I really like the approach of this guy, yet I think it is different from the main stream Muslims… Would anyone like to comment?
His opinion on the subject (besides the cited article) can be seen at:
www.understanding-islam.com/rov/overview.htm
Is Hadith an Independent Source of Islam?
There is considerable debate among Muslims, especially in the US about the validity of believing in the ahaadith compilations and even considering them as authenticated Sunnah. The following article: http://www.submission.org/had-corruption.html although written in a somewhat rude manner does indeed highlight the many falsifications in the “Sahih” ahadiths. Why is it necessary that a person should believe that the “Sahih” ahadith collections we have is in fact a completely captured Sunnah. Why is not the Qur’an sufficient for us?
Khalid Azam, USA
Reply
I would suggest that the two points mentioned in your letter be considered as four separate questions. That is:
Why should not the Qur’an alone be considered the complete source of Islamic teachings?
Is Hadith the basic source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh)?
If Hadith is not the source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) then what is the source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and how reliable is that source?
Is it necessary for a Muslim to believe that a Sahih Hadith accurately narrates the actual saying of the Prophet (pbuh)?
I shall try to give answers to these three questions in the following sections (and thereby, hopefully, answer your original question):
The only source of divine guidance for ordinary human beings[1] is the very person of the prophet and/or messenger of God. When a person is accepted as a prophet or messenger of God, whatever he terms as a part of religion shall be accepted as religion. Any additions or deletions in what a prophet of God has specified as religion shall be considered additions or deletions in religion itself. Mohammed (pbuh) is no exception. Anyone who believes Mohammed (pbuh) to be a true prophet of God, must not make arbitrary distinctions between his teachings – considering some of them to be a part of Islam and others to be outside the scope of religion.
Let us, for a better understanding of the above-mentioned point, consider the case of the Qur’an. We hold the Qur’an to be the revealed word of God, because the Prophet (pbuh) informed his followers as such. We adhere to the particular arrangement of the words that constitute the verses of the Qur’an, the particular arrangement of the verses that constitute the Surahs of the Qur’an and the particular arrangement of the Surahs that constitute the Qur’an itself for no other reason except that the Prophet (pbuh) informed his followers that this particular arrangement of the words, the verses and the Surahs is ordained by our Lord.
Keeping the above explanation of the position of a prophet of God in perspective, it should be obvious that if the Prophet (pbuh) had informed his followers that all the beliefs and practices that constitute Islam are entailed in the Qur’an, we would have absolutely no reason to look for anything besides the Qur’an. Nevertheless, it seems that this is not the case. The Prophet (pbuh), just as he informed all the Muslims of the words of the Qur’an and prompted them to not only memorize and understand it – according to the best of their abilities – but also to transmit it in its original form to the next generation, also informed all the Muslims of a number of practices – as a part of Islamic teachings – and directed them to strictly adhere to these practices and also to transmit them in their original form to the next generation. These practices, just like the Qur’an, are an integral part of the Islamic teachings and are called the ‘Sunnah’ of the Prophet (pbuh).
Before I answer this question, let us first try to understand the implication of the phrase ‘basic source of the Sunnah’. The phrase ‘basic source of the Sunnah’ implies that the information regarding the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) is primarily gained through Hadith (or narratives ascribed to the Prophet). Let us, for a while, assume that this is truly the case. However, this would raise a few very grave questions regarding 1) the comprehensive information of Islam in any given generation – including the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) – and 2) regarding the efforts of the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions in the compilation as well as the transmittance of Hadith.
If Hadith were accepted to be the primary source of Sunnah, it would then imply that lack of knowledge of a particular Hadith would result in the lack of knowledge of a Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) contained in that Hadith. In effect this would mean that any comprehensive information of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) – assuming that it was dependent on the complete information of all the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) – would have remained unavailable till the time all the narratives of the Prophet (pbuh) had been compiled. This would also mean that even during later times – after all the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) had been gathered and compiled – the complete Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) would have remained unknown to the Muslim Ummah, in general. Considering the fact that the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) is actually an integral part of Islam, and a general lack of knowledge of a Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) translated into a general lack of knowledge of complete Islam itself, it would have to be submitted – if Hadith is the primary source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) – that all the Muslim generations from the time of the companions till our times, have generally remained unaware of the complete teachings of Islam.
This is obviously not true. The fact of the matter is that Hadith is indeed a good source of the life and times of the Prophet (pbuh), it is a good source of the social and cultural traditions of the times of the Prophet (pbuh) and it is a good source of a number of incidents of the times of the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions, yet the information regarding the basics of Islam – the Qur’an and the Sunnah – are not dependent on Hadith. Indeed one may find a Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) mentioned in a particular Hadith, yet even such a Hadith is not the primary source of knowledge of that particular Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Just as a Hadith that contains a reference to a Qur’anic verse, can obviously not be considered the source of that Qur’anic verse.
Moreover, as is quite obvious that if Hadith had been considered a primary source of Islam, the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions would have indeed directed all their efforts to the compilation as well as the transmittance of Hadith, once the compilation of the Qur’an was completed and its transmittance secured. However, there is absolutely no evidence of this effort – neither during the time of the Prophet (pbuh) nor that of the companions. All that can be found are some disjointed individual efforts and that too without the backing or even the approval or support of the collectivity of the Muslims. None of the more well-known companions of the Prophet (pbuh) or even his wives seems to have given Hadith the importance that should have obviously been given to a primary source of Islam – as was the case with the Qur’an (or even the Sunnah – as shall be seen in a while).
The source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) is quite similar to that of the Qur’an. Just like the Qur’an, the source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) is the consensus of the Muslim Ummah. The Qur’an has reached us through the consensus and the verbal perpetuation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), while the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) has reached us through the consensus and the practical perpetuation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh). In this aspect, the source of the Sunnah is as reliable as that of the Qur’an. Just as the Qur’an is not dependent on the comprehension and/or the narrative of a few people (as is the case in Hadith), the Sunnah is also not dependent on the comprehension or the narrative of a few people. Just as the Qur’an (that we have at hand) is the transmittance of the exact words of what was taught by the Prophet (pbuh) to be the Qur’an and is not effected by the interpretation of any person, the Sunnah is the transmittance of the exact actions of the Prophet (pbuh) taught to be an integral part of the teachings and directives of Islam, and is not effected by the interpretation of that action by any individual.
In contrast to the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), Hadith is dependent not only on the general honesty and the trustworthiness of its narrators and the continuation (lack of break) in its chain of narrators, but is also dependent on the perception, the comprehension and subsequently the accurate narration of each individual narrator of that particular Hadith. It is obvious that even though the great scholars of the science of Hadith did a great job (may Allah reward them for their efforts) in collecting information about the general honesty, reliability and the times and character of the large number of people who have narrated sayings ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), yet there is absolutely no way of determining whether a particular saying was correctly perceived, comprehended and subsequently narrated by all the individuals in a chain of narrators. We are well aware of the fact that honesty, reliability and intelligence of an individual do not always guarantee accurateness of his/her accounts.
It is due to the heavy reliance of Hadith on the general honesty and reliability and the particular comprehension and perception of all the narrators in a chain that besides the determination of the general honesty and reliability of its narrators, it should also be tested on the grounds that it should not be contrary to:
The Qur’an;
The Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh); and
The established knowledge of mankind.
If any narrative ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) does not stand up to the test of these three criteria – even though the chain of such a narrative consists of generally honest and reliable narrators – it would safely be turned down as an accurate account of the actual saying of the Prophet (pbuh).
I hope this helps. In case any aspect of your question remains unanswered or inadequately answered, please feel free in writing back to me at your own convenience.
May the Almighty guide us all to the path of His liking.
My fondest regards to you and those around you.
The Learner