Question: I want to know about ahadeeth. I don’t believe in ahadeeth. I follow the Quran alone. What do you say about this? Should we follow ahadeeth or not?
WHY ARE HADITHS IMPORTANT?
Hadiths are reports from the last Prophet (nabi) of God, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Prophets are the best implementers of God’s religion, and God tells believers that there are good examples for them in his life. God the Almighty decrees in the Quran:
“Surely there is a good example for you in the Messenger of God, for all those who look forward to God and the Last Day and remember God much.” (33:21)
PROBLEMS WITH HADITH NARRATIONS
The main problems in this context are summarized below :
1- Muslims cannot base their faith on the hadeeth because even Saheeh al-Bukhari, one of the earliest hadith collections was written two centuries after the Messenger’s decease. Therefore, authenticity is always an issue about them. Hadiths are NOT “protected by God” in contrast to the Quran.
2- Had Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wanted hadiths to be written, he would have surely had them written under his supervision and approval during his lifetime. Contrarily, there are narrations that say he had forbidden writing anything from him except the Quran, and that Abu Bakr had burnt those he had himself collected.
3- The Quran tells us that there were hypocrites around Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) whose words and appearances pleased him though they were enemies of God (63:4). We know nothing about their identities except for a couple of them. That means even the people we consider as Companions could have been from the hypocrites. These people might have had an organization to write down things and falsely ascribe them to the Prophet, thus trying to spread corruption. We also learn from other verses (2:79) that some people also wrote things that they ascribed to God even though those words were not from Him, and they might have used the names of Muslim narrators or scholars for this purpose.
SHALL WE DISCARD ALL HADITHS?
On the other hand, we are responsible for taking the Messenger of God as an example, so we need to have information about him. We cannot shut our ears to hadith. The acts and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were the applied form of the Quran to human life. After all, he is the Messenger of God, the best implementer of the Quran, and the best model for all humanity, not only for Muslims.
“We have sent you forth as nothing but mercy to people of the whole world.” (21:107)
“As for those who follow that Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them; he will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong. He will make lawful for them all good things and forbid them only from the foul, and he will relieve them of their burden and the fetters that they used to wear. Those who believe in him, support him with respect, and help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him (the Quran) will attain ultimate success. Say: “Oh humankind! I am God’s Messenger to you all. He is to whom the dominion of the skies and the earth belongs. There is no deity but He. He grants life and brings death. Have faith, then in God and in His Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write. He believes in God and His words. So follow him that you may be guided aright”.” (7:157-158)
CONCLUSION
Hadiths are the narrations about Prophet Muhammad’s words yet the best of the words are in the Quran:
God has sent down the best of words (the verses) as a Book arranged in similar pairs. This (arrangement method) gives shivers to those who are in awe of their Master. (39:23)
The Word of your Master has been completed in truth and justice. There is no changing to His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower. (6:115)
So, no human word can replace, supersede, abrogate, or override God’s verses although some can teach us necessary lessons. (Please read the following article about the notions of “nabi” and “rasul” to distinguish the words of the Prophet from the words of the Messenger: https://www.islamandquran.org/?p=5753 )
In our opinion, the following narration shows the most logical path for Muslims to follow about hadeeth:
“There will be people after me narrating you some words from me. Present their words to the Quran (check them against the Quran). Take the ones that accord with the Quran. Do not take the ones that contradict the Quran.” (Sunan al-Daraqutni, 4476)
Considering all the issues mentioned, Muslims must check the hadeeth against the Quran before abiding by them.
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