Munkareen Hadith

PRAISE BE TO ALLAH

PRAISE BE TO ALLAH

IMPORTANCE OF SUNNAH IN ISLAM Overview about Deniers of Hadith

Written by: Mohammad Ali

Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute ‐ Mechanical Engineering

IMPORTANCE OF SUNNAH IN ISLAM PRAISE BE

TO ALLAH

INTRODUCTION Asalam o alaikum everyone. This is a little article about the importance of Sunnah in Islam. These days the Fitnah of Munkareen e Hadith is being spread amongst the Muslims especially the young generation very fastly and innocent people who know nothing about their religion Islam are getting deluded. These Munkareen e Hadith say that all Muslims should hold the Quran and reject all the ahadith because ahadith were written by human and are wrong. So when u tell them about the Quranic verse:Obey Allah and obey the Messenger."(24:54) so all obey Allah from the Quran, but how then we should obey the Prophet(pbuh)? They say that the obedience of Holy Prophet(pbuh) was in his life only and not now..Let us see in the light of Quran whether they are right or wrong.


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PROOF FROM THE QURAN: Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Quran Surah Ale Imran chapter 3 verse 31: 1- "Say: "If ye do love Allah follow me(Muhammad(Pbuh): Allah will love you and forgive you your sins for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful."(3:31) Explanation: So the question is that how to attain Allah's love? The answer is given by Allah Almighty Himself. His love is attained by following His messenger. So this shows the importance of following the Holy Prophet(pbuh) in all eras and ages and obeying him. 2- "But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad SAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission."(Surah Nisa chapter 4 verse 65) Explanation: This is the importance of following the beloved Prophet Muhammad(pbuh). Allah Almighty says that no one can


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be a Momin until they make Muhammad(pbuh) their judge in all disputes. So the question is how to make him the judge in our disputes? How will we know about Muhammad(pbuh) until we dont know what he says? And what are his sayings? The Hadith of course! 3- "He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), has indeed obeyed Allâh, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW) as a watcher over them."(Surah Nisa chapter 4 verse 80) Explanation: Allah Almighty guarantees that one who follows His Prophet(pbuh) has obeyed Allah. And He also warns that who so ever turns away will be punished. 4- "The answer of the Believers when summoned to Allah and His Apostle in order that He may judge between them is no other than this: they say "We hear and we obey": it is such as these that will attain felicity.It is such as obey Allah and His Apostle and fear Allah and do right that will win (in the end)."(Surah Noor chapter 24 verse 51-52)


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Explanation: Allah Almighty tells the signs of the Momin believers that what the Prophet(pbuh) tells them they just obey without doubting. 5- "Do not make [your] calling of the Messenger among yourselves as the call of one of you to another. Already Allah knows those of you who slip away, concealed by others. So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest fitnah strike them or a painful punishment."(Surah Noor chapter 24 verse 63) 6- "Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad SAW) you have a excellent example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day and remembers Allah much."(Surah Ahzab chapter 33 verse 21) Explanation: Again Allah Almighty guarantees that in the Messenger of Allah we have an excellent example to follow. So the question is how will we follow him unless we don’t know about his sayings and his orders and his Sunnah? If we reject all the ahadith and say that they were written 200 years after the Quran then we will be neglecting this verse of the Holy Quran.


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7- "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error."(Surah Ahzaab chapter 33 verse 36) 8- "..And they say, "We hear, and we obey."(Surah Baqarah chapter 2 verse 285) Explanation: True Muslims are those that when they are told something from Holy Prophet(pbuh) they just hear and obey. They dont question that. What Holy Prophet(pbuh) ordered they just follow it and don’t give their own opinions. 9- "O ye who believe! put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Apostle: But fear Allah: for Allah is He who hears and knows all things. O ye who believe! raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet nor speak aloud to him in talk as ye may speak aloud to one another lest your deeds become vain and ye perceive not. Those that lower their voice in the presence of Allah's Apostle their hearts has Allah tested for piety: for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward."(Surah Al-Hujraat chapter 49 verse 1-3)


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Explanation: Allah Almighty says that Muslims shouldnt step forward from the Holy Prophet(pbuh).For example whatever Holy Prophet(pbuh) has taught Muslims,they should consider it enough and the best. As the Holy Prophet(pbuh) himself said that he has taught us muslims all the things which will bring them closer to Allah. So anyone who thinks that by doing new things in religion for the sake of reward will yield nothing if not proven from the Sunnah of Holy Prophet(pbuh). Secondly there is another lesson in this verse. Those who say that we will understand Quran from our own thinking. So if everyone starts understanding Quran from his own thinking then there will be a fight. Some will derive something,others will derive something else. So the best way is to see the tafseer of the Holy Quran. And the tafseer of the Holy Quran is they sayings of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) and his life. So those who dont accept the ahadith. How will they come to understand the Quran's best meaning? And Also Allah Almighty says that don’t put yourselves forward before Allah's Messenger and do not raise voice above the voice of Holy Prophet(pbuh). How does this verse applies today as Holy Prophet(pbuh) is not amongst us? Don’t raise your voices above the voice of Holy Prophet(pbuh) means that when we hear some hadith then we should keep quite in respect and not speak that i dont accept this hadith and i don’t believe in it. This is


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raising our voices above the voice of Holy Prophet(pbuh). What if that hadith is authentic and that really is the saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad(pbuh)? Will Allah Almighty leave us on the Day of Judgment if we reject His messenger's sayings? 10- "And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment."(Surah Hashr chapter 59 verse 7) Explanation: This verse is self explanatory.Allah Almighty orders us to take whatever Holy Prophet(pbuh) gives us and abstain from whatever he orders us to abstain from. This is the way to success. All others who think that they can follow Islam without Holy Prophet's(pbuh) sayings are living in fools paradise. 11- "Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired. "(Surah Najm chapter 53 verse 3-4) Explanation: Allah Almighty says that whatever the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) tells the Muslims is not from his own desire but it is an inspiration that is inspired. So those who say that only


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following the Quran is Islam,they are wrong. Without following the Prophet's(pbuh) sunnah one cannot follow Islam because Prophet(pbuh) also told the Muslims what Allah wanted him to tell. He never said anything from himself regarding Islam. 12- "And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character."(Surah Qalam chapter 68 verse 4) Explanation: Allah Almighty Himself praises Muhammad(pbuh) that he is on an exalted standard of character. So those who reject the Sunnah and ways and sayings of Holy Prophet(pbuh) are in plain error. So these were some of the proofs from the Quran that following the Sunnah is very important and the obedience of Holy Prophet(pbuh) was not only in his life but in every age and era and till the Day of Judgement.Now lets analyze how the ahadith were compiled and see logically the importance of Sunnah in Islam.


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HISTORY OF COMPILATION OF HADITH: It is a common misconception amongst people that Ahaadeeth were collected and written down after 150 to 200 years of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) 's death. This misconception has led to people viewing hadeeth suspiciously as they surely can't be authentic as they were collected much later. Ahaadeeth were compiled and written down since the time of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam), Sahabah (radiallah tala anhum) had their own scrolls or books, with the help of these scrolls and books other hadeeth books were compiled later onwards. At first the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) stopped his companions (radiallah tala anhum) from writing down hadeeth. [Sahih Bukhari] then afterwards this was permitted, there is a narration regarding it. Prophet of Allah (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) said to Abdullah bin Amr (radiallah tala anho): Write ahaadeeth, I swear by Him who holds my life in His hand, from this mouth nothing but the truth


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comes out. [Abu Dawood, volume 1, pg 158: Isnaad is Saheeh] Abdullah bin Amr (radiallah tala anho) says: We were seated near prophet of Allah (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) and were writing, in this manner was asked: which city will be first conquered, Constantinople or Rome? He (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) said: Hercules's city will be conquered first. [Darami, pg 126: Isnaad is Saheeh] Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) said: Write this hadeeth and give it to Abu shah (radiallah tala anho).... [Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim] Ali (radiallah tala anho) says: We don't have anything but Kitab Allah and the scriptures in which are ahaadeeth of prophet of Allah (sallallaho alaihi wasallam). [Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim] Abu Huraira (radiallah tala anho) says: Amongst the Sahabah (radiallah tala anhum) no one narrates ahaadeeth more than I do save Abdullah bin Amr (radiallah tala anho), because he used to write them and I didn't. [Sahih Bukhari]


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Anas (radiallah tala anho) heard a hadeeth and liked it so much, he told his son to write it and he wrote it. [Sahih Muslim, Kitab ul Iman] Anas (radiallah tala anho) says that when Abu Bakr (radiallah tala anho) sent him to Yemen as the governor, he wrote on a scroll and gave it to him whose content was: Start with Allah 's name who is Rehman and Raheem, this is the obligation of Zakat which Prophet of Allah (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) has made on the Muslimeen and this is what Allah ordered His prophet [Sahih Bukhari, Kitab ul Zakat] The narrator Hamad bin Salma says: I got this book from Anas (radiallah tala anho) 's grandson Samama. [Nasai, kitab ul zakat] Imam Malik says: I read Omar (radiallah tala anho)'s book … [Muwatta Malik, pg 106] From the above few authentic narrations from many, we can conclude that ahaadeeth were being written down since the time of the prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam). From such scripts other famous ahaadeeth books were compiled.


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But where are these scrolls or books? When the ahaadeeth were copied and narrated into other books, it was but logical that the small compilations get absorbed in bigger compilations. It is not true that the Muhadditheen collected only verbally transmitted ahaadeeth, and there were no compilations in the earlier times especially the first century of the hijrah. Old compilations can be found today like Sahifa Hammaam, in this are ahaadeeth in which Imam Hamaam bin Munabbi took dictation from Abu Huraira (radiallah tala anho), this compilation is easily available for everyone to view. So to say that there were no compilations for ahaadeeth till the second century is just a misconception spread by helpers of shaitan so that people give up believing in ahaadeeth and interpret Quran according to their desires thus making a mockery of prophethood which is clear blasphemy. May Allah save us form such a thought. Aameen.


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LOGICALLY: Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Quran: "Say: “We believe in Allaah, and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibraaheem, Ismaa‘eel, Ishaaq, Ya‘qoob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa, and the prophets from their Lord. We do not separate between anyone of them, and we are Muslims (submitting to Him)”. (Surah Ale ‘Imraan chapter 3 verse 84) How often have we heard this aayah quoted to show that Muslims believe in all of the prophets? Let us look at it in connection with the aayah that directly follows it (what means): "And whoever pursues other than Islaam for his religion, then it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." (Surah Ale ‘Imraan Chapter 3 verse 85) Let us examine the obvious statements put forward it this passage of the Qur’aan:


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1. Allaah has addressed a group of people, commanding them to “Say” something. These people are the Muslims as is clear from the end of the passage. 2. He (T) has clarified that the statement in question is a matter of faith, starting with,..We believe in Allaah.. 3. The following part of the statement,...and in what has been revealed to us...must be properly understood. Some people mistakenly limit “what has been revealed” to the Qur’aan alone. However, as we shall see, the remainder of the passage in question does not allow that interpretation. 4....And what was revealed to Ibraaheem...that is, we believe in it too. There is no problem here, for Allaah has referred to...The Suhuf of Ibraaheem...(Surah al-A‘laa 87:18) and it is easy for everyone to believe that Allaah revealed a Book to him (S). 5....And Ismaa‘eel, Ishaaq, Ya‘qoob, and the Tribes. Here is where the problem occurs. If ...and in what has been revealed to us...refers to the Qur’aan only, then what are the names of the Books that Allaah revealed to...Ismaa‘eel, Ishaaq, Ya‘qoob, and the Tribes?


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6.... And what was given to Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa, and the prophets from their Lord...Here again why did Allaah use the term prophets, if it refers only to those who have already been mentioned? 7....We do not separate between anyone of them, and we are Muslims (submitting to Him)”. We do not separate between what? ...what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibraaheem, Ismaa‘eel, Ishaaq, Ya‘qoob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa, and the prophets from their Lord... (Surah Aale ‘Imraan chapter 3 verse 84) Does this mean only that we acknowledge that they existed? No! As we see at the beginning of the statement, we must believe in Allaah, what has been revealed to us, and what has been revealed to all of the Prophets, whether that is a Book, or anything else that Allaah revealed to them. What Did Allaah Reveal to Ismaa‘eel, Ishaaq, Ya‘qoob, the Tribes, and the Prophets? Let us look at what Nooh (AS) said to his people before Allaah destroyed them:


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"I have conveyed to you the Message of my Lord..." (Surah Al-A‘raaf chapter 7 verse 62) And the saying of Prophet Hood (AS) to his people before Allaah destroyed them: "I have conveyed to you the Message of my Lord..." (Surah Al-A‘raaf chapter 7 verse 68) And look at the claim of the followers of the Prophet Saalih (AS): "We do indeed believe in that with which he (Saalih) has been sent." (Surah Al-A‘raaf chapter 7 verse 75) When he left his people, before Allaah destroyed them, Hazrat Saalih(AS) told them: "O my people, I did indeed convey to you the Message for which I was sent by my Lord, I gave you good counsel, but you do not like good counsellors!" (Surah Al-A‘raaf chapter 7 verse 79)


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But what Books did these prophets receive? What were the names of the Books that their peoples were destroyed for rejecting? In each case mentioned, the prophets are telling their people that they have conveyed the Message of Allaah to them and advised them. Even though Allaah did not reveal specific books to these prophets, yet He commanded them to convey His revelation to them; and their rejection and disobedience to the commands of Allaah's messengers was the very reason for their destruction. Also, Allaah said: «That was Our proof that We gave to Ibraaheem against his people. We raise whom We will by degrees, for your Lord is Wise, Knowing. We gave him Ishaaq, and Ya‘qoob - all We guided. And before him, We guided Nooh, and among his offspring Daawood, Sulaymaan, Ayyoob, Yoosuf, Moosaa and Haaroon; in this way We reward the doers of good. And Zakariyyaa, Yahyaa, ‘Eesaa, and Ilyaas - all were among the righteous. And Ismaa‘eel, il-Yasa‘, Yoonus and Loot, and We favored all of them above all men and jinn. And among their fathers, families and brothers, We chose them and guided them to the straight path. This is Allaah's guidance, He gives it to whomever He wills among His servants. If they were to join partners with Him, all that they did would be in vain. These were the men to whom We gave the Book, the Hukm (judgement),


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and Prophethood...» (Surah Al-An‘aam chapter 6 verses 83-89) Allaah mentions 19 prophets here, then He says «These were the men to whom We gave the Book, the Hukm (judgement), and Prophethood» Look also at the covenant that Allaah took with these prophets: "Based on what I have given you from the Book and the Wisdom (Hikmah), when a Messenger will come to you confirming what is with you, you must believe in him and render him help..." (Surah Aale ‘Imraan chapter 3 verse 81) And look at the prayer of Ibraaheem and Ishaaq: "Our Lord! send among them a messenger of their own, reciting Your signs to them, and instructing them in the Book and the Wisdom." (Surah Al-Baqarah chapter 2 verse 129) And look at what Allaah said to the people during the time of Muhammad (S):


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"We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting Our signs to you, purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Wisdom, and that which you did not know. Then remember Me - I will remember you. Be grateful to Me - and do not disbelieve." (Surah Al-Baqarah chapter 2 verse 151) Here Allaah has told us to be grateful for what He has revealed to us! That is the Book and the Wisdom, and that is the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (S)! Now if we review the aayah above: "Say: “We believe in Allaah, in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibraaheem, Ismaa‘eel, Ishaaq, Ya‘qoob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moosaa, ‘Eesaa, and the prophets from their Lord. We do not separate between anyone of them, and we are Muslims (submitting to Him)”. (Surah Aale ‘Imraan chapter 3 verse 84) We can now see that:


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1. We are commanded to declare our faith in what has been revealed to us, and that is the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (S). 2. Likewise, we have been commanded to believe in all of the revelation given to each prophet before Muhammad (S), whether that was from the Book, the Wisdom, or any miracles. 3. Furthermore, not only did Allaah command us to “Say” we believe in the above, but He followed that by saying: "And whoever pursues other than Islaam for his religion, then it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." (Surah Aale ‘Imraan chapter 3 verse 85) Thus He is indicating that these beliefs are part of the religion of Islaam, and are required for one to be a Muslim. This is why the verdict of disbelief is passed upon those who deny the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, like Rashad Khalifa, and others who claim that all of the religion is found in the Qur’aan alone. Clearly these aayaat of the Qur’aan prove the error of such falsehood.


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Let all who deny the Sunnah of the Messenger, whom Allaah sent to them, reflect upon the fate described in the Qur’aan for the peoples who also denied what their messengers delivered. Indeed, even without a Book, the messenger must be obeyed; otherwise the people are destroyed. In this light there should be less speculation as to why the Muslims are in such a poor condition as they are. May Allah Almighty guide us all and make us one united Muslim Ummah and remove every kind of Fitnah from us. Ameen


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REFERENCES: THE HOLY QURAN TRANSLATION BY ABDULLAH YOUSAF ALI THE NOBLE QURAN TRANSLATION BY DR MUHSIN KHAN AND DR MUHAMMAD TAQI UD DIN AL HILALI THE NOBLE QURAN SAHEEH INTERNATIONAL TRANSLATION www.allaahuakbar.net

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Munkareen Hadith