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[quote][font=Courier New]THE AHADITH:

The Ahadith are not an independent source of Sharia (Islamic law) as they do not add to the content of the Qur’an and Sunnah. They merely explain the Qur’an and Sunnah and are totally dependent on these two for their survival. The fact that we cannot, cent percent, guarantee every Hadith should not mean that we should turn our backs on the Ahadith. That is because:

1.	The scholars of the science of Hadith (for example, Imam Muslim, Imam Bukhari, Imam Malik (RA)) have put in tremendous efforts to distinguish the true Ahadith from the fabricated ones. These are such outstanding and worthwhile efforts that we can be highly proud of them.

2.	The Ahadith help a great deal to understand the directives of the Qur’an. For example, what was the real purpose behind the delay in commanding that no more people could be made slaves?

3.	They are the only source from which we can get to know the biography and lifestyle of the Prophet (SAW).

4.	They inform us of the uswa-e-hasana (the way our dear Prophet (SAW) carried out the Quranic directives in the most beautiful way, for example, the way he performed ablution) of the Prophet (SAW).

5.	They enlighten the background in which the Qur’an was revealed. This background, which includes the geographical circumstances of the Qur’anic revelations, is extremely important to understand the true essence of the different Quranic directives. For example, when the Qur’an says “these Jews” cannot be your friends, we need to know “which Jews”. The Ahadith tell us that those from the tree Jewish tribes of Al-Madina which were wholeheartedly against the Muslims and no good was expected of them anymore.

6.	They inform us about the companions (RA) of the Prophet (SAW) who can be seen as the heroes in the history due to their extra-ordinary commitment with the Qur’an and Sunnah.

There may be many more reasons to embrace the science of Hadith but, I think, the above have already elaborated much.

THE SUNNAH:

1.	So far, none of the established Sunan are “against” the Qur’an. (By this, I do not mean that all of them are explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an.)

2.	The Sunan are the religious Abrahamic traditions that were already prevailing, in some form, in the world even before the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). These Sunan are older than the Qur’an itself. If a Sunnah is not mentioned in the Qur’an (for example: circumcision of the male children or the way Salah be performed etc.), it does not mean that it would be rejected as the Qur’an not only testifies the religion of the Prophet Abraham (SAW) but orders us to follow it. The Qur’an is revealed with the Sunan-e-Ibrahimi (the Abrahamic traditions) in its background that is why it doesn’t explain what is Hajj, Umrah and Salah but merely orders people to carry out these Sunan. In other words, people were already aware of the Sunan-e-Ibrahimi. However, the Holy Prophet (SAW) purified these Sunan from the polytheistic spirits developed within them with time, and rectified them in their supreme form. Though Sunan were present in all the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) but they should not be mixed up with the laws (Sharia) of each religion – the laws kept changing in the different Divine books but the Sunan, more or less, remained the same.

The question why the Holy Prophet (SAW) adopted the religious Abrahimic traditions and, after corrections and additions, instituted them in the lives of his followers as an integral part of their faith is answered in the following verse:

“And then we revealed unto you (the command) to follow the religion of Abraham, who was steadfast and was not one of the polytheists.” (16:123)

3.	The Sunan are as pure as the Qur’an itself because both have come to us through the same mean of transformation – the consensus of each generation of the Ummah.

4.	The whole Ummah is and has been unanimous on the established Sunan because of the Sunan’s superlative clarity. If a group of Muslims adds something new to the Sunan, the whole Ummah doesn’t accept it. Therefore, the consensus of, by and large, the whole Ummah is necessary to entitle something as Sunnah.

I hope this would be of help.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

J.[/font=Courier New]

Edited by: JunaidHasan on Monday, July 31, 2006 12:37 PM[/quote]

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