. The whole verse is as stated below:
 
What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (and taken away) from the people of the townships, belongs to Allah, to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; In order that it may not (merely) make a circuit between the wealthy among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment. (Surah 59:7)
 
Thus the belief in the Hadith or the Sunnah as an inspiration besides the Quran is a flaw and a fabrication to exploit the good name of our Prophet Muhammad the Messenger of God (Pbuh) for their benefits. The claim that the hadith and sunnah is from God is well dispel in the Quran by the following verses stated below:
 
Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: "This is from Allah," to traffic with it for miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby. (Surah 2:79)
 
There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it! (Surah 3:78)
 
There is no legitimate hadith or sunnah of the Prophet except those found in the Quran
 
Do they see nothing in the government of the heavens and the earth and all that Allah hath created? (Do they not see) that it may well be that their terms is nigh drawing to an end? In what Hadith after this (Quran) will they then believe? (Surah 7:185)
 
Allah has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful Hadith in the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's praises. Such is the guidance of Allah: He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such as Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide. (Surah 39:23)
 
(This was Our) Sunnah with the messengers We sent before thee: thou wilt find no change in Our sunnah.  
 
Asar


Sunday, August 10, 2014

Fundamentals of Salat in the Quran verses the Hadith

 
Salam,
The basic foundation of the salat in the Quran is to worship God and God alone. We worship God by making the following in our salat:
Remembrance of Him
"Verily, I am Allah: There is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise. (Surah 20:14)
Magnify Him
Say: "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!"
Praise Him
And during part of the night, (also,) celebrate His praises, and (so likewise) after the postures of adoration. (Surah 50:40)
Be constant in prayer and ask provision
Enjoin prayer on thy people, and be constant therein. We ask thee not to provide sustenance: We provide it for thee. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness. (Surah 20:132)
Glorify and Commemorate His Names
And glorify the name of their Guardian-Lord, and (lift their hearts) in prayer.
Seek help with patience
O ye who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. (Surah 2:153)
And in no wise covet those things in which Allah Hath bestowed His gifts More freely on some of you than on others: To men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn: But ask Allah of His bounty. For Allah hath full knowledge of all things. (Surah 4:32)
Most important salat is to worship God alone and the places of worship is for God alone
This is a pledged that we have made when we 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)
"And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah; (Surah 72:18)
All these supplication and praise to glorify Him can be found in the Quran to make our salat complete and meaningful. In spite of these fundamentals which were brought by our Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) in the Quran, the hadith pundits falsify some of these fundamentals and in the process contaminated the basic fundamental of genuine salat practiced by the Messenger of Allah.
The most intriguing and preposterous schemes that they did were imposing the following falsehoods which contradict to the worship of God alone in our salat, this is with regard to the utterance of the “tashahhud” in the salat which when read give the following meanings:
All greetings belong to Allah, all righteousness is due to Allah. All the best prayers are for the sake of Allah. Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be upon you, O Prophet, may peace be upon us and on the devout slaves of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is his messenger. O God, send your mercy on Muhammad and his family as you send your mercy on Abraham and his family. O God, send your blessings on Muhammad and his family as you have blessed Abraham and his family. You are the Most praised, the Most Glorious.
In the above “tashahhud” there are several falsehoods that can be observed:
When one says “Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be upon you, O Prophet!” This means one is immortalizing the Prophet to be at par with the Living God. The Prophet has long been dead and for those who do not accept this incurred God’s displeasure as He said:
Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many were the messenger that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude. (Surah 3:144)
The other fabrication in the “tashahhud” is testifying or bearing witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Only Allah bear witness that Muhammad is His messenger so those who bear witness according to Allah are liars:
When the Hypocrites come to thee, they say, "We bear witness that thou art indeed the Messenger of Allah." Yea, Allah knoweth that thou art indeed His Messenger, and Allah beareth witness that the Hypocrites are indeed liars. (Surah 63:1)
The other falsehood in the “tashahhud” is that God had blessed Abraham and his family. It is wrong to say that God had send His blessing to all the families of Abraham as the father a family member was never blessed by God as shown by the following verse:
 It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they were of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.  And Abraham prayed for his father's forgiveness only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him: for Abraham was most tender-hearted, forbearing. (Surah 9:113-114)
Thus for those who are not yet hooked to the hadith they can eliminate the “tashahhud” by replacing with  verses of the Quran which praise and glorify Allah, a good one is the “Ayatul Kursi” at Surah 2:255.
Asar
 


Thursday, August 7, 2014

Congregation in the mosque

 
Salam,
The mosque congregation should be led by male imams as the evidences in the Quran strongly express in favor of male leaders as the Muslims has been based on patriarch system when the first man Adam form his community and down to Abraham when God made him the Imam of the nation as shown in the following verse of the Quran:
 And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered: "But My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers."
 The next point that the male should lead in front of the congregation is because the male is normally the breadwinner of the family and this has been the case since the history of man and most likely to be so in the future. The following verse is referred:
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means…..(Surah 4:34)
And there is also a command in the Quran when one is in the mosque one should be kept apart from the wife and the following verse is being referred:
….but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah: Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self- restraint. (Surah 2:187)
So a congregation in the mosque will have the imam or the leader of the prayer in front of the congregation where the male and the female can be separated right and left respectively behind the imam or the female congregation to be behind the male congregation. There should not be intermingling of both genders.
Asar