This excerpt is taken from the book "Hujjat-e-Hadith" by Fazilat al-Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri. https://tohed.com/difa-e-hadith/
The foundation and basis of religion is revelation; revelation is the name of the Quran and Hadith.
The Divine command is:
[وَ مَا یَنۡطِقُ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی]،[اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا وَحۡیٌ یُّوۡحٰی]
"They (the Prophet ﷺ) do not speak from their own desire, but what is revealed to them."
Reference: (An-Najm: 3-4)
❀ From the generality of this noble verse, it is established that all matters of religion conveyed by the Prophet ﷺ are from Allah’s revelation.
Allama Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) (456 AH) states:
"Indeed, it is a revelation sent down to him." From this, we understand that there are two types of revelation for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. One is the revelation that is recited, which is compiled and its arrangement is miraculous; this is the Qur'anic revelation. The second type of revelation is transmitted, not compiled, its arrangement is not miraculous, nor is it recited, but it is read, and it is the news coming from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and it is the revelation that explains Allah's intention.
Reference: Al-Ahkam fi Usool al-Ahkam:1/97
Allama Razi, may Allah have mercy on him (606 AH), says:
النطق وهو كلام وقول فكأنه تعالىٰ يقول: وما كلامه وهو نطقه إلا وحي.
(In the verse) speech means talk and saying, as if Allah Almighty is saying that the speech and utterance of the Noble Prophet ﷺ is only and only revelation.
Reference: Tafsir al-Razi: 235/28
Allama Abu Abdullah Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him (671 AH), says:
فيها أيضا دلالة علىٰ أن السنة كالوحي المنزل في العمل.
This verse is evidence that in acting, the hadith is like the revealed revelation (Qur'an).
Reference: Tafsir al-Qurtubi: 85/17
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (774 AH), says:
ما يقول قولا عن هوىٰ وغرض، [اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا وَحۡیٌ یُّوۡحٰی] That is, he only says what he is commanded, conveying it to the people completely and fully without any addition or omission.
"The Holy Prophet ﷺ does not speak out of desire or greed." "Rather, it is revelation that is sent to you." That is, the Holy Prophet ﷺ speaks only what he is commanded, delivering it to the Ummah properly, without any deficiency or excess.
Reference: Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 443/7
Allah Almighty's command is:
[قُلۡ مَا یَکُوۡنُ لِیۡۤ اَنۡ اُبَدِّلَہٗ مِنۡ تِلۡقَآیِٔ نَفۡسِیۡ ۚ اِنۡ اَتَّبِعُ اِلَّا مَا یُوۡحٰۤی اِلَیَّ]
"Say, I do not have the power to change the Qur'an on my own; I only follow what is revealed to me."
Reference: (Yunus: 15)
Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), says:
لو أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم شرع شيئا لم يوح إليه به لكان مبدلا للدين من تلقاء نفسه وكل من أجاز هٰذا فقد كفر وخرج عن الإسلام وبالله تعالى نعوذ من الخذلان.
"If the Holy Prophet ﷺ had legislated something in the Shariah which Allah Almighty had not revealed to him ﷺ, then he ﷺ would be considered one who changed the religion on his own. Whoever considers this correct has committed disbelief and has left Islam. We seek refuge in Allah Almighty from such disgrace."
Reference: Al-Ihkam: 137/5
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[وَّ اذۡکُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰہِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡکِتٰبِ وَ الۡحِکۡمَۃِ یَعِظُکُمۡ بِہٖ ؕ]
"Remember the favor of Allah upon you and that which has been revealed to you of the Book and wisdom by which He instructs you."
Reference: (Al-Baqarah: 231)
❀ The meaning is that you should especially remember the favor of Allah that He sent a Messenger to you with guidance and clear signs, and He revealed to you the Book and Sunnah. Through this revelation, He commands goodness and righteousness, forbids forbidden and unlawful acts, and admonishes by warning against committing forbidden deeds.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, took wisdom here to mean the Sunnah.
Reference: Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 564/1
The command of Allah the Exalted is:
[وَ اذۡکُرۡنَ مَا یُتۡلٰی فِیۡ بُیُوۡتِکُنَّ مِنۡ اٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ وَ الۡحِکۡمَۃِ ؕ]
"(O wives of the Prophet!) Remember the favor of Allah upon you that the verses and wisdom are recited in your homes."
Reference: (Al-Ahzab: 34)
Imam Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him (204 AH), says:
سمعت من أرضىٰ من أهل العلم بالقرآن يقول: الحكمة سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وهٰذا يشبه ما قال، والله أعلم، لأن القرآن ذكر وأتبعته الحكمة، وذكر الله منه علىٰ خلقه بتعليمهم الكتاب والحكمة، فلم يجز والله أعلم أن يقال: الحكمة هاهنا إلا سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.
"I heard from a person who is, in my view, a scholar of the Holy Quran, and he was saying that by Hikmah (wisdom) is meant the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This statement is correct, and Allah knows best! Because after mentioning the Quran, Hikmah is mentioned, and Allah Almighty has mentioned His favor that He taught them with the Book and Hikmah. Therefore, here, taking Hikmah to mean anything other than the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is not correct, واللہ اعلم.
Reference: Al-Risalah: p. 78
Imam Muhammad bin Nasr Marwazi, may Allah have mercy on him (294 AH), says:
تأولت العلماء أن الحكمة ها هنا هي السنة؛ لأنه قد ذكر الكتاب، ثم قال : ﴿والحكمة﴾ ففصل بينهما بالواو فدل ذٰلك علىٰ أن الحكمة غير الكتاب، وهي ما سن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم مما لم يذكر في الكتاب؛ لأن التأويل إن لم يكن كذٰلك فيكون كأنه قال : وأنزل عليك الكتاب والكتاب، وهٰذا يبعد.
According to the interpretation of the scholars, here wisdom refers to the Sunnah, because Allah Almighty mentioned the Book, then mentioned wisdom. Thus, the conjunction "and" was used to separate the two, indicating that wisdom is something other than the Book; it is the statement of the Noble Messenger ﷺ that is not present in the Holy Quran (this interpretation is correct), because if it were not so, then it would mean that Allah Almighty revealed the Book and the Book, which is unlikely (in terms of eloquence and clarity for Allah).
Reference: Al-Sunnah: p. 109
Allama Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him (751 AH), says:
الكتاب هو القرآن والحكمة هي السنة باتفاق السلف وما أخبر به الرسول عن الله فهو في وجوب تصديقه والإيمان به كما أخبر به الرب تعالىٰ علىٰ لسان رسوله، هٰذا أصل متفق عليه بين أهل الإسلام لا ينكره إلا من ليس منهم.
"The consensus of the Salaf is that (here) 'Kitab' refers to the Quran and 'Hikmah' refers to Hadith. Whatever news the Messenger of Allah ﷺ conveys from Allah Almighty, it is obligatory to confirm it and believe in it, just as one believes in the news that Allah Almighty has given through His Messenger. All Muslims agree on this; only one who is not among the Muslims can deny it.
Reference: Kitab al-Ruh, p. 75
In these verses, 'Hikmah' means Sunnah, which Allah Almighty has revealed along with the Book, i.e., the Quran. It is clear that Hadith is also a revelation from Allah Almighty.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[اِنۡ اَتَّبِعُ اِلَّا مَا یُوۡحٰۤی اِلَیَّ]
I follow only the revelation of Allah.
Reference: Al-An'am:50
Here also, 'revelation' means the Quran and Hadith.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[وَ یُعَلِّمُہُمُ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ الۡحِکۡمَۃَ]
They teach the people the Book and the Sunnah.
Reference: Al-Baqarah:129, Aal Imran:164, Al-Jumu'ah:2
❀ It is clear that from ablution to jihad, the method of every act of worship and its rulings and issues are from the revelation of Allah Almighty. In fact, it can be said that all sayings, actions, and states related to the religion of the Noble Prophet ﷺ are from revelation.
Revelation is preserved with the special protection of Allah Almighty.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا الذِّکۡرَ وَ اِنَّا لَہٗ لَحٰفِظُوۡنَ]
Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian.
Reference: Al-Hijr:9
Allama Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) (456 AH) says:
صح بذٰلك أن كلامه صلى الله عليه وسلم كله محفوظ بحفظ الله عز وجل مضمون لنا أنه لا يضيع منه شيء إذ ما حفظ الله تعالىٰ فهو باليقين لا سبيل إلىٰ أن يضيع منه شيء فهو منقول إلينا كله فلله الحجة علينا أبدا.
It is established from this that all the sayings of the Noble Prophet ﷺ are preserved by the protection of Allah Almighty. We have been guaranteed that nothing from it will be lost, because whatever Allah Almighty protects, certainly nothing from it can be lost. Therefore, the entire Sunnah has reached us completely, and Allah Almighty's proof remains established upon us forever.
Reference: Al-Ihkam: 110/1
Both the Quran and Hadith are the remembrance of Allah Almighty. In the Holy Quran, the Friday sermon is also called the remembrance of Allah Almighty.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا نُوۡدِیَ لِلصَّلٰوۃِ مِنۡ یَّوۡمِ الۡجُمُعَۃِ فَاسۡعَوۡا اِلٰی ذِکۡرِ اللّٰہِ]
O you who have believed, when the call is made for prayer on the day of Friday, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade.
Reference: Al-Jumu'ah: 9
❀ The Friday sermon of the Holy Prophet ﷺ was also a Hadith. The Hadith of the Messenger ﷺ is also Dhikr; Dhikr has been revealed by Allah Almighty, and Allah Himself has taken the responsibility of its protection.
Allah Almighty's Command is:
[لَقَدۡ کَانَ لَکُمۡ فِیۡ رَسُوۡلِ اللّٰہِ اُسۡوَۃٌ حَسَنَۃٌ لِّمَنۡ کَانَ یَرۡجُوا اللّٰہَ وَ الۡیَوۡمَ الۡاٰخِرَ وَ ذَکَرَ اللّٰہَ کَثِیۡرًا]
Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.
Reference: (Al-Ahzab: 21)
❀ From this noble verse, it is established that the exemplary conduct of the Prophet is the name of your Sunnah and method, which is in accordance with the will of Allah Almighty. Every example of the Prophet ﷺ is preserved until the Day of Judgment. This is evidence that there is no contradiction between the Quran and Hadith.
When the Quran and Hadith are revelation and will remain revelation until the Day of Judgment, there can be no doubt about their truthfulness. How can truth clash with truth? How can two proven evidences from revelation contradict each other? It should be well remembered that although there appears to be an apparent contradiction in some texts of the Quran and Hadith, in reality, there is no contradiction. Just as some clear verses of the Quran appear to be mutually contradictory on the surface, yet in reality, there is no contradiction. When the apparent contradiction of the Quran can be resolved, and reconciliation and application between these mutually contradictory texts is possible, then why can the contradiction between Hadith not be resolved? Why is reconciliation and application between them not possible?
[1] In the texts of the Quran and Hadith, there is the issue of general and specific, absolute and restricted, and exception. The observer's mind assumes that this is a contradiction and conflict, whereas in reality, it is not a contradiction.
[2] The command of the Quran is general, and the Hadith specifies it or the Hadith exempts something from the general command of the Quran. Similarly, the Hadith also restricts the application of the Quran.
[3] One reason for the apparent contradiction between the texts of the Quran and Hadith is unfamiliarity with the Arabic language. The Quran and Hadith were revealed in Arabic, and one who is unfamiliar with Arabic will find contradictions in the Quran and Hadith.
[4] One narrator narrates a tradition fully, another narrates it briefly, a third narrator narrates some parts of the tradition and omits others. The observer may say that the words of one narrator contradict the Quran, but when this is understood, the difference and contradiction between the texts of the Quran and Hadith are resolved.
[5] Another reason is that one narrator transmits the answer of the Prophet ﷺ to a question about something but does not mention the question itself, whereas the reality of that answer becomes clear only from the question. This also removes the apparent contradiction between the Quran and Hadith.
[6] Unfamiliarity with abrogating and abrogated texts also causes contradiction between the Quran and Hadith. Sometimes a verse is abrogating and a Hadith is abrogated, or sometimes a Hadith is abrogating and a verse is abrogated. When this is understood, the apparent contradiction between the Quran and Hadith is removed.
For details:
❀ Imam Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book Al-Risala
Reference: (pp. 52, 53, 213, 215)
please see.Imam Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him (204 AH), says:
لم نجد عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم شيئا مختلفا فكشفناه إلا وجدنا له وجها يحتمل به ألا يكون مختلفا.
We have not seen anything contradictory or conflicting from the Noble Prophet ﷺ that we could explain in detail, but every contradiction is resolved in some way.
Reference: Al-Risala, p. 216
He also says:
أن يعلم أن أحكام الله ثم أحكام رسوله لا تختلف، وأنها تجري على مثال واحد.
It should also be known that the commands of Allah Almighty and His Messenger are not different or contradictory, but are of the same kind.
Reference: Al-Risala: p. 173
Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him (456 AH), says:
يبين صحة ما قلنا من أنه لا تعارض بين شيء من نصوص القرآن ونصوص كلام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وما نقل من أفعاله، قول الله عز وجل مخبرا عن رسوله عليه السلام: [وَ مَا یَنۡطِقُ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی]،[اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا وَحۡیٌ یُّوۡحٰی]
Reference: (An-Najm: 3-4)
What we have said that there is no contradiction between the Qur'an and the sayings and actions of the Noble Prophet ﷺ is confirmed by the statement of Allah Almighty, who, while informing about His Messenger, said: [وَ مَا یَنۡطِقُ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی]،[ اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا وَحۡیٌ یُّوۡحٰی]
Reference: (An-Najm: 3-4)
"He does not speak out of his own desire, but it is a revelation that is revealed to him."
Reference: Al-Ihkam: 204/2
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[حُرِّمَتۡ عَلَیۡکُمُ الۡمَیۡتَۃُ]
"Dead meat has been forbidden to you."
Reference: (Al-Ma'idah: 3)
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
ماتت شاة، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لأهلها: ألا نزعتم جلدها، ثم دبغتموه فاستمتعتم به.
A goat died, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to its owners: Why did you not skin it, so that you could tan it and benefit from it.
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1727, its chain is authentic
❀ Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) classified this hadith as "Hasan Sahih" and Imam Abu Awana (316 AH) classified it as "Sahih."
❀ The command of the Quran includes all parts of carrion; the hadith specifically mentions eating, meaning that a halal animal that dies of itself cannot be eaten, but its skin can be tanned and utilized.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
[یُوۡصِیۡکُمُ اللّٰہُ فِیۡۤ اَوۡلَادِکُمۡ]
"Allah commands you concerning your children."
Reference: (An-Nisa: 11)
❀ This verse is general, while the hadith provides specification.
Sayyiduna Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا يرث المسلم الكافر ولا الكافر المسلم.
A Muslim cannot inherit from a disbeliever, nor can a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 6764, Sahih Muslim: 1614
❀ It is established that the Quran and authentic hadith are not contradictory.
Allah Almighty says:
[وَ اُحِلَّ لَکُمۡ مَّا وَرَآءَ ذٰلِکُمۡ]
Except those [women] whom your right hands possess.
Reference: (An-Nisa: 24)
❀ Before this noble verse, the Holy Quran mentioned fourteen forbidden relationships with whom marriage is not permissible. Then it stated that besides them, you may marry all other women, while the Hadith has also prohibited two additional relationships.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
A girl and her paternal aunt should not be combined in one marriage contract, nor should a girl and her maternal aunt be combined in one marriage contract.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5109, Sahih Muslim: 1408
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade marrying a niece in the presence of her paternal aunt and forbade marrying a paternal aunt in the presence of her niece. He also forbade marrying a niece in the presence of her maternal aunt and forbade marrying a maternal aunt in the presence of her niece. One should not marry a closer relative in the presence of a more distant relative, nor marry a more distant relative in the presence of a closer relative.
Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad: 426/2, Sunan Abi Dawood: 2065, Sunan An-Nasa'i: 3298, Sunan At-Tirmidhi: 1126, and its chain is authentic
❀ Those who do not accept Hadith as part of religion argue that marriage with these two relations should be permissible because their permissibility is established from the generality of the Qur'an.
If they say that the prohibition of these two relations is established by reason, then it is asked: can the generality of the Qur'an be restricted by reason? What is the opinion about someone whose reason considers these two relations permissible?
❀ How great is the injustice that the general statements of the Quran can be specified by one's own intellect, but the specific statements proven from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ cannot be specified? Do they consider the status of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be less than their intellect?
