This excerpt is taken from the book by Fazilat-ul-Sheikh Abdul Salam Rustami From Denial of Hadith to Denial of Quran.
Third Doubt
Hadith is a cause of misguidance.
To prove this doubt, Hafiz Aslam says: In your Quran, there is no command to believe in any hadith other than the Book of Allah; rather, there is prohibition:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
"And there are some people who purchase the amusement of speech to mislead (others) from the way of Allah without knowledge and take it in ridicule." (This translation is also his)
Reference: (31-Luqman:6)
✿ Hafiz Aslam said:
This verse describes three characteristics of hadith:
➊ It is used to misguide people.
➋ Its basis is not knowledge, i.e., certainty.
➌ People make a mockery of the way of Allah, i.e., religion, through it.
Answer:
In this verse, ”لهو الحديث“ the harms of frivolous talk have been mentioned, not of hadith. There is no connection between ”لهو الحديث“ and hadith because the term hadith has also been applied to the Quran. Allah Almighty said:
فَلْيَأْتُوا بِحَدِيثٍ مِّثْلِهِ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ
"If they are children, then let them bring a hadith (Quran) like it."
Reference: (52-At-Tur:34)
He also said:
أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ
"Do you wonder at this hadith (Quran) and laugh?"
Reference: (53-An-Najm:59)
He also said:
فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
"And then upon what hadith (Quran) will they believe?"
Reference: (7-Al-A'raf:185) (77-Al-Mursalat:50)
He also said:
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا
"Lest, if they do not believe in this hadith, that is, the Quran, you should grieve over them in sorrow."
Reference: (18-Al-Kahf:6)
He also said:
أَفَبِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدْهِنُونَ
"Are you then in denial of this hadith (Quran)?"
Reference: (56-Al-Waqi'ah:81)
He also said:
فَذَرْنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ
"So let me deal with the one who denies this hadith (Quran)."
Reference: (68-Al-Qalam:44)
In all the above verses, the term hadith refers to the Holy Quran, while in one place the speech of the Prophet ﷺ is also called hadith. It is stated:
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا
"And when the Prophet ﷺ confided a secret hadith (matter) to one of his wives."
Reference: (66-At-Tahrim:3)
Allah Almighty has called the speech of the Prophet ﷺ in this verse a hadith.
We can ask Hafiz Aslam that ”لهو الحديث“ if there is no difference between frivolous talk and the word hadith, then, God forbid, the three attributes you have described for hadith will also have to be accepted for the Quran. And accepting these attributes for the Quran will undoubtedly make you a disbeliever.
It is understood that the commentators who have interpreted ”لهو الحديث“ as melody, singing, and dancing are correct in this because these things cause obstruction from the path of Allah and are a source of misguidance. Also, melody and singing have no real connection with knowledge and certainty, but the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has a complete connection with knowledge and certainty. We will prove this connection, InshaAllah. If all hadiths are frivolous talk as Hafiz Aslam has unsuccessfully tried to prove, then the hadiths that Mr. Parvez accepts will also fall into this category. The truth is that among the deniers of hadith, except Hafiz Aslam, no one has uttered this nonsense that the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are frivolous talk and a cause of misguidance. This blasphemous statement is the distinctive feature of Hafiz Aslam.
