Quranic verses against the hadith
Can the Hadith be Used as Islamic Law?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad can be used as Islamic law. However, God says in the Quran that following any law besides the Quran is forbidden.
أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًاThen is it other than Allah I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book explained in detail? … (6:114 part)تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَThese are the verses of Allah which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement (hadith) after Allah and His verses will they believe? (45:6)فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَThen in what statement after it (the Qur’an) will they believe? (77:50)مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَWhat is [the matter] with you? How do you judge? Or do you have a book / scripture in which you learn that indeed for you in it is whatever you choose? (68:36–38)
Conclusion
These verses make it very clear that the only source by which to judge according to Islam is the Quran and nothing else. God even specifically questions why people would believe in any hadith after the Quran has been revealed.
The best hadith is God’s hadith
Many Muslims believe this hadith or that hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is the best hadith. However, God says in the Quran that God’s own hadith (the Quran) is the best.
اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ …Allah has sent down the best statement (ahsan hadith): a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. … (39:23 part)
Conclusion
This verse makes it very clear that the Quran, which is the word (statement / saying) of God, is the best hadith that is consistent and without contradiction. As such, why would anyone choose to follow an inferior saying (hadith) such as the hadith compiled by Bukhari, Muslim, and others, many of which contain contradictions?
Is the Quran incomplete such that we need the hadith?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is necessary to complete the Quran. However, God says in the Quran that the Quran is complete (6:115, 6:38).
وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا ۚ لَّا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُAnd the word of your Lord has been fulfilled / completed in truth and in justice. None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (6:115)وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَAnd there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Book (Quran) a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. (6:38)
Conclusion
These verses make it very clear that the Quran is complete. God even specifically says that He did not neglect anything from the Quran. To argue that the Quran isn’t complete because, for example, it doesn’t detail how to pray the way Muslims currently pray is no different than saying that Muslims don’t believe everything that God says in the Quran. (Below, it will be proven that the details of prayer were given to Abraham and passed down thru the generations . Praying did not begin with Muhammad). Since Muslims must believe everything in the Quran, Muslims therefore must genuinely believe and accept the fact that the Quran is complete. Furthermore, since God is Perfect, it would make no sense to believe that the Quran is incomplete as if God was too busy to finish authoring it.
Is the Quran not fully detailed such that we need the hadith?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is necessary to provide details that are missing from the Quran. However, God says in the Quran that the Quran is fully detailed of all things.
أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًاThen is it other than Allah I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book explained in detail? … (6:114 part)لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَThere was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding. Never was the Qur’an a narration invented, but a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of all things and guidance and mercy for a people who believe. (12:111)كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَA Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur’an for a people who know, (41:3)الر ۚ كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍAlif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detailfrom [one who is] Wise and Acquainted. (11:1)
Conclusion
These verses make it very clear that the Quran is detailed. God even specifically says that it is “a detailed explanation of all things.” To argue that the Quran isn’t detailed because, for example, it doesn’t detail how to pray the way Muslims currently pray is no different than saying that Muslims don’t believe everything that God says in the Quran. Since Muslims must believe everything in the Quran, Muslims therefore must genuinely believe and accept the fact that the Quran is detailed.
Is the Quran unclear such that we need the hadith?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is necessary to clarify certain topics in the Quran. However, God says in the Quran that the Quran clear.
وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَAnd [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over your nation. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims. (16:89)
Conclusion
This verse makes it very clear that the Quran itself is clear. God even specifically says that it is a “clarification for all things.” To argue that the Quran isn’t clear because, for example, it doesn’t clarify how to pray the way Muslims currently pray is no different than saying that Muslims don’t believe everything that God says in the Quran. Since Muslims must believe everything in the Quran, Muslims therefore must genuinely believe and accept the fact that the Quran is clear.
Is the Quran its best tafsir (explanation) or do we need the hadith to explain it?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is necessary to help support the tafsir (explanation) of certain topics in the Quran. However, God says in the Quran that the Quran is the best tafsir (explanation) of itself.
وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًاAnd they do not come to you with an argument except that We bring you the truth and the best explanation (ahsan tafsir). (25:33)
Conclusion
This verse makes it very clear that the Quran is the best tafsir (explanation) of itself. Many Muslims try to explain verses of the Quran using other sources which may or may not be accurate. To explain the Quran, this verse indicates that one should use the Quran to explain itself. Since the Quran itself provides the best tafsir (explanation) of itself, then Muslims should not rely on explanations that are based on sources outside of the Quran such as the hadith.
Is the Quran and/or the hadith the criterion between right and wrong?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad is necessary to help serve as a criterion for right and wrong. However, God says in the Quran that the Quran is the criterion between right and wrong.
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًاBlessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner — (25:1)
Conclusion
This verse makes it very clear that the Quran contains the criterion for judging between right and wrong. Note that nowhere in this verse, nor anywhere else in the Quran, does God say that one must use the Quran along with other sources, such as the hadith, to judge.
Are you a “kafir” if you judge by the hadith?
Many Muslims believe that the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad can be used as Islamic law.
However, God says in the Quran that whoever judges by other than the Quran is a kafir (disbeliever).
… وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ… And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed — then it is they who are the disbelievers (kafirun). (5:44 part)
Conclusion
This verse makes it very clear that Muslims are not allowed to judge by anything besides the Quran. The seriousness of this statement is made absolutely clear by the fact that God says that if anyone were to judge by other than the Quran, then they are considered disbelievers (kafir). Therefore, if anyone were to judge by the hadith, then according to this verse, they have become disbelievers (kafir).
Are Muslims allowed to pick some hadith and ignore other hadith?
Many Muslims realize that some sahih hadith are questionable and therefore only follow the hadith that they feel are okay to follow. However, with respect to Islamic guidance, Muslims are not allowed to pick and choose which statements or laws they like and ignore ones they don’t like. God even says so in verse 68:36–38.
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَWhat is [the matter] with you? How do you judge? Or do you have a book / scripture in which you learn that indeed for you in it is whatever you choose? (68:36–38)
Conclusion
The verse above makes it very clear that Muslims are not allowed to follow a book, such as the hadith, where they can pick and choose which statements or laws they want to follow.
Frivolous hadith to lead astray
Everyone, including Muslims, will agree that some hadith are just outright ridiculous and non-sensical, including some that are rated “sahih”. Muslim scholars themselves do not all agree on which hadith should be followed. Logically, religion would be must simpler if the hadith did not exist and everyone just followed the Quran. However, according to verses 6:112–113, God allowed the hadith to exist as a test for people who disbelieve in the Hereafter and for people who do not solely believe in the Quran for matters of religion.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ وَلِتَصْغَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَAnd thus We have made for every prophet an enemy — devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in deception. But if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so leave them and that which they invent. And [it is] so the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter will incline toward it and that they will be satisfied with it and that they will commit that which they are committing. (6:112–113)
Verse 31:6 should make it very clear that whoever follows these frivolous hadith are unknowingly misleading people. As such, they will have a humiliating punishment.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌAnd of the people is he who buys the idle / frivolous tales (lahw al-hadith) to mislead [others] from the way of God without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment. (31:6)
The word “buys” here obviously doesn’t mean “purchase with money” but rather “believes in and follows”.
Notice how the verse indicates that these people are unknowingly misleading people. That sounds a lot like what many Muslims do today who insist on believing in and following the hadith without first understanding the Quran. Consequently, their belief in the hadith misleads people and they will be punished. God has already made it clear in many verses throughout the Quran, e.g. verse 45:6, that only the Quran is to be followed, and that we are not allowed to follow what we don’t understand (17:36), and that we must understand and think deeply about the Quran (47:24). Therefore, if people choose to ignore these and many other statements in the Quran, then it’s their fault for unknowingly misleading others by believing in and following the hadith. And for that, they will be punished.
