‘Why Do We Need Hadith When The Quran Is Enough?’ – Nouman Ali Khan

16 Responses »

  1. MAA’SHA’ALLAH!! What a clear explanation.
    One Does not Become a Believer Unless He Refers to the Messenger for Judgment and Submits to his Decision.Allah swears by His Glorious, Most Honorable Self, that no one shall attain faith until he refers to the Messenger for judgment in all matters. Thereafter, whatever the Messenger commands, is the plain truth that must be submitted to inwardly and outwardly and thus do not feel any hesitation over Prophet’s decision. This is the reason we should not obey secular-liberal laws and should opt for Personal law boards.

  2. May Allah continue to grant you more knowledge that is beneficial to all of humanity JazakAllah khairan.

  3. Quite informative. Thanks.

  4. I can refute every argument he raised quite easily.

    Let’s start from the top
    1.
    Noumans first point about 4:65 is read out of context
    He reads after the Ayat but fails to mention the preceding ayats which lead to the reason for the oath of Allah

    Let’s go back and look at it
    4.60-61 Have you not seen those who assert that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you?
    They desire to summon one another to the judgment of the Shaitan, <—
    though they were commanded to deny him, and the Shaitan desires to lead them astray into a remote error.
    And when it is said to them:
    Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Apostle, <—-
    you will see the hypocrites turning away from you with (utter) aversion.

    Here it mentions the summoning of one another then it mentions COME to what Allah has revealed.
    Not the word of the prophet, not the way the prophet would live his life but to the words of Allah

    Now when you read 4:65 in context, it states to only look for the answers in Allahs words and no outside sources (because the judgment is ONLY from what is revealed to him as mentioned in 4:60-61)

    2. "How can the character of the prophet be insignificant?"

    There are many places where Allah questions the choices the prophet made.
    Besides the obvious turning away from a blind man in 80.1 (and we are told 80.10 he was distracted)
    there is also the prophets hiding his emotion/desire and feared men instead of Allah (33.37)-(which violates 2.41),
    or when the prophet forbid himself from what Allah made lawful to him (66.1)-(which violates 16.116.117)
    So there are numerous places where the prophet has made human errors and needs to be reprehended by Allah as to come back to the right path.

    Muhammad was mortal, had mistakes like you and me. The book that taught him is flawless.
    Why should I make the same mistakes from the imperfect apprentice when the perfect instructor has given me the same words that taught and kept fixing the apprentices errors?
    Why should I follow the apprentice with human errors when the book that taught him how to be a muslim with no mistakes is between my hands?

    3. "Sometimes he would be inspired by Allah and say things with his own words"

    Here Nouman is referring to such hadiths like hadith Qudsi, where hadith followers believe Muhammad was inspired by Allah, told by the Angels but was directly to him and not a part of revelation.

    The only way Muhammad was inspired by Allah was through revelation. He had no other function but delivering the Quran.
    If the Angels did inspire him then whatever they told him must be recorded within the pages of the book (because whatever Muhammad heard from the Angels had to be recorded, that was his task).
    He was not allowed to be inspired then with his own words record what he thought on the subject because that would mean it was from his own desire and would go against 53.3-4 which explains the revelation is the only thing not from his own desire.

    "The messenger has
    NO FUNCTION EXCEPT DELIVERING (Quran) <—- and God knows whatever you declare, as well as whatever you conceal. Say, 'The good and the bad are not the same, despite the abundance of the bad.'
    Therefore, you shall observe God, <—-
    O you who possess intelligence, that you may succeed." (5:99-100)

    Clearly in these ayats we are told Muhammad didn't have any other function besides delivering the Quran and for that reason we should OBSERVE ALLAH alone (and not Muhammad who as pointed out in my rebuttal earlier made human errors)

    4. "Quran wasn't delivered like FedEx but needs a living role model”

    "You have NO duty EXCEPT delivering (Quran)" (42:48)

    "Your ONLY duty is delivering (Quran), while we will call them to account." (13:40)

    "God is the teacher of Quran." (55:1-2)

    "Do not move your tongue (O Muhammad) in anticipation of Quran. It is we who put it together as a Quran. Once we recite it, you shall follow it. Then, it is we who explain it." (75:16-19)

    Clearly in the above ayats Muhammad only had to deliver the book and had no other duty. He wasn't expected to rephrase, try and explain or be a role model for anyone.

    Also Muhammad doesn’t live through hadiths he lives through Quran. When you hear the word of Allah being recited, its as if Muhammad is standing there delivering the words to us as his people. Its also as if your there in the cave with the angel receiving the words just like Muhammad. They are the words he fought tooth and nail to be protected and delivered.

    Which also brings me to the question did Muhammad need to physically see the other mentioned prophets in order to follow the Quran?
    No

    Quran says in many places that we follow Ibrahim who was the designated Imam of the world (and not Muhammad).

    2:124
    And when tried Ibrahim his Lord with words and he fulfilled them, He said, "Indeed (am) the One to make you for the mankind a leader." He said, "And from my offspring?" He said, "(Does) not reach My Covenant (to) the wrongdoers."

    Not just for when he existed but for all time. Even Muhammad and all believers are commanded to classify themselves under the faith of Ibrahim

    16.123 Then We revealed to you, that, "You follow (the) religion (of) Ibrahim upright; and not he was of the polytheists."

    Muhammad followed the examples of Ibrahim and former prophets within the Quran.
    He didn’t follow his own (hadiths) teachings and sayings because that would be from his own desire.

    Why should we follow Muhammad's hadiths when every believer (including Muhammad) is commanded to say we follow the faith of Ibrahim?

    So if Muhammad could follow the words of Allah without seeing the physical living role models, why do you think people at his time him required a physical model to accept the words of Allah?
    Isn't Allahs words sufficient enough with the exact amount of living role models in its pages to guide us?
    Isn't Allah the one who opens or closes the hearts he desires?

    This also means anyone who didn't witness Muhammad was at a disadvantage because they must go off what others said rather than seeing a living model. You can't argue that hadiths have documented his actions and sayings because Muhammad in that sense is not a living visible role model but is on paper from here-say words of others.

    5. Nouman quoted 29.50-51 to justify the Quran is not enough by itself

    29.50-51
    And they say: Why are not signs sent down upon him from his Lord? Say: The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a plain warner.
    Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to you the Book which is recited to them? Most surely there is mercy in this and a reminder for a people who believe.

    Nouman concentrated on the miracle aspect of these ayats.
    To refute this first we need to understand the word for miracle
    In arabic the word for miracle is ayat

    29.50-51
    Waqaloo lawla onzila AAalayhi
    ayatun <—
    min rabbihi qul innama alayatu AAinda Allahi wainnama ana natheerun mubeenun
    Awalam yakfihim anna anzalna AAalayka alkitaba yutla AAalayhim inna fee thalika larahmatan wathikra liqawmin yuminoona

    The word miracle mentioned is ayat
    So the people are asking why is there no other AYATS sent to him and he is commanded to respond that he's only a warner and the book which contains the mercy and reminder has all the required AYATS.

    6. Quran is easy
    He mentions Quran doesn't mention it is simple but it does say easy for dhikr (rememberence)
    Why does Nouman not mention other places where the word easy is used?
    Like for example
    19:97 and only to this end have We made this [divine writ] EASY (yassarnāhu) to understand, in thine own tongue, [O Prophet,] so that thou might convey thereby a glad tiding to the God-conscious, and warn thereby those who are given to [futile] contention:

    44:58 THUS, THEN, [O Prophet,] have We made this [divine writ] EASY (yassarnāhu) to understand, in thine own [human] tongue, so that men might take it to heart.

    Here the word easy is used to show its understanding and contemplation is Easy (and not just for rememberence).

    7. Quran was predominantly oral and only down the road needed to be transcribed

    Surahs were individually delivered to the people but the Quran continually reiterates that it was sent in a compete BOOK form.
    This can be seen in the 200+ times the word KITAB is mentioned in the Quran.

    2.2 Thalika alkitabu la rayba feehi hudan lilmuttaqeena

    THAT BOOK, no doubt, in it a guidance for the god conscious

    So Muhammad had a complete book and as he read the pages he delivered them to his people individually.
    Once he delivered each Surah he merely had to deliver the already completed book in its current format.
    So to think the sahaba compiled the Quran is completely wrong when Allah had already compiled it.

    8. The people who wrote the Quran also wrote the hadiths

    No it isn't.
    The people who wrote hadiths were 200 years after. They merely used the names of characters that existed many generations before their time.

    • Ah, I was preparing to debunk Mr Newman’s claims. But got disappointed! His preaching seems to stay the same about the Quran only topic. He is using the same verses, same arguments and same failed attempt to producing a single verse in which Allah tells us to obey the messenger through Bukhari, LLC. I already debunked these arguments. Funny how he has been going in circle for years while I keep discovering new evidence one after the other on why hadiths are purely the work of satan. I am critiquing science of hadith now. Dang! Almost every paragraph of the textbook I am reading is filled with my comments on how they are full of loopholes. I truly want educated Muslims to introduce themselves to science of hadith. Its an eye opener. You will see the amount of pollution it is spreading in Islam.

      • “We find (mention of) the prayer of the resident and the prayer in a state of fear in the Qur’an, but we do not find any mention of the prayer of the traveler. Abdullah said to him: ‘Allah sent Muhammad (pbuh) to us, and we did not know anything, rather we do what we saw Muhammad (pbuh) doing.”

        “Soon there will come a time that a man will be reclining on his pillow, and when one of my hadiths is narrated he will say: ‘The Book of Allah is (sufficient) between us and you. Whatever it states is permissible, we will take as permissible, and whatever it states is forbidden, we will take as forbidden.’ Verily, whatever the Messenger of Allah has forbidden is like that which Allah has forbidden.”

        You are living proof of the prophetic prophecy

        I suggest you seek basic lessons in learning from scholars before resorting to such drastic meassures and rejecting the prophetic tradition, 1400 years of Islamic tradition, and life of our beloved prophet! I have noticed time and time again how the Quran only type have very little love, almost none existent connection with the prophet who the Quran was revealed unto. How in earth do you think the Quran came to us in its preserved state? How has Allah chosen to transmit and share the Quran through the generation if not by choosing to preseve the Quran via the hearts of millions of muslims. By logical deduction you are forced to having to condemn and be suspicious of the very sane hearts that memorized and transmitted the Qur’an.

    • brother james, you have gotten this so tight and you have actually opened up my eyes…thank you and may Allah bless you for this good deeds.

      • “We find (mention of) the prayer of the resident and the prayer in a state of fear in the Qur’an, but we do not find any mention of the prayer of the traveler. Abdullah said to him: ‘Allah sent Muhammad (pbuh) to us, and we did not know anything, rather we do what we saw Muhammad (pbuh) doing.”

        “Soon there will come a time that a man will be reclining on his pillow, and when one of my hadiths is narrated he will say: ‘The Book of Allah is (sufficient) between us and you. Whatever it states is permissible, we will take as permissible, and whatever it states is forbidden, we will take as forbidden.’ Verily, whatever the Messenger of Allah has forbidden is like that which Allah has forbidden.”

        You are a product of deception and a modern fitnah which only emerged as late the 19th century.

    • Peace be upon you brother i couldn’t said it better.

      “And warn by the Qur’an those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord – for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor – that they might become righteous.”

    • “We find (mention of) the prayer of the resident and the prayer in a state of fear in the Qur’an, but we do not find any mention of the prayer of the traveler. Abdullah said to him: ‘Allah sent Muhammad (pbuh) to us, and we did not know anything, rather we do what we saw Muhammad (pbuh) doing.”

      “Soon there will come a time that a man will be reclining on his pillow, and when one of my hadiths is narrated he will say: ‘The Book of Allah is (sufficient) between us and you. Whatever it states is permissible, we will take as permissible, and whatever it states is forbidden, we will take as forbidden.’ Verily, whatever the Messenger of Allah has forbidden is like that which Allah has forbidden.”

    • Almost everything you have written is factually incorrect with exception to the translation of the Quranic Ayats. The Quran was revealed in historical time to people living in time. It was revealed with in a period of 23 years piece meal to the beloved prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. You are absolutely divorced and devoid of all historical reference and context to know anything. You can not even begin to claim a thing. According to your own logic it is absurd for you to even think of interpreting the Quran and relying upon translations when you deny Islamic scholarship. You would have had no clue as to what the Quran is saying had you not had taqleed (been relying) upon the grammarians and poets of past generations. Your silly and entertaining gymnastics is a shallow ploy. Please do not abandon logic and rationality when you comment.

  5. Salam Drens,

    I do not accept hadith in the way that many traditional Muslims and apparently all or most of Salafi Muslims do…where the hadith can even overturn the spirit of the Qur’an (astaghfirullah)…many of them would deny that but I think they are in denial.

    Having said that though, I do not reject the hadith as a whole. I just see it under the light of the word and under the spirit of the message of the Qur’an.

    I would like to learn from all sources. And since you are so confident about how bad it is to use hadith, I would like to learn your perspective and evidence also.

    Please email me at omerfriend1@gmail.com

    Salam

    • “We find (mention of) the prayer of the resident and the prayer in a state of fear in the Qur’an, but we do not find any mention of the prayer of the traveler. Abdullah said to him: ‘Allah sent Muhammad (pbuh) to us, and we did not know anything, rather we do what we saw Muhammad (pbuh) doing.”

      “Soon there will come a time that a man will be reclining on his pillow, and when one of my hadiths is narrated he will say: ‘The Book of Allah is (sufficient) between us and you. Whatever it states is permissible, we will take as permissible, and whatever it states is forbidden, we will take as forbidden.’ Verily, whatever the Messenger of Allah has forbidden is like that which Allah has forbidden.”

  6. If the Hadith is inseparable from the Quran … then was the Hadith written at the same time as the Quran, how long ago was the Hadith written after the Quran?

  7. Very nicely presented by shaykh nouman khan

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