The Promise to Protect the Glorious Qur’aan Includes the Protection of Hadeeth!

The Promise to Protect the Glorious Qur’aan Includes the Protection of Hadeeth!

By: Shahid Bin Waheed شاهد بن وحيد

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء وسيدالمرسلين نبينا محمد صل ا لله عليه وعلى آله واصحابه وازواجه اجمعين - امابعد

All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.

As a matter of principle, all learned scholars and/or people agree that the Glorious Qur’aan is neither the name of the words of Qur’aan alone, nor that of its meanings alone, instead, a combination of both is called Qur’aan. This leads to the conclusion that the Glorious Qur’aan is the exclusive name of the particular Divinely revealed Book, the words and meanings of which are simultaneously protected. (Also see The Definition of Qur’aan!)

It is obvious that the meanings of the Glorious Qur’aan are the same as the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was sent to teach, as we read in the Glorious Qur’aan 16:44,

لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them,

We further read in Ayaah 3:164 the following:

Surah Al-i-'Imran 164

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ

Indeed Allâh conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’ân), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’ân) and Al-Hikmah (the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship)), while before that they had been in manifest error. ^{1}

{1} (V.3:164) Following the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. And the Statement of Allâh عز وجل - "And make us leaders for the righteous." (V.25:74). Mujâhid said, "(Make us) a community that follows the Muttaqûn (righteous) people who preceded us, and whom those succeeding may follow." Ibn ‘Aun said, "(There are) three things which I love for myself and for my brothers, i.e. this Sunnah (the legal ways of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) which they should learn and ask about; the Qur’ân which they should understand and ask the people about; and that they should leave the people except when intending to do good (for them)." ( Sahih Al-Bukhâri , Vol.9, Chap. 2, P.282) A) Narrated Hudhaifah: Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said to us, "Certainly Al-Amânah (the trust or the moral responsibility or honesty, and all the duties which Allâh has ordained) descended from the heavens and settled in the roots of the hearts of men (faithful believers), and then the Qur’ân was revealed and the people read the Qur’ân, (and learnt Al-Amânah from it) and also learnt it from the Sunnah , (Both the Qur’ân and As-Sunnah strengthened their (the faithful believer’s) Amânah )." ( Sahih Al-Bukhâri , Vol. 9 , Hadîth No.381). B) Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "All my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse." They said, "O Allâh’s Messenger! Who will refuse?" He said, "Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter it)." ( Sahih Al-Bukhâri , Vol.9, Hadîth No.384). C) Narrated Jâbir bin ‘Abdullâh رضي الله عنهما: Some angels came to Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) while he was sleeping. Some of them said, "He is sleeping." Others said, His eyes are sleeping but his heart is awake." Then they said, "There is an example for this companion of yours." One of them said, "Then set forth an example for him." Some of them said, "He is sleeping." The others said, "His eyes are sleeping but his heart is awake." Then they said, "His example is that of a man who has built a house and then, offered therein a banquet and sent an inviter (messenger) to invite the people. So whosoever accepted the invitation of the inviter, entered the house and ate of the banquet, and whoever did not accept the invitation of the inviter, did not enter the house, nor did he eat of the banquet." Then the angels said, "Interpret this parable to him so that he may understand it." Some of them said, "He is sleeping." The others said, "His eyes are sleeping but his heart is awake." And then they said, "The house stands for Paradise and the call-maker is Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and whoever obeys Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم , obeys Allâh; and whoever disobeys Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, disobeys Allâh. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم separated the people (i.e., through his message, the good is distinguished from the bad, and the believers from the disbelievers)." ( Sahih Al-Bukhâri , Vol.9, Hadîth No.385). D) Narrated Abu Mûsa رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "My example, and the example of what I have been sent with, is that of a man who came to some people and said, ‘O people I have seen the enemy’s army with my own eyes, and I am the naked warner; so protect yourselves!’ Then a group of his people obeyed him and fled at night proceeding stealthily till they were safe, while another group of them disbelieved him and stayed at their places till morning when the army came upon them, and killed and ruined them completely. So this is the example of that person who obeys me and follows that truth which I have brought (the Qur’ân and the Sunnah ), and the example of the one who disobeys me and disbelieves the truth I have brought." ( Sahih Al-Bukhari , Vol.9, Hadîth No.387).

Since the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was sent to explain the meanings of the Glorious Qur’aan and to impart education to the people, then, he used a set of his saying and/or doing as the medium for his community. This very set of the words and deeds are known as the Hadeeth.

One who says that Ahadeeth are not absolutely protected is really saying that the Glorious Qur’aan is not protected!

Those who attack Islaam under pretext that Ahadeeth are not trustworthy and/or were complied later are certainly wrong. Later compilation does not means Ahadeeth never existed and/or were documents. Ahadeeth were recorded during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as proved above, later compilation means that they were put together in form of Books. This assumption of Hadeeth rejecters and enemies of Islaam is not correct because the process of protection and documentation of Ahadeeth had already started within the age of Prophethood itself as proved above, though it was compiled later. In addition to that Ahadeeth are really the explanation and the meanings of the Glorious Qur’aan. Thus, their protection is something, which Allaah has taken upon Himself. Therefore, how can it be possible that only the words of the Qur’aan remain protected while the meanings of the Qur’aan (i.e. Ahadeeth) go to waste?

Allaah (SWT) through humans used many means by which He preserved the Sunnah. Some of these aspects are unique to Muslim Ummaah. This is a great blessing and bounty from Allaah (SWT) for which every Muslim should be sincerely grateful to Allaah (SWT) and grateful to those individuals who sacrificed their time, wealth in order to preserve the teachings of the best of the creations and last and final Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Obviously, the means of preservation had to be followed from the earliest times in order to truly preserve the Hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) few are briefly mentioned here.

□ First, there was the understanding of the Companions about their responsibility for conveying the Hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW); they must have understood that they must convey the words of the Prophet (SAW) with the utmost accuracy.

□ In the early years, there began the work of Hadeeth criticism and criticism of the narrators. This developed into a science known as al-jarh wa al-tadeel.

□ There was also the recording or writing down of the Hadeeth of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Obviously, in general, one of the ways of preserving something is to record it. There have been many claim and misconceptions surrounding the recording of Hadith. But the proof has been cited above that shows that the misconceptions are not true.

□ A very important and unique aspect that worked to preserve the Sunnah was of the use of Isnaad or chain of narrators, tracing one’s source all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

□ Another unique phenomena that appeared and assisted in preservation of Sunnah was the traveling in search of Hadeeth, in order to check the sources and gather more Hadeeth together.

Finally, I would respectfully remind my Muslim brothers and sisters that when you read and/or hear something against Islaam; please remember the teachings of Glorious Qur’aan, which are as follows:

Surah Al-Hujurat 6

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَنْ تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ

O you who believe! If a Fâsiq (liar - evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done.

The Myth of Hundreds of thousands of Ahadeeth!!!

The myth that there are hundreds of thousands of Ahadeeth احاديث which were allegedly complied hundreds of years after Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم has always been very aggressively put forth by the Kuffar, Pseudo-Muslims and/or Pseudo-Islaamic cults without any supporting evidence [as usual]. To spread this disinformation two notorious Murtadds are also very active i.e. Murtadd-e-Azam Osama Abdallah [of website answering-christianity] and Murtadd Akbarally Meherally [of website mostmerciful.com]. However, in this treatise we will examine the truth and inSha Allaah impeach the Kuffar while also quashing their absurd claim/s.

The total number of Ahadeeth احاديث reported from Rasool Allaah رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم only goes in the thousands. Imaam Bukhari’s [رحمته الله] Kitaab ‘al-Jamius Saheeh’ only contains 9082 Ahadeeth احاديث, including all sorts of narrations and repeats. What then is the status of all other Ahadeeth احاديث.

The answer can be fond in the terminology of the Muhadditheen محدثين. When one thing is heard from ten different persons and these ten personas relate this to you, then according to the Muhadditheen محدثين, you have heard ten things. This is so because the subject matter and then ten different sources are all listed down, resulting in ten different narrations. Ahadeeth احاديث are also classified in this manner, where one Hadeeth حديث may have been related via ten chains of narrators, so in Hadeeth حديث terminology, this is counted as ten Ahadeeth احاديث.

Besides this, almost all Muhadditheen محدثين also regard the speech, practices and conditions of the Sahaabah صحابه رضي الله عنهم as Hadeeth حديث. Since according to them, besides the Ahadeeth-e-Nabwi [احاديث نبوى], the speech, actions and conditions of Sahaabah صحابه رضي الله عنهم are also included amongst Ahadeeth احاديث. Since there was a great number of Sahaabah صحابه رضي الله عنهم, thus, there speech, actions and conditions are also many. This is the reason of large number of Ahadeeth احاديث but not as many as the enemies of Islaam like to project.