Why Muslims should follow the Quran,
all the Quran, and nothing but the Quran
Researched by: A. Mohamed
1- The command to follow the Quran alone and reject all hadith:
The Quran contains clear instructions to all Muslims to follow the Quran alone and reject all hadith. The Arabic word hadith means all sayings, narrations, talk, stories, etc. In a religious sense, the word hadith refers to the sayings attributed to prophet Muhammad. The hadith is regarded by the majority of traditional Muslim scholars to be the second source of law after the Quran, despite the clear commands given in the Quran to follow the Quran alone and reject all hadith. The following Quranic verses make this issue clear:
These are God's revelations (Quran) that We recite to you with truth, so in which hadith other than God and His revelations (Quran) do they believe? 45:6
It is important to note that God used the word "hadith" deliberately in 45:6 to further assert the instruction to follow the Book of God and no other source of religion. Sadly, the majority of translators have changed the word "hadith" to words like 'statement', 'exposition', 'discourse', 'announcement', thereby completely obliterating the message of this glorious Quranic verse.
The reason for their deliberate alteration is obvious: if they had left the word "hadith" as it is, they would immediately be pronouncing the death sentence on the books of hadith such as Bukhari, Muslim and others!
The same instruction is found in the following verses:
Which hadith after it (Quran) do they believe in? 7:185
Both verses above, once again using the word "hadith", contain the same clear commandment: not to follow any source of religious guidance and law other than the Quran. We also read:
The words in 7:2-3 contain clear instructions to follow the Quran and nothing else.
Or do you have some book in which you are studying? 68:37
In 68:37 God is mocking those who have other books besides the Quran which they follow.
Once again, we read about the command to follow the Quran. No other source is mentioned.
2- The Quran has all the details:
A number of Quranic verses state that the Quran has all the details of the religion, and thus, no other source is required. The following two verses states that the Quran has the details and the explanations of all things:
This (Quran) is not a fabricated hadith, but an authentication of what came before it, a detailed account of all things, and guidance and mercy for people who believe. 12:111
We brought the Book down to you providing explanations of all things. 16:89
Further confirmation is given in 6:114 in which we read that the Quran is fully detailed:
Shall I seek other than God as a lawmaker when it is He who has brought down to you the Book fully detailed? 6:114
In the same Sura (6) we read that God left nothing out of the Quran:
We did not leave anything out of the Book. 6:38
3- God is the only lawmaker
In some translations the word 'hakaman' is translated as judge. That is also correct, for the role of a judge is to issue judgments that are as binding as laws. The Arabic word 'hakaman'is the one who issues 'ahkam' (laws). The words in 6:114 contain a command not to accept any source of (religious) law other than God.
O you who believe, obey God and obey the messenger, and do not nullify your work. 47:33
And in other verses it is told that the believers are those who believe in God and His messenger:
Rather, the believers are those who believe in God and His messenger, then have no doubt, and strive with their money and themselves in the cause of God. Those are the truthful ones. 49:15
Now let us look at the following verse which speaks about lawmaking:
Do not utter lies that are portrayed by your tongues: "This is lawful, and that is unlawful," to fabricate lies and attribute them to God. Those who fabricate lies and attribute them to God will not succeed. 16:116
The immediate observation is that when the subject was lawmaking, the words deliberately mention only God. The importance of this observation is that if the messenger was authorised by God to be a lawmaker, we would expect some people to say "this is lawful, and that is unlawful" and attribute those to the messenger, and thus, the words in the verse would warn against those who claim that certain things are lawful or unlawful and attribute those to God or the messenger.
O you prophet, why do you prohibit what God has made lawful for you, seeking to please your wives? God is Forgiver, Merciful. 66:1
Following a domestic dispute, prophet Muhammad prohibited an item (said to be honey) to please one of his wives. The reprimand was quick from God to set a reminder that the messenger does not have the authority of a lawmaker, but his only duty is to deliver the message of God:
The sole duty of the messenger is the delivery (of the message), and God knows what you reveal and what you conceal. 5:99
Finally, we have additional evidence that God is the only lawmaker in the following verse:
They ask you for a fatwa regarding women. Say, "God gives you a fatwa regarding them and also regarding what is recited to you in the Book about the orphaned girls to whom you do not give what has been decreed for them, and you wish to marry them, and about the oppressed children, and about the orphans whose welfare you should maintain equitably. Whatever good you do, indeed, God is Knowledgeable thereof." 4:127
The word 'fatwa' means a ruling that is of binding legal nature.
Or do they have 'shuraka' (partners) who legislate for them of the religion what God did not authorise? If it were not for a decisive Word, judgement would have already been passed over them. Indeed, the transgressors shall have a painful punishment. 42:21
The third Arabic word in 42:21 is 'shuraka', it means partners. This word should not be overlooked. God could have said: 'do they have others who legislate for them', but God deliberately chose the word 'shuraka'. The word 'shuraka' is an adjective from the noun 'shirk' (setting up partners with God in any of His exclusive rights).
Since the words in 42:21 connect the word 'shuraka' (partners) with the words 'legislate for them of the religion', the word 'shuraka' in this verse can only be speaking about those who are set up as religious lawmakers, and thus they are set up as partners with God in his right to be the only Lawmaker. It follows that all who advocate or follow religious rule or rituals not authorised by God are committing shirk. On the Day of Judgement, those who committed shirk will be asked: 'where are your shuraka?' (6:22).
Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord (Quran), there is no god except Him, and keep away from the mushrikeen. 6:106
5- Did prophet Muhammad follow or preach anything not found in the Quran?
Say (O Muhammad), "I am not a novelty among the messengers, nor do I know what will happen to me or to you. I follow nothing other than what is revealed to me (Quran). I am no more than a clear warner." 46:9 (also in 10:15).
The words above confirm that prophet Muhammad was commanded to follow nothing other than the Quran that was revealed to him from God.
It follows that by following the Quran we would be following prophet Muhammad as well.
And We brought down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (Quran) with truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture and superseding it. So judge between them in accordance with what God has brought down and do not follow their personal desires in place of what has come to you of the truth. 5:48
We find the same truth in the following words:
A Book (Quran) has been brought down to you, so let there be no constraint in your chest because of it, and so that you may warn with it. It is a Reminder for the believers. Follow what has been brought down to you from your Lord and do not follow any allies besides Him. Rarely do you remember! 7:2-3
The following glorious words also shed important light on this matter:
So those who have believed in him (Muhammad), honoured him, supported him and followed the Light (Quran) which was brought down with him; they are the successful ones." 7:157
The words in 7:157 confirm that following prophet Muhammad means following "the Light" which was revealed to him from God, and that is the Quran. The light is always mentioned as an attribute of the Holy Quran, such as:
O people, a proof has come to you from your Lord, and We have brought down to you a clear Light. 4:174
The words "brought down" indicate that the "clear Light" can only be the Book of God. God's messengers are not brought down, the Quranic word used for messenger is "sent" to a people, such as:
And We sent to them a messenger from amongst them: "You shall worship God; you have no god other than Him, so will you not be reverent?" 23:32
The command to follow the messenger is clearly stated in numerous Quranic verses, such as:
He (God) said, "My punishment will strike whomever I please and My mercy encompasses all things, and so I shall decree it for those who are reverent, give the Zakat, and those who believe in Our revelations, and to those who follow the messenger, the ummi prophet. 7:156-157
Say (O Muhammad), "If you do love God, then follow me. God will then love you and forgive your sins. God is Forgiver, Merciful." 3:31
also in 2:143, 3:53, 8:64, 9:117, 26:215.
The question is: what does following the messenger mean?
1- The Quran authorises only one sunna, which has no substitute; the Sunna of God.
Such was the Sunna of God for those who passed on before. You will find that there is no substitute for the Sunna of God. 33:62
2- The only sunna decreed for prophet Muhammad was the Sunna of God.
No blame falls upon the prophet concerning what God has decreed for him; the Sunna of God, as was decreed for those who passed away before. God's command is a pre-ordained decree. 33:38
You will find that there is no substitute for the Sunna of God, and you will find that there is no diversion from the Sunna of God. 35:43
4- Finally, nowhere in the Quran do we read the words "the sunna of Muhammad".
5- Following the messenger, or following any person, means following what that person followed. From the verses in point 3, it has been confirmed that the only sunna which prophet Muhammad followed was the Sunna of God as detailed in the Holy Quran.
7- The duty which God assigns to His messengers:
The Quran confirms that the only duty of any messenger of God is to deliver God's message. Messengers are not sent to proclaim their own personal teachings. They are called messengers of God because they deliver a message from God.
The sole duty of the messenger is the delivery (of God's message). 5:99
The same message is found in 5:92, 16:35, 16:82, 24:54, 29:18, 42:48 and 64:12.
In addition to this confirmation addressed to all believers and readers of the Quran, we also find God reminding prophet Muhammad of his sole duty:
But if they turn away, We did not send you as a guardian over them. Your sole duty (O Muhammad) is the delivery. 42:48
The significance of the words "Did God give you permission" (for what is lawful and what is unlawful) cannot be ignored. The only name mentioned in connection with granting permission for what is lawful and what is not lawful is the name of God.
We also read in Sura 66 about the incident when God reprimanded prophet Muhammad for making the error of prohibiting something that was made lawful by God, or in other words: when he played the role of the lawmaker:
God commands the believers to obey God and obey the messenger, but God also makes sure that the obedience to the messenger is linked to obeying the message he delivered and nothing else. This is ascertained in a number of Quranic verses that outline the only duty God gives His messengers:
Obey God and obey the messenger. If you turn away, then the sole duty of the messenger is the clear delivery (of God's message). 64:12
The obedience to the messenger and the deliverance of God's message are linked in the same verse. Obeying the messenger does not mean that the messenger issued additional teachings outside of the Quran.
It is necessary to inquire why did God not just say "obey God"? Why did God add the words "obey the messenger"?
A- The first and most obvious reason why the instruction "obey the messenger" was absolutely necessary is that God commanded the messenger (Muhammad) to say specific words to the people. It was thus necessary for God to also tell the people to "obey the messenger" when he tells them the words which God instructed him to say to them.
And they ask you (O Muhammad) about the orphans, say, "Improving their affairs is best." If you mix your affairs with theirs, they are your brothers. God knows the corruptor from the reformer. Had God willed, He could have made things difficult for you. God is Dignified, Wise. 2:220
B- Who among the companions of prophet Muhammad ever heard any of God's revelations directly from God? No one! Consequently, they cannot obey God except through what came out of Muhammad's mouth.
9- Is it obey "Muhammad" or "obey the messenger"?
We never read anywhere in the Quran words such as "Obey God and obey Muhammad" or obey Jesus or Moses. The words used are always "obey the messenger". This is to emphasise that it is the "message" of God that is to be obeyed and not the personal words or views of the messenger.
For more details on the meaning of "obey the messenger" please go to: Obey God and obey the messenger
It is claimed by some scholars that the Quran on its own is not sufficient and that the hadith and sunna of the prophet completes the religion for us and provides us with what is not in the Quran.
Sadly, many accept this claim without verifying its truth in the light of the Quran. Others, thinking they are better guided say that they do not follow except what has been proven to be the authentic sunna of the prophet.
Today, I have completed your religion for you, perfected My blessing upon you and approved Islam (submission) as the religion for you. 5:3
This glorious Quranic verse was revealed near the end of the Quranic revelation and confirms that the religion of God is completed in the Quran. And in another verse, God assures us that:
The Word of your Lord has been completed, in truth and justice. None can change His Words. He is the Hearer, the Knowledgeable. 6:115
FIRST: The claim that some rituals are not found in the Quran
The claim that various rituals that we must follow are not found in the Quran because they came to us across the generations is a clear violation of the Quranic confirmation that the Quran has all the details (6:114) and that nothing has been left out of the Book (6:38).
SECOND: Nothing is preserved except the Quran
The claim that the rituals that came to us across the generations have been preserved also violates Quranic truth.
Indeed, it is We who brought down the Reminder and We will surely preserve it. 15:9
Nothing other than the Quran is guaranteed preservation. Even the previous Scriptures sent by God were not granted such a guarantee. We read in the Quran that previous Scriptures were subject to corruption:
Some amongst the Jews distort the words out of their context. 4:46
Among them are a group who twist the Scripture with their tongues so you would think that it is from the Scripture when it is not from the Scripture. And they say it is from God when it is not from God. And they say lies about God, knowingly. 3:78
Then after them, there came successors who lost the Salat and pursued the lusts, and so perdition awaits them. 19:59
To know that the Books of God themselves were corrupted by the people, and the rituals were corrupted across the generations, yet still claim that the rituals, which came to us across the generations were preserved is without Quranic justification.
Now that we have more clarity about the issue of authenticity of the inherited rituals, we need to look into the legality of such inherited rituals.
THIRD: The legality of the inherited rituals
How lawful is it, in God's law, to accept religious rituals by means of inheritance from our fathers and our forefathers? Does the Quran allow us to accept such a source for our religion?
1- Quranic instruction against following inherited rituals
First, we will not find any Quranic verse that permits us or invites us to take our religious practices from our fathers or from those before us. The word 'tawatur' is not mentioned directly or indirectly in the Quran. In fact, the claim that what we inherited from our fathers is a lawful source for our religious rituals is given the death sentence in the following clear-cut Quranic words:
And if they are told, "Follow what God has brought down," they say, "Rather, we follow what we found our fathers upon." What! Even if the devil is inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze? 31:21
The Quranic words "what we found our fathers upon" can be replaced by the word 'tawatur' and the meaning will remain unchanged. The message of this glorious verse is that we are to follow what "God has brought down", which for us is the Quran, and not what came to us from our fathers. Naturally, if what we received from our fathers is identical to what "God has brought down" then there would be no problem. But even then, we would be following the Book of God and not passed down rituals.
Now let us a second look at the last sentence in 31:21 which is: "Even if the devil is inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?" These words come immediately after the words "we follow what we found our fathers upon." The connection between the two sentences is indeed alarming. What God is telling us is that one of the ploys of the devil in misleading the people is to give them a false sense of security that in following what they inherited from their fathers, they are doing the right thing. However, the truth is that he is leading them to the "punishment of the Blaze."
As mentioned above, the 'tawatur' is by definition rules and rituals that are not found in the Book of God but that came to us from our fathers. So how exactly were these rituals transmitted to us? They came to us from what our fathers taught us and what our teachers taught us. This leads to an important question:
3- Quranic confirmation that we are not accountable to what those before us used to do
That was a nation that has passed away. To them is what they have earned and to you is what you have earned. You are not accountable for what they used to do. 2:134
The claim that we should follow what came to us across the generations is once again dealt a severe blow in the words above. God makes it clear that we are not accountable to what those before us used to do. They will be accountable to their work and us to ours. What this means is that we should not be concerned in any way about what they used to do, nor follow what they used to do.
4- The significance of the quarrel among the companions of the Fire
He said, "Enter the Fire among nations of jinn and humans which have passed on before you." Every time a nation entered, it cursed its sister nation. Once they are all in, one after the other, each latter one will say of its predecessor, "Our Lord, these have misled us, so give them a double punishment of the Fire." He said, "For each is double, but you do not know."
Every nation that ends up in Hell in the Hereafter will curse and blame its predecessor. All those nations will curse those who came before them. Why would all those nations blame one another if it were not that what their predecessors passed down to them caused them to end up in Hell? So much so for the 'tawatur'!
The wisdom of the words in the verses above confirm the same matters:
12- The Quranic warning to the messenger not to teach anything not found in the Quran:
The Quran also confirms that prophet Muhammad was commanded not to teach any other teachings; otherwise, he would incur severe punishment from God:
In one of the very significant verses in the Quran, we read about a testimony which God commanded prophet Muhammad to utter:
The words above tell us that prophet Muhammad was made to testify to receiving the Quran from God. In this testimony, which God calls "the greatest testimony", we find no mention of other than the Quran.
The reader of the Quran is entitled to ask: If the hadith of the prophet was a revelation received from God, as the hadith advocates claim, why was this revelation not included in the testimony above?
If the revelation prophet Muhammad received from God included the Quran and also the hadith, would God instruct Muhammad to testify to receiving the Quran only (6:19) and keep the revelation of the hadith a secret?
The words in 5:48 include a command from God to prophet Muhammad to rule in accordance to what God brought down to him. The only thing mentioned to have been brought down to the prophet in the verse is once again the Quran.
Once again, the prophet was commanded to follow what was brought down to him, and as per the words in 7:2, God mentions only the Quran for what was brought down.
In accordance with God's command to prophet Muhammad in 46:9, to follow nothing other than the Quran that was revealed to him, we find that prophet Muhammad commanded his people not to write his hadith:
"Do not write down anything from me except the Quran. Whoever writes other than that should delete it" (Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, Vol. 1, page 171 also Sahih Muslim, Book 42, Number 7147)
It is a fact that the large majority of Muslims do not know that the prophet prohibited the writing of his hadith, nor that the bulk of the hadith present today, which is regarded by historians as 'sahih' (authentic), was written more than 200 years after the death of the prophet! For more details please see: History of hadith
Even if we were to follow the hadith (something which is clearly prohibited in the Quran), we would still be faced with the question of how accurate can a collection of sayings documented two centuries after the death of the prophet be?
Please see: Chinese Whispers
And you will see every nation kneeling. Every nation will be called to its Book. "Today you are repaid for what you used to do. 45:28
For each of you, We have decreed a law and a method. Had God willed, He would have made you one nation, but He tests you through what He has given each of you. 5:48
We know best what they say, and you are not a tyrant over them. So remind with the Quran those who fear My warning. 50:45
It (Quran) is a Reminder for you and your people and you will all be questioned. 43:44
God commanded prophet Muhammad in the Quran to say that he is infallible in the revelation he received from God (Quran), but that he may commit errors in his personal words and hadith:
Say, "If I stray, I stray to my own loss, and if I am guided, it is by what my Lord inspires to me. He is Hearer, Near. 34:50
In spite of the above confirmation of the fallibility of prophet Muhammad, together with multiple incidents in the Quran where the prophet was reprimanded by God for errors he committed, it is claimed by traditional Muslim scholars that prophet Muhammad was infallible! The following verses contain some of those reprimands: 8:67-68, 9:43, 9:113-114, 33:37, 66:1 and 80:1-11.
The Quran confirms that for every prophet there will be enemies of human and jinn devils who will fabricate fancy sayings and attribute them to the prophet to deceive the people:
And thus, We have made for every prophet enemies from among the human and jinn devils. They inspire to one another fancy sayings in order to deceive. 6:112
We then read in verse 113 that God allows such hadith to be written and circulated so as to set a test for the people and that it is the disbelievers and hypocrites who will accept it and thus commit what they will commit:
This is to let the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter listen to it, accept it, and thus commit what they are committing. 6:113
If God destroyed all fabricated hadith and never allowed it to exist, the tool for the test would not exist.
18 The Quran is all we need:
Finally, genuine believers will follow nothing other than the Quran because they accept God's assurances in the following verses:
a- The Quran is complete and does not need additional sources:
The Word of your Lord has been completed, in truth and justice. 6:115
b- The Quran is not in need of an explanatory supplement since it is clear, easy to understand and is not ambiguous:
A.L.R. These are the signs of the clear Book. 12:1
We have made it easy and in your tongue so that they may be reminded. 44:58
c- The Quran is not in need of a correction manual since it is perfect and harbours no contradictions:
A.L.R. A Book whose verses have been perfected. 11:1
d- The Quran is not in need of a 'details' supplement since it is fully detailed:
Shall I seek other than God as a lawmaker when it is He who has brought down to you the Book fully detailed? 6:114
For all the above reasons, all Muslims should follow the Quran, the whole Quran and nothing but the Quran.
Praise God