This excerpt is taken from the book "Hujjat al-Hadith" by Fazilat al-Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri .
Imam Muhammad bin Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him (110 AH), says:
إن هٰذا الحديث دين، فانظروا عمن تأخذوه.
This hadith is religion, so be careful from whom you take your religion.
Reference: Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil by Ibn Abi Hatim: 15/2, and its chain is authentic
❀ Hadith is the explanation of the Quran; no authentic hadith contradicts the Quran, because both are from Allah, therefore there is no real contradiction between them.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[اَفَلَا یَتَدَبَّرُوۡنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ ؕ وَ لَوۡ کَانَ مِنۡ عِنۡدِ غَیۡرِ اللّٰہِ لَوَجَدُوۡا فِیۡہِ اخۡتِلَافًا کَثِیۡرًا]
Do they not then consider the Quran carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.
Reference: An-Nisa: 82
Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him (310 AH), says:
إن الذي أتيتهم به من التنزيل من عند ربهم لاتساق معانيه وائتلاف أحكامه وتأييد بعضه بعضا بالتصديق وشهادة بعضه لبعض بالتحقيق؛ فإن ذٰلك لو كان من عند غير الله لاختلفت أحكامه وتناقضت معانيه وأبان بعضه عن فساد بعض.
The revelation that you have brought from your Lord is to explain its meanings, to connect its rulings, to have some verses confirm others, and some testify to the truth of others. If it were from anyone other than Allah, its rulings would differ, its meanings would contradict, and they would expose each other's faults.
Reference: Tafsir al-Tabari: 251/7
❀ There is no real contradiction or conflict in the Holy Quran because it is from Allah; this is confirmed by the Hadith.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
لقد جلست أنا وأخي مجلسا ما أحب أن لي به حمر النعم أقبلت أنا وأخي وإذا مشيخة من صحابة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جلوس عند باب من أبوابه، فكرهنا أن نفرق بينهم، فجلسنا حجرة، إذ ذكروا آية من القرآن، فتماروا فيها، حتى ارتفعت أصواتهم، فخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مغضبا، قد احمر وجهه يرميهم بالتراب، ويقول : مهلا يا قوم، بهذا أهلكت الأمم من قبلكم، باختلافهم على أنبيائهم، وضربهم الكتب بعضها ببعض، إن القرآن لم ينزل يكذب بعضه بعضا، بل يصدق بعضه بعضا، فما عرفتم منه، فاعملوا به، وما جهلتم منه، فردوه إلى عالمه.
My brother and I were sitting in a gathering. Even if I were offered a red camel in exchange, I would not prefer it. When my brother and I arrived, suddenly many of the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, including several elders, were sitting at one of the mosque's doors. We did not find it appropriate to sit among them, so we sat in a chamber. They recited a verse from the Holy Quran and then began to dispute about it, to the extent that their voices became loud. The Noble Messenger ﷺ came out; his blessed face had turned red. He was throwing dust on them and said, "O people! Previous nations were destroyed because they disputed over their Prophets and because parts of their scriptures contradicted each other. The Quran was not revealed in such a way that one part would negate another; rather, some parts confirm others. Act upon what you understand from it, and return what you do not understand to its scholar."
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 181/2, Hadith: 6702, and its chain is authentic], [Sahih Muslim: 2666, summarized
❀ When a Hadith confirms the Holy Quran and negates any contradiction with it, how can it itself be contradictory or opposed to it? Rather, this is evidence that the Hadith is true; the truth always confirms the truth, the truth can never be opposed to the truth. Moreover, the Quran has not negated the authenticity and validity of the Hadith, nor has it negated the Hadith being revelation or from Allah. The Hadith has accepted the Holy Quran as revelation, and it has also stated that if there is any confusion or doubt in the meaning of the Quran, then ask those who have knowledge of the Quran. The scholars of truth say about the Quran and Hadith:
[اٰمَنَّا بِہٖ ۙ کُلٌّ مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ رَبِّنَا]
We believe in it; all of it is from our Lord.
Reference: (Al-Imran:7)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (728 AH), states under this Hadith:
هذا الحديث ونحوه مما ينهى فيه عن معارضة حق بحق، فإن ذٰلك يقتضي التكذيب بأحد الحقين، أو الإشتباه والحيرة، والواجب التصديق بهٰذا الحق وهٰذا الحق، فعلى الإنسان أن يصدق بالحق الذي يقوله غيره، كما يصدق بالحق الذي يقوله هو، ليس له أن يؤمن بمعنى آية استدل بها، ويرد معنى آية استدل بها مناظره، ولا أن يقبل الحق من طائفة، ويرده من طائفة أخرىٰ.
This and other similar hadiths prohibit declaring the truth contradictory to another truth, because such contradiction would necessarily lead to the denial, confusion, or distress of one of the two truths. Rather, confirmation of both truths is obligatory. Therefore, it is incumbent upon a person to confirm the truth stated by another in the same manner as he confirms the truth he himself states. It is not permissible for him to confirm the meaning of a verse from which he derives evidence, while rejecting the meaning of the verse from which his opponent derives evidence. Nor is it permissible to accept the truth from one group and reject the truth coming from another group.
Reference: Durr Ta'arud al-'Aql wa al-Naql: 404/8
Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), says:
صح بما ذكرنا بطلان قول من ضرب القرآن بعضه ببعض أو ضرب الحديث الصحيح بعضه ببعض أو ضرب القرآن بالحديث بعضهما ببعض.
The arguments we have mentioned prove that whoever creates contradiction between the verses of the Quran, or between authentic hadiths, or between the Quran and hadith, his statement is false.
Reference: الإحكام: 100/1
Allama Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) (751 AH) says:
أصول الشرع لا يضرب بعضها ببعض، كما نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن أن يضرب كتاب الله بعضه ببعض، بل يجب اتباعها كلها، ويقر كل منها على أصله وموضعه، فإنها كلها من عند الله الذي أتقن شرعه وخلقه، وما عدا هٰذا فهو الخطأ الصريح.
The principles of Shariah should not be considered contradictory to each other, just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade declaring the Quran contradictory to the Quran. Rather, all must be affirmed; each is established in its place, because all is from that Allah who has firmly established His Shariah and creation. Any other (view) is clearly wrong.
Reference: إعلام الموقعين: 38/2
❀ Considering the Quran as proof and not accepting the hadith is creating division between Allah and His Messenger, it is faith in some and disbelief with others, and it is also against the requirements of faith.
Allah Almighty says:
[وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رُسُلِہٖ وَ لَمۡ یُفَرِّقُوۡا بَیۡنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنۡہُمۡ]
Those who believe in Allah and His messengers and do not make distinction between any of them.
Reference: (An-Nisa: 152)
Allama Abdul Rahman bin Nasir Saadi, may Allah have mercy on him (1376 AH), says:
هذا يقتضي الإيمان بكل ما أخبر الله به عن نفسه و بكل ما جاءت به الرسل من الأخبار والأحكام.
This divine command requires that whatever news Allah Almighty has given about Himself and whatever news and rulings the Messenger has brought, all must be believed in.
Reference: Tafsir As-Saadi: 210/2
The command of the Almighty Allah is:
[وَ اَنۡزَلۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ الذِّکۡرَ لِتُبَیِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ اِلَیۡہِمۡ وَ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ]
We have sent down to you the reminder so that you may explain to the people what has been revealed to them of the revelation, and that they may reflect.
Reference: (An-Nahl: 44)
Imam Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him (204 AH), says:
إن الله عزوجل وضع نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم في كتابه ودينه بالموضع الذي أبان في كتابه، فالفرض على خلقه أن يكونوا عالمين بأنه لا يقول فيما أنزل عليه إلا بما أنزل عليه، وأنه لا يخالف كتاب الله، وأنه بين عن الله عز وجل معنى ما أراد الله.
Allah Almighty has given His Prophet ﷺ a status in His Book and religion which is stated in the Quran itself, therefore it is obligatory for the creation to know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ speaks about the revealed revelation (Quran) only through the revealed revelation (Hadith), and he does not oppose the Book of Allah, rather he clarifies its meaning on behalf of Allah Almighty.
Reference: Jama' al-'Ilm: p. 55
Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), says:
فيها بيان جلي ونص ظاهر أنه أنزل تعالىٰ عليه الذكر ليبينه للناس والبيان هو بالكلام فإذا تلاه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقد بينه ثم إن كان مجملا لا يفهم معناه من لفظه بينه حينئذ بوحي يوحىٰ إليه إما متلوا أو غير متلو.
In this noble verse, there is a clear statement and explicit text that Allah Almighty revealed the mention to the Noble Prophet ﷺ so that he ﷺ could explain it to the people. This explanation was done through speech, so when the Noble Prophet ﷺ recited the verse, he would clarify it. If any verse was ambiguous, meaning its words did not make the meaning clear, then at that time the Noble Prophet ﷺ would explain it through revealed or non-revealed guidance.
Reference: الإحكام: 81/1
❀ It has been established that no authentic hadith contradicts the Quran, because the interpretation, explanation, and clarification of the Quran are the responsibility of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The hadith of the Prophet ﷺ is the meaning of the Quran, and the statement of the Noble Messenger ﷺ is the exposition of the Quran.
We have stated many times before that there appears to be an apparent contradiction or opposition between the Quran and hadith, but in reality, there is no contradiction, because contradiction means inconsistency, which necessitates that one of the two is false. Those who consider authentic hadith to be truly opposed to the Quran should be asked what status they assign to hadith? If they say hadith is true, then the question arises: can the truth be truly contradictory to the truth? The conclusion will be that by accepting authentic hadith as truly opposed to the Quran, they are in fact denying the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Allama Shatibi, may Allah have mercy on him (790 AH), says:
أدلة الشرع لا تتعارض في نفس الأمر، ولذٰلك لا تجد البتة دليلين أجمع المسلمون عن تعارضهما، بحيث وجب عليهم الوقوف، لٰكن قد يقع التعارض في فهم الناظرين.
The evidences of Shariah are not actually contradictory to each other, which is why you will not find two such evidences whose contradiction has led to a consensus among Muslims that it becomes obligatory to suspend judgment. However, sometimes a contradiction occurs in the understanding of the observers.
Reference: Al-Muwafaqat: 294/4
