Severe Warnings for Denying the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ

⚠ Severe Warnings in Qur'an and Hadith for Rejecting the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdussalam (Hafizahullah)

❖ Introduction​

Whoever deliberately rejects the authentic and established Sunnah of the Noble Prophet ﷺ is subject to stern warnings in the Qur’an and Hadith. Obedience to Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ has been made obligatory, and those who turn away from it are warned of trials, punishment, and misguidance.

Testimonies from the Qur'an​

① Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is Obligatory​

Allah ﷻ says:


وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
(Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in punishment)
Surah al-Hashr: 7


This verse clearly indicates that it is obligatory for every Muslim to adopt the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ.

② Denying Hadith Leads to Misguidance​

Allah ﷻ says:


فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
(So let those beware who oppose his command, lest a trial afflict them or a painful punishment befall them)
Surah al-Nur: 63


Here, a severe warning is issued against opposing the command of the Messenger ﷺ.

③ Disobedience to the Prophet ﷺ is Disobedience to Allah​

Allah ﷻ states:


مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا
(Whoever obeys the Messenger has certainly obeyed Allah, and whoever turns away — We have not sent you over them as a guardian)
Surah al-Nisa: 80


This verse affirms that obeying the Messenger ﷺ is in fact obeying Allah ﷻ, and turning away from it is considered disobedience to Him.

Testimonies from Hadith​

① Rejecting Hadith is Misguidance​

The Prophet ﷺ said:


"تركتُ فيكم أمرَينِ لَن تضلُّوا ما تمسَّكتُم بهما: كتابَ اللَّهِ وسنَّةَ نبيِّهِ"
(I have left among you two things; as long as you hold firmly to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet)
Muwatta’ Imam Malik, Hadith: 1395

② Those Who Oppose the Prophet ﷺ Will Enter Hell​

The Prophet ﷺ said:


"كلُّ أمتي يَدْخُلُونَ الجَنَّةَ إلَّا مَن أَبَى، قيلَ: وَمَن يَأْبَى؟ قالَ: مَن أَطَاعَنِي دَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ وَمَن عَصَانِي فَقَدْ أَبَى"
(All of my Ummah will enter Paradise except the one who refuses.” The companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, who will refuse?” He replied: “Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has refused”)
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith: 7280

③ Curse Upon Those Who Deny Hadith​

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:


"يوشك رجل متكئ على أريكته، يحدث بحديث من حديثي فيقول: بيننا وبينكم كتاب الله، فما وجدنا فيه من حلال استحللناه، وما وجدنا فيه من حرام حرمناه، ألا وإن ما حرم رسول الله مثل ما حرم الله"
(A time is near when a man reclining on his couch will hear a saying of mine and will say: 'The Book of Allah is sufficient for us. Whatever we find therein as lawful, we will consider lawful; and whatever we find as unlawful, we will consider unlawful.' Know that what the Messenger of Allah has forbidden is just like what Allah has forbidden.)
Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Hadith: 4604 | Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2664

Consensus of the Ummah​

All major Imams, scholars of Hadith, and jurists of the Muslim Ummah are united upon the fact that deliberate rejection of the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ can amount to disbelief.

• Imam al-Shafi‘i (رحمه الله) said:
  "من رد حديث النبي ﷺ فقد رد القرآن"
  (Whoever rejects the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ has in fact rejected the Qur’an.)
• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) said:
  "من رد حديث رسول الله ﷺ فهو على شفا هلكة"
  (Whoever rejects the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is on the brink of destruction.)

Conclusion​

◈ Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is obligatory.
◈ Turning away from the Sunnah leads to trials and punishment.
◈ Rejecting Hadith puts a person at risk of destruction.
◈ Disobedience to the Prophet ﷺ can deprive one of Paradise.


May Allah ﷻ grant us the ability to firmly adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and protect us from stubbornness, arrogance, and misguidance. Āmīn!