Hadiths

The Hadiths are a collection of books that contain Sunnah. Sunnah is described as the words and actions of the prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him (PBUH). As a Muslim, one follows what Allah (God) states in the Koran and also what the prophet decrees. They follow the prophet because in the Koran it is written that all Muslims should follow the ways and teachings of the prophet because he was pure and his way was closest to Allah. By emulating the Prophet one intends to keep from committing any sins. The Koran does not make reference to any form of “written Hadith”.

Also, the writing within the Koran says that it is all that you need in order to follow the right path to paradise (notice how it points out that there are those who will try to use it for their own perversity). The following verses are some examples of this.

2:2 This is the book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.

Thalika alkitabu la rayba feehi hudan lilmuttaqeen

ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

3:7 He it is Who has sent down to thee the book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.

Huwa allathee anzala AAalayka alkitaba minhu ayatun muhkamatun hunna ommu alkitabi waokharu mutashabihatun faamma allatheena fee quloobihim zayghun fayattabiAAoona ma tashabaha minhu ibtighaa alfitnati wabtighaa taweelihi wama yaAAlamu taweelahu illa Allahu warrasikhoona fee alAAilmi yaqooloona amanna bihi kullun min AAindi rabbina wama yaththakkaru illa oloo alalbab

هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ في قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاء الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاء تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الألْبَاب

2:121 Those to whom We have sent the book study it as it should be studied: They are the ones that believe therein: Those who reject faith therein,- the loss is their own.

Allatheena ataynahumu alkitaba yatloonahu haqqa tilawatihi olaika yuminoona bihi waman yakfur bihi faolaika humu alkhasiroon

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ أُوْلَـئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

During the time of the prophet there were no sects of Islam. All of Islam was unified. Since the time of the prophet many sects of Islam have emerged and each claims that their way is correct. Different sects believe in different Hadiths while some sects don’t believe in Hadiths at all. This makes the Hadiths a point of controversy.

Additionally, accuracy of the Hadiths is of question due to the criteria for the selection of Sunnah that is written in the Hadiths. I have read the criteria of selection for the Hadith and how the Hadith came into being, but I have not read the complete Hadiths (I have read only a few for this article). The first Hadith was written approximately 260 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad so none of the information within the Hadiths are first hand accounts. Also, the words of the Hadith is written by man, whereas the words of the Koran are divine in nature. The following verse from the Koran and others similar to it state this point,

39:1 The revelation of this book is from Allah, the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom.

Tanzeelu alkitabi mina Allahi alAAazeezi alhakeem

تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ

The Hadiths have changed over time, clauses have been inserted and removed and are still being inserted and removed based on what SCHOLARS of today think, whereas the Koran has never been altered (more on scholars below). One key criterion for the Hadith is that whatever is written in it, it cannot go against what is stated in the Koran. In that sense, the above translations are directly from the Koran and any form of Hadith should not go against it.

The Hadiths are supposed to elaborate on the Koran and to fill in the blanks where the Koran wasn’t “complete”. This is a popular belief among Muslims, it is a part of the conjecture most follow. The following verses negate this belief and exclaims that the detail needed to follow the right path is detailed in the Koran.

41:3 A book, whereof the verses are explained in detail;- a Qur'an in Arabic, for people who understand;-

Kitabun fussilat ayatuhu quranan AAarabiyyan liqawmin yaAAlamoon

كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

41:44 Had We sent this as a Qur'an (in the language) other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! (a book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger an Arab?" Say: "It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!"

Walaw jaAAalnahu quranan aAAjamiyyan laqaloo lawla fussilat ayatuhu aaAAjamiyyun waAAarabiyyun qul huwa lillatheena amanoo hudan washifaon wallatheena la yuminoona fee athanihim waqrun wahuwa AAalayhim AAaman olaika yunadawna min makanin baAAeed

وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا أَعْجَمِيًّا لَّقَالُوا لَوْلَا فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ أَأَعْجَمِيٌّ وَعَرَبِيٌّ قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاء وَالَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ

Whereas the Koran was the point of unity for Muslims, the Hadiths have become the point of division for Islam. So rather then getting into all of that, I stick to the message in the Koran, which all Muslims will agree with (though they may interpret it differently).

I have personally heard some gross misinterpretations of the stories in the Hadiths also but will save that for a different article.

This article is the original work and property of the author and Standing Toe to Toe Productions. This article is provided for informational purposes and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent from the author. Permission to link to this web page is granted. Comments, feedback, and suggestions are encouraged.