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| Authority of the Blessed Sunnah and Ahadith |
Authority of Sunnah
The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) is considered to be the second most important source of Islamic law and religion of Allah Almighty after the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, after the Holy Qur'an, Sunnah has the most important place and status as being a Shari'ah argument. And Sunnah or Hadith is the name of the sayings, actions, and permissions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him).
All the sayings, actions, and permissions of the Prophet (peace be upon Him) are included in the category of Hadith and Sunnah.
The authenticity, validity, reliability of the blessed Ahadith, determination and clarification of the position and status of the Prophet (peace be upon Him) himself, the necessity to follow Him, and the serious consequences of this world and the hereafter in case of the opposition, these are the basic Islamic beliefs and teachings that are an essential part of the faith of every Muslim.
The authenticity and legislative status of the Sunnah and Ahadith of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) are proved by various verses of the Holy Qur'an and have been mentioned in many Ahadith as well. Without going into the interpretation of all the verses of the Holy Qur'an, it is enough to mention only some of the Quranic verses with some Ahadith and their translations, because without explaining the interpretation of these verses, only the original text and its translation are enough in itself to be the arguments on the above matters.
Arguments from the Holy Quran
· In the blessed verses of Surah An-Najm:
{وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى (3) إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى (4)} [النجم: 3، 4].
He does not speak out of (his own) desire. [3] It is but revelation revealed (to him). [4]
· In Surah Aal-Imran:
{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} [آل عمران: 164].
Allah has surely conferred favor on the believers when He raised in their midst a messenger from among themselves who recites to them His verses and makes them pure and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom, while earlier, they were in open error.
· In Surah An-Nisa', the Almighty says:
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا} [النساء: 59].
O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Then, if quarrel about something, revert it back to Allah and the Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is good, and the best at the end.
· Also, in Surah An-Nisa':
{مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ} [النساء: 80].
Whoever obeys the Messenger obeys Allah.
· In Surah An-Nisa', there is another instruction from the Almighty:
{وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا} [النساء: 115].
Whoever breaks away with the Messenger after the right path has become clear to him, and follows what is not the way of the believers, We shall let him have what he chose, and We shall admit him to Jahannam, which is an evil place to return.
· In Surah Al-Maidah:
{وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَاحْذَرُوا} [المائدة: 92].
Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and be heedful.
· In Surah An-Noor:
{قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا} [النور: 54].
Say, “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, But if you turn away, then on him (the Messenger) lies (the responsibility of) what he is burdened with, and on you lies (the responsibility of) what you are burdened with. And if you obey him, you will get the right path.”
· Further, this instruction is given in another verse of Surah An-Noor:
{وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ} [النور: 56].
Establish Salah and pay Zakah and obey the Messenger, so that you may be favored with mercy.
· In Surah Muhammad, Allah Almighty says:
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ} [محمد: 33].
O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not nullify your deeds.
· In Surah Al-Hashr:
{وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ} [الحشر: 7].
And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain (from it).
· In Surah At-Taghabun:
{وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَى رَسُولِنَا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ} [التغابن: 12].
Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, then Our Messenger has only to convey the message clearly.[1]
References from the Blessed Ahadith
Also, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself has stated the legal status and importance of the blessed Ahadith in his various sayings, has drawn attention to its protection and necessity, has emphasized the need for its preservation, and has instructed it to be carried forward to others. It seems sufficient to quote some of the blessed Ahadith here as a reference.
In a narration of Sahih Muslim, He (peace be upon Him) said:
حدِّثوا عنّى.
Narrate from me.
In another narration of Sahih Muslim:
ليبلغ الشاهد الغائب.
The witness has to inform the absent.
In a narration of Mishkat-ul-Masabeeh, the Book of Knowledge:
نضّر الله عبدا سمع منا شيئا فبلّغه كما سمعه.
May Allah bless a servant who heard something from us, and conveys it as he heard it.
Conclusion
From the abovementioned texts of Quran and Sunnah the following matters are known:
1. The Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) and His blessed Ahadith are the most authentic Shari'ah sources and arguments after the Holy Quran.
2. The legitimacy of the Sunnah and Ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon Him) is proved by the Holy Quran and the various commands of the Prophet (peace be upon Him).
3. It has been clarified in the Holy Quran that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) does not say anything on his own, but his instructions are a kind of divine revelation.
4. In various verses of the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has commanded, along with His obedience, the obedience to His Messenger (peace be upon Him).
5. The Holy Quran has stated the legislative position and status of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him). Therefore, teaching the recitation and interpretation of the blessed verses of the Holy Quran, teaching people the Book and the Wisdom, and self-purification of the people, are included in the Quranic status of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him).
6. Obedience to the Prophet (peace be upon Him) has been declared as obedience to Allah.
7. Mutual differences have been ordered to be resolved in light of Quranic and Sunnah guidelines.
8. Obedience to the Prophet (peace be upon Him) has been declared as an essential cause of guidance and divine mercy.
9. Disobeying the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon Him) and turning away from his commands have been declared as the cause of invalidating one's deeds and entering Hell.
10. We are commanded to accept whatever the Prophet (peace be upon him) commands, and to refrain from whatever He forbids.
11. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) has ordered to narrate His Sunnah and Ahadith, and to pass them on to others.
12. The blessed Ahadith have been ordered to be transmitted as they are, without any alteration, addition, or subtraction.
May Allah Almighty bless us all. Aameen.
[1] Note: All translations of the blessed Quranic verses are quoted from: “The Meanings of the Noble Quran” by: Shaikh-ul-Islam Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Sahib.
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