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
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