Authored by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
According to the consensus of Muslims, Hadith is indeed a form of revelation. No authentic Hadith ever contradicts the Quran. Rather, Hadith explains and elucidates the Quran. If someone perceives an authentic Hadith as being in opposition to the Quran, the fault lies in their own understanding. This is similar to how some Quranic verses may appear contradictory to each other at first glance. Therefore, it is not necessary to evaluate Hadith by comparing it to the Quran.
The well-known Tabi'i, Imam Ayyub Al-Sakhtiyani (66-131 AH), said:
"If you narrate a Sunnah to a person, and he responds with 'Leave this and give us the Quran,' then know that he is misguided."
[Ma'rifat Uloom al-Hadith by Al-Hakim, p. 65, chain of narration is Hasan (good)]
It is reported about the great Tabi'i, Sayyiduna Sa'id ibn Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 95 AH):
"One day he narrated a Hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and a man said, 'There is something in the Book (Quran) that contradicts this.' Sa'id ibn Jubayr replied, 'I am narrating to you a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and you present something from the Book of Allah against it! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) knew the Book of Allah better than you.'"
[Musnad Al-Darimi, 1/145, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
The Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is an explanation and clarification of the Quran. Understanding the Quran without the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is impossible. As Imam Al-Sham, Mak'hool (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 113 AH) stated:
"The Quran is more in need of the Sunnah than the Sunnah is of the Quran."
[Al-Sunnah by Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi, p. 28, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
Imam Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 129 AH) said:
"The Sunnah is the judge over the Quran, and the Quran is not the judge over the Sunnah."
[Musnad Al-Darimi, 1/145, chain of narration is Hasan (good); Al-Sunnah by Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi, p. 28; Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih by Ibn Abdul Barr, 2/190, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
Imam Al-Darimi (181-255 AH) titled a chapter in his book according to this statement. The Andalusian scholar, Ibn Abdul Barr (368-463 AH), explains this statement:
"It means that the Sunnah clarifies and explains the intent of the Quran."
[Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih by Ibn Abdul Barr, 2/191]
Imam Al-Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 157 AH) further elaborates:
"The Sunnah has come as a judge over the Book (Quran), and the Book has not come as a judge over the Sunnah."
[Ma'rifat Uloom al-Hadith by Al-Hakim, p. 65, chain of narration is Hasan (good)]
It is clear that only the explanation of a book can provide a definitive conclusion about its contents. How can something that requires explanation itself serve as a judge over its explanation?
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr (368-463 AH) states:
"The explanation from the Prophet (peace be upon him) is of two types: The first is the explanation of what is brief in the Glorious Book, such as the times of the five prayers, their prostrations, bowing, and all their other rulings, and the explanation of Zakat, its amount, its time, and the wealth from which it is taken, and the explanation of Hajj… The second type is adding rulings to the Book, such as prohibiting the marriage of a woman to her aunt (at the same time) and prohibiting domestic donkeys and every predatory animal with fangs…"
[Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih by Ibn Abdul Barr, 2/190]
Fadl bin Ziyad reported:
"I heard Abu Abdullah, meaning Ahmad bin Hanbal, being asked about the Hadith that says the Sunnah is a judge over the Book (Quran). He replied: 'I do not dare say this, but the Sunnah is an interpretation of the Book, which clarifies and explains the Quran.'"
[Al-Kifayah fi Ilm al-Riwayah by Al-Khatib, p. 47, chain of narration is Hasan (good)]
The scholar Imam Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) clarifies:
"The Sunnah being a judge over the Book does not mean it is preferred over the Quran and the Quran is to be discarded. Rather, it means that what is expressed in the Sunnah is the intended meaning in the Book. Thus, the Sunnah is like the interpretation and explanation of the meanings of the Quranic rulings. This is indicated by the words of Allah: 'So that you (O Muhammad) may explain to the people what has been sent down to them' [An-Nahl: 44]."
[Al-Muwafaqat by Al-Shatibi, 4/7-8]
Hafiz Suyuti (849-911 AH) writes:
"The conclusion is that the Quran's need for the Sunnah lies in the fact that the Sunnah explains and details its general statements because the Quran contains treasures that require someone who knows their hidden aspects to reveal them, and that someone is the one upon whom the Quran was revealed (i.e., the Prophet). This is the meaning of the Sunnah being a judge over the Quran. The Quran is not a judge over the Sunnah because the Sunnah is self-explanatory. The Sunnah does not reach the level of the Quran in terms of miraculousness and brevity because it is an explanation of the Quran, and the nature of an explanation is that it is clearer, more detailed, and more explicit than the thing being explained."
[Miftah al-Jannah fi al-Ihtijaj bi al-Sunnah by Suyuti, p. 44]
After this explanation, consider the following statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
Sayyiduna Al-Miqdam bin Ma'di Karib al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him) (d. 87 AH) narrates:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited certain things on the day of Khaybar, including domestic donkeys. Then he said: 'Soon, a man reclining on his couch will hear my Hadith and say: "Between us and you is the Book of Allah (i.e., the Quran). Whatever it declares as lawful, we accept as lawful, and whatever it declares as unlawful, we declare as unlawful." But indeed, whatever the Messenger of Allah has prohibited, it is as if Allah has prohibited it.'"
[Musnad Ahmad, 4/132; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2664; Sunan Ibn Majah, 12, 3193; Musnad Al-Darimi, 606; Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn by Al-Hakim, 1/109, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
Imam Tirmidhi classified this Hadith as "Hasan Ghareeb" (good and rare), and Imam Hakim deemed it "Sahih" (authentic). This Hadith highlights the legislative status of the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), as Imam Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi (d. 294 AH) writes:
"The ruling of what is lawful and unlawful from Allah comes in two ways: The first is that Allah reveals the prohibition of something in His Book and it is called Quran, as in the verse: 'Forbidden to you (for food) are dead meat, blood, and the flesh of swine' [Al-Ma'idah: 3]. The second way is that a revelation comes to the Prophet (peace be upon him) through Jibril (Gabriel) declaring something as unlawful or lawful or obligatory, and it is called wisdom, not Quran. Both are from Allah as He says: 'And Allah has sent down to you the Book and the wisdom' [An-Nisa: 113]."
[Al-Sunnah by Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi, p. 115]
Imam Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi categorized this Hadith under the following chapter:
"The chapter discussing the equivalence of the ruling of the Book of Allah and the ruling of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in terms of obligatory adherence and commitment."
[Al-Kifayah by Al-Khatib, p. 23]
Imam Al-Tabari (d. 310 AH) comments on the "wisdom" mentioned in the Quran:
"The correct interpretation, according to us, regarding wisdom is that it refers to the knowledge of Allah's rulings that cannot be understood except through the explanation of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and its recognition... In my view, this 'wisdom' is derived from 'hukm' (judgment), which means the separation between truth and falsehood, similar to how the words 'session' and 'sitting' derive from the verb 'sit.' It is said: 'Indeed, so-and-so is a wise person, meaning: they are clear in speech and action.'"
[Tafsir al-Tabari, 1/608, under Surah Al-Baqarah: 129]
According to the consensus of Muslims, Hadith is indeed a form of revelation. No authentic Hadith ever contradicts the Quran. Rather, Hadith explains and elucidates the Quran. If someone perceives an authentic Hadith as being in opposition to the Quran, the fault lies in their own understanding. This is similar to how some Quranic verses may appear contradictory to each other at first glance. Therefore, it is not necessary to evaluate Hadith by comparing it to the Quran.
The well-known Tabi'i, Imam Ayyub Al-Sakhtiyani (66-131 AH), said:
"If you narrate a Sunnah to a person, and he responds with 'Leave this and give us the Quran,' then know that he is misguided."
[Ma'rifat Uloom al-Hadith by Al-Hakim, p. 65, chain of narration is Hasan (good)]
It is reported about the great Tabi'i, Sayyiduna Sa'id ibn Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 95 AH):
"One day he narrated a Hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and a man said, 'There is something in the Book (Quran) that contradicts this.' Sa'id ibn Jubayr replied, 'I am narrating to you a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and you present something from the Book of Allah against it! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) knew the Book of Allah better than you.'"
[Musnad Al-Darimi, 1/145, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
The Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is an explanation and clarification of the Quran. Understanding the Quran without the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is impossible. As Imam Al-Sham, Mak'hool (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 113 AH) stated:
"The Quran is more in need of the Sunnah than the Sunnah is of the Quran."
[Al-Sunnah by Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi, p. 28, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
Imam Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 129 AH) said:
"The Sunnah is the judge over the Quran, and the Quran is not the judge over the Sunnah."
[Musnad Al-Darimi, 1/145, chain of narration is Hasan (good); Al-Sunnah by Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi, p. 28; Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih by Ibn Abdul Barr, 2/190, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
Imam Al-Darimi (181-255 AH) titled a chapter in his book according to this statement. The Andalusian scholar, Ibn Abdul Barr (368-463 AH), explains this statement:
"It means that the Sunnah clarifies and explains the intent of the Quran."
[Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih by Ibn Abdul Barr, 2/191]
Imam Al-Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 157 AH) further elaborates:
"The Sunnah has come as a judge over the Book (Quran), and the Book has not come as a judge over the Sunnah."
[Ma'rifat Uloom al-Hadith by Al-Hakim, p. 65, chain of narration is Hasan (good)]
It is clear that only the explanation of a book can provide a definitive conclusion about its contents. How can something that requires explanation itself serve as a judge over its explanation?
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr (368-463 AH) states:
"The explanation from the Prophet (peace be upon him) is of two types: The first is the explanation of what is brief in the Glorious Book, such as the times of the five prayers, their prostrations, bowing, and all their other rulings, and the explanation of Zakat, its amount, its time, and the wealth from which it is taken, and the explanation of Hajj… The second type is adding rulings to the Book, such as prohibiting the marriage of a woman to her aunt (at the same time) and prohibiting domestic donkeys and every predatory animal with fangs…"
[Jami' Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih by Ibn Abdul Barr, 2/190]
Fadl bin Ziyad reported:
"I heard Abu Abdullah, meaning Ahmad bin Hanbal, being asked about the Hadith that says the Sunnah is a judge over the Book (Quran). He replied: 'I do not dare say this, but the Sunnah is an interpretation of the Book, which clarifies and explains the Quran.'"
[Al-Kifayah fi Ilm al-Riwayah by Al-Khatib, p. 47, chain of narration is Hasan (good)]
The scholar Imam Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH) clarifies:
"The Sunnah being a judge over the Book does not mean it is preferred over the Quran and the Quran is to be discarded. Rather, it means that what is expressed in the Sunnah is the intended meaning in the Book. Thus, the Sunnah is like the interpretation and explanation of the meanings of the Quranic rulings. This is indicated by the words of Allah: 'So that you (O Muhammad) may explain to the people what has been sent down to them' [An-Nahl: 44]."
[Al-Muwafaqat by Al-Shatibi, 4/7-8]
Hafiz Suyuti (849-911 AH) writes:
"The conclusion is that the Quran's need for the Sunnah lies in the fact that the Sunnah explains and details its general statements because the Quran contains treasures that require someone who knows their hidden aspects to reveal them, and that someone is the one upon whom the Quran was revealed (i.e., the Prophet). This is the meaning of the Sunnah being a judge over the Quran. The Quran is not a judge over the Sunnah because the Sunnah is self-explanatory. The Sunnah does not reach the level of the Quran in terms of miraculousness and brevity because it is an explanation of the Quran, and the nature of an explanation is that it is clearer, more detailed, and more explicit than the thing being explained."
[Miftah al-Jannah fi al-Ihtijaj bi al-Sunnah by Suyuti, p. 44]
After this explanation, consider the following statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
Sayyiduna Al-Miqdam bin Ma'di Karib al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him) (d. 87 AH) narrates:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited certain things on the day of Khaybar, including domestic donkeys. Then he said: 'Soon, a man reclining on his couch will hear my Hadith and say: "Between us and you is the Book of Allah (i.e., the Quran). Whatever it declares as lawful, we accept as lawful, and whatever it declares as unlawful, we declare as unlawful." But indeed, whatever the Messenger of Allah has prohibited, it is as if Allah has prohibited it.'"
[Musnad Ahmad, 4/132; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2664; Sunan Ibn Majah, 12, 3193; Musnad Al-Darimi, 606; Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn by Al-Hakim, 1/109, chain of narration is Sahih (authentic)]
Imam Tirmidhi classified this Hadith as "Hasan Ghareeb" (good and rare), and Imam Hakim deemed it "Sahih" (authentic). This Hadith highlights the legislative status of the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), as Imam Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi (d. 294 AH) writes:
"The ruling of what is lawful and unlawful from Allah comes in two ways: The first is that Allah reveals the prohibition of something in His Book and it is called Quran, as in the verse: 'Forbidden to you (for food) are dead meat, blood, and the flesh of swine' [Al-Ma'idah: 3]. The second way is that a revelation comes to the Prophet (peace be upon him) through Jibril (Gabriel) declaring something as unlawful or lawful or obligatory, and it is called wisdom, not Quran. Both are from Allah as He says: 'And Allah has sent down to you the Book and the wisdom' [An-Nisa: 113]."
[Al-Sunnah by Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi, p. 115]
Imam Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi categorized this Hadith under the following chapter:
"The chapter discussing the equivalence of the ruling of the Book of Allah and the ruling of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in terms of obligatory adherence and commitment."
[Al-Kifayah by Al-Khatib, p. 23]
Imam Al-Tabari (d. 310 AH) comments on the "wisdom" mentioned in the Quran:
"The correct interpretation, according to us, regarding wisdom is that it refers to the knowledge of Allah's rulings that cannot be understood except through the explanation of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and its recognition... In my view, this 'wisdom' is derived from 'hukm' (judgment), which means the separation between truth and falsehood, similar to how the words 'session' and 'sitting' derive from the verb 'sit.' It is said: 'Indeed, so-and-so is a wise person, meaning: they are clear in speech and action.'"
[Tafsir al-Tabari, 1/608, under Surah Al-Baqarah: 129]