World Blog by humble servant.The Quranic Case Against Hadith and Sunna: Upholding God's Word Alone.

Title: The Quranic Case Against Hadith and Sunna: Upholding God's Word Alone

By: The Humble Servant

Introduction: A Call to Reflect

The Quran, God's final revelation, claims to be complete, fully detailed, and the sole source of religious guidance for humanity (Quran 6:114, 12:111). Yet, many Muslims rely on Hadith (narrations attributed to Prophet Muhammad) and Sunna (his practices) as authoritative sources alongside the Quran. This raises a critical question: Shall we trust God and His Final Prophet, who delivered the Quran, or shall we follow the interpretations of "Muslim scholars" who elevate Hadith and Sunna to divine status? This document presents evidence from the Quran to argue that Hadith and Sunna are human innovations, unsupported by divine revelation, and that adhering to them contradicts God's commandments. Let us use our God-given reason to examine this matter.

Section 1: The Quran's Claim to Exclusivity

The Quran repeatedly asserts its sufficiency as the only source of religious guidance. Consider the following verses:

Quran 45:6: "These are God's revelations that We recite to you with truth. So, in which hadith, after God and His revelations, will they believe?"

This verse challenges believers to question any "hadith" (narrative or saying) other than God's revelations. The Arabic term "hadith" here is general, referring to any narrative, not specifically the collections compiled centuries after the Prophet's death.

Quran 6:114: "Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has sent down to you this Book fully detailed? Those to whom We gave the Scripture know that it is the truth revealed by your Lord. So, do not be among the doubters."

The Quran describes itself as "fully detailed" (mufassal), leaving no need for supplementary sources to complete its guidance.

Quran 12:111: "This Quran is not a fabricated hadith, but a confirmation of what came before it, a detailed explanation of all things, and guidance and mercy for those who believe."

The Quran explicitly states that it details "all things" necessary for guidance, refuting claims that Hadith or Sunna are required to clarify it.

Quran 50:45: "We know best what they say, and you are not to force them. So, remind with the Quran those who fear My warning."

The Prophet is instructed to remind people with the Quran alone, with no mention of Hadith or Sunna.

Quran 17:46: "And when you mention your Lord in the Quran alone, they turn their backs in aversion."

This verse suggests that those who reject the Quran's exclusivity flee when God alone is preached, preferring additional sources.

These verses collectively affirm that the Quran is complete and sufficient. God commands believers to rely solely on His revelations, warning against other sources that claim divine authority.

Section 2: The Contradictory Nature of Hadith

To illustrate the unreliability of Hadith, let us examine the famous "Khutbat Al-Wadaa" (The Farewell Sermon), reportedly witnessed by 100,000 companions, including Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. Despite its significance and the large number of witnesses, the Hadith collections present conflicting versions of what the Prophet said:

Muwatta' (Imam Malik): The Prophet said, "I am leaving for you two things that you must uphold strongly: the Quran and my Sunna."  

Sahih Muslim (44/4, No. 2408) and Musnad Ahmad (4/366): The Prophet said, "I am leaving for you two things that you must uphold strongly: the Quran and my family."  

Sahih Muslim (15/19, No. 1218) and Sunan Ibn Majah (25/84, No. 3074): The Prophet said, "I am leaving for you the Quran—only the Quran. You shall uphold it strongly."

These contradictions raise a critical question: If 100,000 witnesses could not agree on the Prophet's words in this pivotal sermon, how can we trust Hadith narrations witnessed by far fewer people? The Quran, in contrast, is preserved with precision (Quran 15:9), free from such discrepancies. The third version, emphasizing the Quran alone, aligns with the Quranic command to uphold God's revelation exclusively (Quran 6:114, 45:6).

Moreover, the Hadith corpus is filled with contradictions and fabrications. Scholars of Hadith, such as Bukhari and Muslim, collected thousands of narrations centuries after the Prophet's death, relying on chains of transmission (isnad) that are often unverifiable. Even "authentic" Hadith collections admit that many narrations are weak or fabricated. Quran 6:112 warns of "human and jinn devils" who inspire "fancy words" to deceive, a description that fits the proliferation of Hadith attributed to the Prophet by his enemies.

Section 3: Hadith and Sunna as Satanic Innovations

The Quran warns against following sources other than God's revelation, labeling them as conjecture and innovations that lead believers astray:

Quran 31:6: "And among the people are those who purchase idle tales (lahw al-hadith) to mislead from the path of God without knowledge and take it in jest. For them is a humiliating punishment."

The term "lahw al-hadith" (idle tales) is interpreted by some as referring to fabricated narrations that distract from the Quran's guidance.

Quran 6:116: "If you obey the majority of those on earth, they will mislead you from the path of God. They follow nothing but conjecture, and they do nothing but guess."

Hadith and Sunna, being human compilations, are inherently conjectural, lacking the divine guarantee of preservation that the Quran possesses (Quran 15:9).

Quran 17:77: "This is the way (sunna) of those We sent before you of Our messengers; you will find no change in Our way."

The Quran refers to God's Sunna (divine way), not the Prophet's personal practices. Attributing a human "Sunna" to divine status is an innovation unsupported by the Quran.

The claim that Hadith and Sunna are divine revelations fails the Quranic criterion of perfect preservation. Quran 15:9 states, "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and We will surely preserve it." Unlike the Quran, Hadith collections are riddled with errors, contradictions, and fabrications, as acknowledged by Hadith scholars themselves. Elevating them to divine status is blasphemous, as it implies God failed to preserve His guidance.

Section 4: The Prophet's Role: Delivery, Not Interpretation

Hadith advocates often claim that the Prophet's sayings and actions are necessary to explain or supplement the Quran. However, the Quran clarifies that the Prophet's role was to deliver and follow the revelation, not to interpret or anticipate it:

Quran 75:16-19: "Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it. It is upon Us to collect it and recite it. When We recite it, follow its recitation. Then, it is upon Us to explain it."

God Himself explains the Quran, not the Prophet. The Prophet's duty was to follow the revelation, not to add to it.

Quran 55:1-2: "The Most Merciful taught the Quran."

God is the teacher of the Quran, ensuring its accessibility to all believers, regardless of language or background (Quran 41:44).

Quran 6:19: "Say, ‘What thing is greatest in testimony?’ Say, ‘God is witness between me and you. And this Quran has been revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches.’"

The Prophet's mission was to deliver the Quran to humanity, not to create a parallel body of teachings.

The notion that Hadith explains the Quran contradicts these verses and undermines God's role as the ultimate teacher. The Quran's clarity and completeness render additional sources unnecessary.

Section 5: The Myth of Intercession and Idolization

One of the most pervasive Hadith-based doctrines is the concept of intercession (shafa’ah), which suggests that the Prophet will intercede on behalf of believers on the Day of Judgment. This belief, rooted in Hadith, contradicts the Quran and leads to the idolization of the Prophet:

Quran 2:254: "O you who believe, spend from what We have provided you before a Day comes when there will be no trade, no friendship, and no intercession."

The Quran explicitly denies intercession on the Day of Judgment.

Quran 39:44-45: "Say, ‘To God belongs all intercession. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and to Him you will be returned.’ When God alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion, but when others are mentioned besides Him, they rejoice."

Belief in intercession is equated with idol worship, as it implies that others share God’s authority.

Quran 21:28: "They cannot intercede except for those whom He approves, and they are apprehensive out of fear of Him."

Even prophets cannot intercede without God’s permission, and only for those already saved.

The Quran emphasizes that Muhammad was a human messenger, not a divine figure with intercessory powers (Quran 41:6). Hadith that promote intercession encourage believers to mention the Prophet alongside God, a practice the Quran condemns as idolatry (Quran 39:45).

Section 6: Muhammad’s Disownment of Hadith Followers

The Quran foretells that the Prophet will disown those who abandon the Quran for other sources:

Quran 25:30-31: "And the Messenger will say, ‘O my Lord, my people have abandoned this Quran.’ Thus, We have made for every prophet enemies among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and helper."

On the Day of Judgment, the Prophet will lament that his people deserted the Quran, not that they neglected Hadith or Sunna.

This prophecy parallels the Christian deviation described in the Quran and Bible, where Jesus disowns those who idolized him (Quran 5:116; Matthew 7:23). Just as Christians elevated Jesus beyond his role as a messenger, many Muslims have elevated Muhammad through Hadith and Sunna, against his teachings to uphold the Quran alone.

Section 7: Addressing Counterarguments

Counterargument 1: Hadith are necessary to understand the Quran’s practical application, such as prayer rituals.

Response: The Quran claims to be fully detailed (6:114) and a guidance for all believers (12:111). Prayer, charity, and other rituals are described in the Quran (e.g., Quran 2:43, 5:55). The Prophet followed the Quran’s guidance, and believers are instructed to do the same (Quran 50:45). The diversity of prayer practices among Muslims today, based on varying Hadith, proves their conjectural nature, not their necessity.

Counterargument 2: The Prophet’s Sunna is divinely inspired, as he was guided by God.

Response: The Quran acknowledges the Prophet’s guidance but ties it to following the Quran (Quran 6:19). God’s Sunna (divine way) is eternal and unchanging (Quran 17:77), not a human’s personal practices. Elevating the Prophet’s actions to divine status risks idolatry, as warned in Quran 41:6.

Counterargument 3: Hadith were carefully authenticated by scholars like Bukhari and Muslim.

Response: Even "authentic" Hadith collections contain contradictions, as seen in the Farewell Sermon. Human authentication cannot match God’s promise to preserve the Quran (Quran 15:9). Quran 6:112 warns of fabrications by the Prophet’s enemies, a phenomenon evident in the Hadith corpus.

Section 8: The True Love of Muhammad

The true love of Muhammad is to recognize him as a human messenger who delivered the Quran and followed its teachings. Quran 41:6 states, "Say, ‘I am only a human like you. It is revealed to me that your God is One God. So, take a straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness. Woe to the idol-worshipers.’" Following Hadith and Sunna against the Quran’s guidance is akin to idolizing the Prophet, a practice he will disown (Quran 25:30).

Just as Christians deviated by deifying Jesus, many Muslims have strayed by attributing divine authority to Muhammad’s supposed sayings and actions. The Quran’s mathematical structure, such as the recurrence of the number 19 in its verses (Quran 74:30), is cited by some as evidence of its divine origin, further emphasizing its sufficiency. Only God knows the future (Quran 27:65), yet Hadith often attribute prophetic predictions to Muhammad, contradicting his human role.

Conclusion: Return to the Quran Alone

The Quran is a miraculous book, preserved by God, complete in its guidance, and accessible to all who seek truth (Quran 15:9, 55:1-2). Hadith and Sunna, as human compilations, are fraught with contradictions, fabrications, and innovations that defy God’s commandments. They promote doctrines like intercession and elevate the Prophet beyond his role as a messenger, leading believers into conjecture and idolatry.

God warns in Quran 17:45-46 that those who reject the Quran’s exclusivity are barred from understanding it, their hearts shielded by their attachment to other sources. On the Day of Judgment, the Prophet will testify against those who abandoned the Quran (Quran 25:30). Let us heed God’s call to uphold the Quran and nothing but the Quran, trusting in His promise that it is sufficient for our salvation.

Final Reflection: "Do they have a book wherein they find anything they wish?" (Quran 68:37-38). The Quran challenges us to rely on God’s preserved revelation, not the conjectural narrations of men. May we choose the path of truth and submit to God alone.