Hadith? What's the Real Status? Are They Valid?

Do We Really Need Hadith?
Can't We Just Rely On Quran?

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (in an authentic hadith) tells us the day will come when some will say,
"We reject hadith. We only take Quran"

Now Today Some People Tell Us:
"Quran is Enough For Us - We Don't Take Hadith"

What would happen if we had no hadith?
What if we did ignore them altogether as some are suggested?
Scholars tell us we would not be able to practice Islam sufficiently without the hadith.

What is the meaning of this word 'hadith' and what is the actual status of hadith in today's practice of real Islam?

The word 'hadith' is used to describe the Quran as follows, "Faa inna isdaqal hadith, kitabullah" So, certainly the best of hadith is the Book of Allah (Quran).

Please, let us consider some important points of Islam that would be very difficult to practice without the clarification for the Quran by hadith.

Now if we servdand before we go further:

1. Where does it tell us in Quran the salat is 5 Times a day? (doesn't)

2. How would we know the exact movements and positions in salat

3. What about the time to start the fasting - Quran says when the white thread is distinct from the black one?

4. Zakat could not be calculated wthout the hadith of the prophet, peace be upon him.

5. Hajj would be next to impossible to do properly without the hadith.

..and the list goes on and on.

The word hadith refers to narrations, or sayings, or stories from the companions of the prophet, peace be upon him, who heard or observed something he did, or said, allowed, or forbid, approved or rejected, along with many aspects of his most excellent character and manners and over all behavior as a role model for Muslims of his time and all times to come.

These ahadith (plural for hadith) were collected, authenticated, preserved, written and memorized by the most reliable of companions of the prophet, peace be upon him. These were then passed down to subsequent followers who, in turn did the same thing and passed these down even until today. Now we gain access to this most valueable information in the exact way as in the first circumstance, mouth to ear, memorizing and teaching.

Some of the apologists, detractors and enemies of Islam would have you think that the 'ahadith' came much after the death of the prophet, peace be upon him, and that they are nowhere close to the Quran position of authority in Islam and Shari'ah [Islamic Law]. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, the authority for the 'ahadith' originates in the Holy Quran itself.

After the Words of Allah [The Holy Quran], there is nothing more highly regarded in Islam than the 'Hadeeth' of Muhammad, peace be upon him.

His sayings and actions were carefully noted and memorized. Many thousands of 'ahadith' were collected dealing with topics such as religious faith, purification, fasting, pilgrimage, trading transactions, inheritance, punishment, warfare, animal sacrifice, food, clothing, manners, Paradise and Hell.

Before any of the they authenticated them the muhadithun (students of 'ahadith') minutely examined each text (matn) and each isnad (chain of transmitters). For example the isnad, Yahyah-Hammad-Hisham~'Urwah~A'isha shows that A'isha was the witness and passed it on to 'Urwah, who passed it on to Hisham, etc.

Hadeeth are considered the twin companion to the Quran and the only acceptable way to interpret the Word of Allah to mankind. Together the Holy Quran and the Hadeeth of Muhammad, peace be upon him, make up the basis for the Shari'ah of Islam [Islamic Law].

Linguistically, the Arabic word 'hadeeth' (also spelled 'hadith' in English) means 'a saying' or 'a story'. The plural is not 'hadeeths' but rather, 'ahadith'. This can mean any stories about any subject. It is recorded that the prophet, peace be upon him, even used the word himself when referring to the Book of Allah, the Holy Quran, by saying: "Fa innal asdaqal hadithi Kitab-ullah." (So certainly the most truthful sayings are the Book of Allah).

When the words 'hadeeth' or 'ahadith' are used in regard to the religion of Islam, then they take on a more precise meaning, and is then understood to mean: "Those sayings, narrations, traditions, actions and stories which contain some reference to the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him."

The three main divisions of 'ahadith'are sahih (sound), hasan (good) and daif (weak). We have only quoted "strongly authenticated hadith." We have also omitted the isnads.)

COMMENTS
You Type - We Print
(after review)