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PROVISIONS IN THE QUR`AAN FOR SUSTAINING AND PRESERVING
THE HADITH
It is the height of temerity that the denial of the Hadith
should be based on the Qur`aan itself, in spite of the fact
that the Qur`aan explicitly calls the Hadith its exposition,
emphasizes its importance, tells us that God Almighty has
taken responsibility for it, and described the Prophet of God
(Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) as the surrogate of the charge
which He has.
In short, the science of Hadith cannot be denied on the
basis of the Sanad (authority), for in that case, the maximum
thing that can be maintained is the denial of a particular
authority or subjecting it to criticism, which cannot be
called its denial; it is simply its criticism, both of which,
denial and criticism, cannot be mixed up; nor can the Hadith
be denied under cover of the Qur`aan when the Qur`aan
unequivocally calls the Hadith its own exposition and
indicates God`s responsibility thereof.
Keeping in view the elaborate arrangements made by the
Qur`aan for sustaining and preserving the science of the
tradition, to consider it the basis for denial of Hadith,
makes little sense. It is sheer impertinence to deny the
science of the Tradition because if this fake principle is
adopted, then even the Qur`aan cannot be acknowledged inasmuch
as it too has reached us through intervening media. Similarly,
if it is held that the Hadith is not acceptable as its
narrators are not numerically and qualitatively like those of
the Qur`aan, that is, not so many and such as those of the
Qur`aan, the only conclusion we can reach is that since such
and such a Hadith does not possess the degree of testimony
enjoyed by the Qur`aan, it is not admissible of as absolute
proof as the Qur`aan, not that we do not believe in tradition
itself. To say that the narrators are not as numerous and as
unimpeachable as they should be, only reflects upon the degree
of authenticity, not on the Hadith. In any case, this does not
provide a way of escape for the negators of the Hadith. The
most that such doubting Thomases can say is, 'We accept that
the science of the Hadith is the exposition of the Qur`aan,
because the proof thereof is forthcoming in the Qur`aan
itself, but it is not obligatory upon us to accept its
classification into different kinds and to accord our tacit
approval to particular persons mentioned in the transmissional
chain, when the Qur`aan has not indicated any particular kinds
of Hadith with persons.'
The answer to such a statement would be that, in the first
place, this scruple is senseless. If the Qur`aan indicates a
general matter, then its particular illustrations and minutae
should be searched for in its history and not in the pages of
the Qur`aan. if the Qur`aan were to adopt the approach that
follows from this assumption, it would not be a basic
constitution at all but a compendium of by-laws and polymathia,
which is obviously against the dignity of the Qur`aan. The
Qur`aan has only laid down the fundamentals of the Shari’ah.
To seek for particular applications in the Qur`aan would be to
demonstrate our ignorance of the making of fundamental laws;
even more, a living proof of our sensitivity to the
significance of such laws. Therefore, when the science of
Hadith has been agreed upon as being, specifically proven from
the Qur`aanic text, then the acts based upon its principles
and the different kinds of Ahaadith have also to be
acknowledged as proven. There is no scope left whatsoever,
consequently, for denying a derivation after the original has
been acknowledged.
Negators of Hadith
The second class of persons about whom the holy prophet (Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) has spoken is that of the negators who
will openly deny the traditions in order to discredit or
destroy them and very cunningly taking cover of the Qur`aan,
contrive to put an end to its exposition, that is the Hadith,
by the Qur`aan itself.
According to a narration by Miqdaad bin Ma`dikarb, the holy
Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Know
that the Qur`aan has been revealed to me and its analogue (the
Hadith) also. Be alert! There will come a time when you will
come across a well-fed and healthy person sitting on his couch
and reclining on a pillow saying, 'O people! Hold fast unto
the Qur`aan. Whatever is prohibited in it you should accept as
prohibited and whatever has been allowed therein, consider
permissible;' (the Ahaadith are not at all trustworthy),
although it is a fact that the Prophet of God (Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) also has prohibited many things in the
tradition, just as God has done in the Qur`aan. see that the
flesh of the domestic ass is prohibited; so is that of animals
with incisors (carnivorous). It is not lawful to pick up even
a stray trifle of a non-believing ally from the roadside
unless its owner relinquishes his claim upon it after you have
informed him, etc. (Abu Dawud)
This Hadith has also disclosed the raison d`etre behind
negation of the Hadith also. This would be the result of being
well-fed and opulent because freedom from want and poverty
would lead to skepticism about religion.
The Qur`aan has said, 'Nay, but verily man is rebellious,
that he thinketh himself is independent.' (Qur`aan 96:6-7)
A little of though will show that the fabricators of
Ahaadith follow the footsteps of the Raafidhis (Deserters) who
fabricated thousands of Ahaadith to show that the Qur`aan has
been interpolated while the negators of the Ahaadith are like
the Khaarijites who, claiming to profess the Qur`aan, denied
the Hadith.
Two Alternatives for the Negators of Hadith
There are only two alternatives for those who negate Hadith:
they should deny transmission and narration out and out and
openly deny the Qur`aan along with the Hadith, but if they
believe in the narration of the Qur`aan, then they must admit
the narration of the Hadith as well in view of their having
admitted narration as a verity. They cannot accept the Qur`aan
and negate the Hadith, otherwise, they would be considered
deniers of the narrative itself.
Further consideration would amply show that the proof for
continuous narrative does not rest merely upon the fact of
continuity of narration of the Qur`aan but it is provided by
the proof of the Qur`aan itself. It is not necessary that its
proof should be sought in the continuous narration of the
Qur`aan alone, since once the Qur`aan is admitted as gospel
truth, the question naturally arises, how did we come to know
it from the Qur`aan which has not been proved as such, then
how can it provide proof for anything else? This is called
'presuming a thing before it comes into existence', a sort
of posteriori approach. Thus, we can know it is the self-same
Qur`aan through an extraneous source, and what else can this
source be but the reports regarding the holy Prophet (Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) which were recorded and have reached us
intact? This is what is called the Hadith. Therefore, proving
that the Qur`aan is verily the Qur`aan depends upon the Hadith.
Considered this way, could it be possible that the
acknowledgement of the Qur`aan should be made imperative but
not that of the Hadith? If this is so, then it would not be
possible to prove and establish the very existence of the
Qur`aan
Qari Muhammad Tayyib (Late)
Rector - Darul Uloom (Deoband)
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