Source: Taken from the book “Tuhfa Ḥanafiyyah” by Maulana Abu Ṣuhayb Dāwūd Arshad ḥafiẓahullāh – a scholarly response to the Deobandi work “Tuhfa Ahl al-Ḥadīth” by Abu Bilāl Jhangvi.
"O Ahl al-Qur'an, perform Witr, for indeed Allah is Witr and loves Witr."
(Aḥādīth references: Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasā’ī, Ibn Mājah, Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Bayhaqī, al-Mustadrak)
In this Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ used the label Ahl al-Qur’an for Muslim memorizers of the Qur'an, even though the Qur'an also names them Muslims:
"He named you Muslims before and in this [scripture]." (Al-Ḥajj: 78)
Allah also refers to Jews and Christians descriptively as Ahl al-Kitāb and Ahl al-Injīl, even though they too were, in origin, Muslims.
These instances show that using descriptive titles is not prohibited.
The Qur'an refers to itself as “ḥadīth” in numerous places:
Az-Zumar: 23, Aṭ-Ṭūr: 33–34, Al-Qalam: 44, An-Najm: 59–60, Al-Aʿrāf: 185, Al-Kahf: 6
Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ referred to the Book of Allah as “ḥadīth” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim), and he also referred to his own statements as ḥadīth (Ibn Mājah, Ibn Ḥibbān, Abū Dāwūd).
Hence, “Ahl al-Hadith” means those who act upon the Qur’an and the statements of the Prophet ﷺ.
The answer: These categories pertain to chains of narration (isnād), not the Prophet’s actual speech. Hence, the objection is based on ignorance and bias.
"I am not upon the religion of ʿAlī nor of ʿUthmān, I am upon the religion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."
(al-Aḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām)
Even Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī, a Ḥanafī scholar, said:
"Allah has not obliged anyone to be a Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī or Ḥanbalī, rather He obliged them to follow the Sunnah."
(Sharḥ ʿAyn al-ʿIlm)
Statements of Companions, Tābiʿīn, and a’immah show the continued existence and recognition of Ahl al-Hadith:
"In the 2nd–3rd century AH, five legal schools emerged, namely: the four madhāhib and Ahl al-Hadith."
(Aḥsan al-Fatāwā, v1 p316)
“I have not seen any Ahl al-Hadith who oppose this opinion…”
(al-Tamhīd, v1, p39)
Dozens of such references are cited across his multi-volume work.
(al-Muntaqqā min Minhāj al-Iʿtidāl)
Ahl al-Hadith has existed since the time of the Companions and Tābiʿīn, and has been recognized by scholars of all schools as a legitimate and independent path.
Why Are We Called “Ahl al-Hadith”?
“Ahl al-Hadith” is a descriptive title, and using such descriptive terms in harmony with the spirit of Shariah is permissible. A precedent for this exists in the Sunnah, wherein the Prophet ﷺ addressed the memorizers of the Qur'an:"O Ahl al-Qur'an, perform Witr, for indeed Allah is Witr and loves Witr."
(Aḥādīth references: Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasā’ī, Ibn Mājah, Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Bayhaqī, al-Mustadrak)
In this Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ used the label Ahl al-Qur’an for Muslim memorizers of the Qur'an, even though the Qur'an also names them Muslims:
"He named you Muslims before and in this [scripture]." (Al-Ḥajj: 78)
Allah also refers to Jews and Christians descriptively as Ahl al-Kitāb and Ahl al-Injīl, even though they too were, in origin, Muslims.
These instances show that using descriptive titles is not prohibited.
The Naming of “Ahl al-Hadith”:
From the era of the best generations (khayr al-qurūn), the titles “Ahl al-Hadith” and “Ahl al-Sunnah” were used against people of innovation. Both terms are interchangeable, though “Ahl al-Hadith” has an added relevance as the term “ḥadīth” itself is used in the Qur’an to refer to both the Qur’an and the Sunnah.The Qur'an refers to itself as “ḥadīth” in numerous places:
Az-Zumar: 23, Aṭ-Ṭūr: 33–34, Al-Qalam: 44, An-Najm: 59–60, Al-Aʿrāf: 185, Al-Kahf: 6
Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ referred to the Book of Allah as “ḥadīth” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim), and he also referred to his own statements as ḥadīth (Ibn Mājah, Ibn Ḥibbān, Abū Dāwūd).
Hence, “Ahl al-Hadith” means those who act upon the Qur’an and the statements of the Prophet ﷺ.
A Common Objection Addressed:
The opponents say: Hadiths are of many types – ṣaḥīḥ, ḥasan, ḍaʿīf, mursal, muʿḍal, munqaṭiʿ, etc. – so what kind of Ahl al-Hadith are you?The answer: These categories pertain to chains of narration (isnād), not the Prophet’s actual speech. Hence, the objection is based on ignorance and bias.
Why Not Affiliate with Individuals (e.g., Ḥanafī, Mālikī)?
The Companions never called themselves ʿAlawī or ʿUthmānī. When asked, ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه replied:"I am not upon the religion of ʿAlī nor of ʿUthmān, I am upon the religion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."
(al-Aḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām)
Even Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī, a Ḥanafī scholar, said:
"Allah has not obliged anyone to be a Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī or Ḥanbalī, rather He obliged them to follow the Sunnah."
(Sharḥ ʿAyn al-ʿIlm)
Scent of False Attribution:
It is falsely claimed that some Companions were “ʿAlawī” or “ʿUthmānī”. However, references from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī only show differences in ranking of virtue between ʿUthmān and ʿAlī رضي الله عنهما – not sectarian labels adopted by themselves.The Antiquity of Ahl al-Hadith:
It is claimed that Ahl al-Hadith only emerged during British colonial rule. This is false.Statements of Companions, Tābiʿīn, and a’immah show the continued existence and recognition of Ahl al-Hadith:
- Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī said to seekers of hadith:
"You are our successors and Ahl al-Hadith after us."
(Though the chain is weak)
- The likes of Imām al-Zuhrī, Sufyān al-Thawrī, Imām Mālik, Shuʿbah, and others were all known as Ahl al-Hadith.
- Imām Ibn Ḥibbān, Ibn Khuzaymah, Imām al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, al-Tirmidhī, and others – all were among Ahl al-Hadith.
Ahl al-Hadith: A Distinct Legal School:
Deobandi scholar Muftī Rashīd Aḥmad writes:"In the 2nd–3rd century AH, five legal schools emerged, namely: the four madhāhib and Ahl al-Hadith."
(Aḥsan al-Fatāwā, v1 p316)
Testimony of Commentators of Hadith:
Imām Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, in al-Tamhīd, frequently refers to Ahl al-Hadith while discussing legal opinions. Examples include:- Wudū’ after touching cats
- Accepting mursal narrations
- Consuming intoxicants
- Authority of single reports
“I have not seen any Ahl al-Hadith who oppose this opinion…”
(al-Tamhīd, v1, p39)
Dozens of such references are cited across his multi-volume work.
Imām Ibn Mubārak’s Testimony:
"The religion is with Ahl al-Hadith. Tricks are with Ahl al-Ra’y (opinion), and lies are with the Rāfiḍah."(al-Muntaqqā min Minhāj al-Iʿtidāl)
Acknowledgment from Hanafī Scholars:
- Taftāzānī, Ibn Humām, Ibn Nujaym, Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī, and others clearly mention Ahl al-Hadith in contrast to their own views.
- Ibn Ḥumām says:
"The majority of jurists and Ahl al-Hadith consider [this] valid…"
Conclusion:
The term Ahl al-Hadith is not a recent innovation, nor is it merely a scholarly description like “Ahl al-Tafsīr” or “Ahl al-Tārīkh”. It represents a distinct, long-standing school rooted in adherence to Qur’an and Sunnah, without blind following of any single Imām.Ahl al-Hadith has existed since the time of the Companions and Tābiʿīn, and has been recognized by scholars of all schools as a legitimate and independent path.
