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*Originally posted by oiqbal: *
Assalamu Alaykum,
I think when looking at such Ahadith and having found that multiple versions exist, and all apparently with conflicting messages, neither of them can be and should be accepted blindly. Hadith, after all, is a work of humans and can be contain errors due to human limitations. No human can claim to have been error free, irrespective of how much care they took and how clean their intentions were, because God has not created any human perfect. This only means that people ascribe these words to Muhammad (sws)- we have no conclusive proof whether he really said it! People say he did, we cannot completely know the truth in this matter.
With regards to the word Ahl-e-Bait, a few things that are worth noting.
Firstly, the word Ahl-e-Bait in Arabic literally means 'ghar waalay' in Urdu, which includes everyone who lives inside a House. It definitely includes wives of the Prophet (sws). As an example, consider the following verse from Qur'an where Abraham's wife is being told about a son:
Regards.
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Why are the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) counted as proof?
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Hadeeth means the words, actions, approval or attributes that have been narrated from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
A hadeeth may either confirm things that are mentioned in the Qur’aan, such as prayer, zakaah, etc., or it may give details of things that are mentioned in the Qur’aan in general terms, such as the numbers of rak’ahs in each prayer, the thresholds for paying zakaah, the details of Hajj, etc. It may also explain rulings which are not mentioned in the Qur’aan, such as the prohibition on being married to a woman and her (paternal or maternal) aunt at the same time.
Allaah revealed the Qur’aan to His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and commanded him to explain it to the people, as He said (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’aan)], that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought”
[al-Nahl 16:44]
The hadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is a revelation (wahy) from his Lord. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred.
Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.
It is only a Revelation revealed”
[al-Najm 53:2-4]
Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to call mankind to worship Allaah alone, and to disbelieve in any (god) apart from Him, and (He sent him) to bring the glad tidings of Paradise and warnings of Hell:
“O Prophet (Muhammad)! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner,
And as one who invites to Allaah [Islamic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allaah (Alone)] by His Leave, and as a lamp spreading light (through your instructions from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah the legal ways of the Prophet)
[al-Ahzaab 33:45-46 – interpretation of the meaning]
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was anxious over this ummah; he did not know of anything good but he told them of it, and he did not know of anything evil but he warned them against it:
“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad) is anxious over you; for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful”
[al-Tawbah 9:128 – interpretation of the meaning]
Every Prophet was sent only to his own people, but Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to all of mankind:
“And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”
[al-Anbiyaa’ 21:101 – interpretation of the meaning]
Because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) conveyed the revelation that was sent down to him from His Lord, it is obligatory to obey him. Indeed, obedience to him is obedience to Allaah:
“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allaah”
[al-Nisaa’ 4:80 – interpretation of the meaning]
Obedience to Allaah and His Messenger is the way to salvation and victory, and to happiness in this world and in the Hereafter:
“And whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell‑fire and will be admitted to Paradise)”
[al-Ahzaab 33:71 – interpretation of the meaning]
Hence it is obligatory for all people to obey Allaah and His Messenger, because therein lies their success and salvation:
“And obey Allaah and the Messenger (Muhammad) that you may obtain mercy”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:132 – interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger only harms himself, he does not harm Allaah in the slightest:
“And whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment”
[al-Nisaa’ 4:14 – interpretation of the meaning]
Once Allaah and His Messenger have decided a matter, no one has the right to choose concerning that or to object to it; rather it is obligatory to obey and to believe in the truth:
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error
[al-Ahzaab 33:36 – interpretation of the meaning]
A person's faith is not complete until he loves Allaah and His Messenger, and love implies obedience. Whoever wants Allah to love him and forgive his sins must follow the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:31 – interpretation of the meaning]
Love of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not simply the matter of words to be repeated, rather it is the matter of belief and conduct, i.e., obedience to what he commands, belief in what he tells us, avoidance of what he forbids, and avoidance of worshipping Allaah in any way except that which he prescribed.
When Allaah had perfected this religion and the Messenger had conveyed the message of his Lord, Allaah took him to be with Him. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) left this ummah with clear proof in which there is no ambiguity. No one deviates from it but he is doomed:
“This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”
[al-Maa'idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]
By the grace of Allaah, the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) preserved the ahaadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them), then the righteous salaf who came after them compiled them in books which are known as the Sihaah (Saheehs), Sunan and Musnads. The most sound of them are Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Saheeh Muslim, the four Sunans, the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and the Muwatta’ of Imaam Maalik, etc.
Allaah has perfected this religion. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not know of anything good but he taught it to his ummah, and he did not know of anything evil but he warned them against it. So whoever introduces anything into the religion, of bid’ah (innovation) or myths, such as praying to the dead or circumambulating (tawaaf) their tombs, or praying to the jinn and awliya’ (“saints”), and other things that have not been prescribed by Allaah and His Messenger, all of that is to be rejected and not accepted, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (Islam) that is not a part of it will have it rejected.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1718)
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com)