Traditional claims by the hadith followers,
debunked by the Holy Quran.
By: A. Mohamed
Those who insist that following the Quran alone is insufficient, and that without the hadith we would never be able to follow true Islam, quote a number of Quranic verses to support their claims.
To debate with any hadith follower and be able to reply in the light of the Quran, the reader is given the pages below which provide a Quranic analysis of each of these claims:
Claim 1
The first and most repeated claim made by the hadith followers in their attempt to justify why the Quran alone is not sufficient, is the claim that the Quran does not have all the details we need to follow the religion. They claim that the Quran has only the broad principles, but the details are only found in the hadith and sunna of prophet Muhammad.
When we read what God says about that issue we immediately detect the real content of the hearts of those who make such claims. In plain words, they do not believe the Quranic words!
The following are the Quranic assertions that the Quran contains all the details we need and that God has not left anything out of the Book:
The following are the Quranic assertions that the Quran contains all the details we need and that God has not left anything out of the Book:
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
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 did not leave anything out of the Book. 6:38
We brought the Book down to you providing explanations of all things. 16:89
Claim 2
Perhaps the most repeated challenging question they pose is the following:
Question
If the Quran has all the details as you say, then show us the details of the Salat including the Raka numbers in the Quran.
Reply
Before even replying, it must be remembered that it is not us who are saying that the Quran has all the details, it is God who is saying so (see the verses in claim 1 above).
More seriously, those who ask the question above cannot even realise that by trying to prove that the Quran does not have all the details, what they are in fact doing is trying to prove that God's assurances in the verses above are false!
When we come to replying to their question above, it is as follows:
You are absolutely right, the Quran does not contain the details of the Salat that you observe. However, the Quran contains all the details of the Salat that God authorised for us in the Quran.
The raka system, which they inquired about, is in fact a very significant example to clarify the meaning of the answer given above. For that, please check the following page: How many raka?
Claim 3
We are commanded in the Quran to obey God and obey the messenger (5:92). Obeying God is to obey the Quran, while obeying the messenger is to obey the hadith.
The reply to this claim is found at: Obey God and obey the messenger
God gave us the kitab and the hikmah (2:231). The kitab is the Quran and the hikmah is the hadith!
The reply to this claim is found at: Al-hikmah
Claim 5
We are commanded to follow the messenger (3:31). To do so, we must follow his hadith and sunna.
The reply to this claim is found at: Follow the messenger
Claim 6
Not only was the Quran inspired to Muhammad by God but the hadith was also inspired by God (53:3-4). As a result, to follow what has been inspired to Muhammad (as per 46:9) we must also follow the hadith, which was also inspired by God.
The reply to this claim is found at: Was the hadith inspired by God?
Claim 7
The prophet had the authority to make various matters lawful and also to issue various prohibitions (7:157).
The reply to this claim is found at: Was the prophet a law maker?
Claim 8
We must accept and obey whatever the messenger gives us (59:7), to do so we must follow the hadith.
The reply to this claim is found at: Take what the messenger gives you
Claim 9
It is not possible to follow the Quran on its own, but we need the hadith which explains the Quran (16:44 and 5:19).
The reply and analysis of 16:44 is found on the following page: Analysis of 16:44
Claim 10
We must love the prophet more than our parents, children, siblings, money, business, all of mankind and more than loving ourselves (9:24).
The reply to this claim is found on the following page: Analysis of 9:24
The reply to this claim is found on the following page: Analysis of 9:24
Claim 11
The messenger was given the authority to issue his own law separate from God’s law in the Quran (33:36).
The reply to this claim is found at: Was the messenger a law maker?