Investigation & Analysis

Does the Quran Authorize Using Hadiths for Islamic Law?

There are two commonly recognized sources of law in Islam: the Quran (the central text) and the Hadith (sayings of the prophet Muhammad). Muslims believe that because the prophet cannot make his own religious laws, every single word spoken by him was divinely inspired by God, such that his speech is treated as a revelation from God outside the Quran.

Syed Waqas, the author of the research paper Revisiting Hadith Problem: Implications of Forged Hadith in a Post-Sharia World stated regarding the hierarchy of Islamic law: “The religious architecture of Islamic faith puts the Qur’an in the foundation and the entire superstructure gets defined through lens of the Qur’anic bedrock.”

So what if it can be argued that the Quran forbids the use of Hadith and Sunnah as a source of religious and Islamic law?

Quran’s Guarantee: Complete and Fully-Detailed Book

The Quran says in verses 37:156-157, which says that if someone makes a claim about God, then they need to be able to justify it with clear and obvious authority from scripture.

The Quran also guarantees that it has all of the details and clarification of everything needed for guidance and how to practice Islam:

[12:111] … It (Quran) has not been a fabricated hadith, but instead, it is the affirmation of that which is before you, the detailing of everything, and a guidance and mercy for people who believe.

[16:89] …And We have brought the Book down to you as clarification for everything, as well as guidance, mercy, and good news for the Muslims.

The Quran confirms that having the details of everything means having only all of the details needed for proper guidance and to receive the mercy of God. That means any information that is not found in the Quran (such as how to make a pizza or go to Mars) is not necessary for guidance or for practicing Islam properly.

• [7:52] And certainly, We have definitely come to them a Book which We detailed with knowledge as a guidance and mercy for a people who believe.

The Quran also says in verse 6:114 that there is no need to seek someone other than God as a judge for religious matters because God is the only judge, and all of God’s judgements are found inside the detailed Quran:

• [6:114] “So shall I seek other than God as a judge, while He is the one who has brought down to you the detailed Book?”…

The Quran also states in verse 6:115 that it is complete, meaning nothing is missing or left out from the Quran.

• [6:115] The Word of your Lord (Quran) has been completed, in truth and justice…

So according to the above verses (12:111, 6:114-115, 7:52, and 16:89), the Quran is complete and has all the details of everything one needs to be guided and receive the mercy of God, including for how to properly practice Islam, without anything left out.

This also means that if anything outside the Quran is used as a source of Islamic or religious law, there must be specific evidence that the Quran gives permission for the Muslims to do this.

In other words, there is no second source of law in Islam unless the Quran itself clearly authorizes it.

• If a second source of law in Islam existed, but the Quran did not mention or authorize it, then it would mean the Quran is missing key details, which contradicts the above verses (12:111, 16:89. 6:115. and 7:52).

For example, if someone wants to claim that Harry Potter books are a source of Islamic law besides the Quran, he must provide evidence that the Quran allows using Harry Potter books as a source of Islamic law, because the Quran is the ultimate judge of all matters regarding the religion (verse 6:114), and has all the details about how to practice Islam with nothing left out (verse 12:111, 16:89).

• If he cannot provide proof that the Quran allows following Harry Potter books to be part of Islamic law (also known as Sharia in Arabic), then his claim is incorrect.

It is the same with Hadith and Sunnah. If a person wants to claim that Hadith and Sunnah are a valid source of Islamic law, they must provide evidence that the Quran permits or authorizes following Hadith and Sunnah, otherwise their claim is incorrect.

• That is because if the Quran has all the details, and if the Hadiths are a valid source of Islamic law, then the Quran must have at least one detail commanding Muslims to follow Hadiths.

So the purpose of this investigation is to look through the entire Quran and see if there are any details in the Quran that command Muslims to follow a second source of Islamic law besides the Quran, such as Hadith and Sunnah.

• If no such details or rulings can be found in the Quran, then the logical conclusion would be that Hadith and Sunnah are not permitted to be used as a source of Islamic law at all.

The Investigation Begins

To begin with, the Quran has hundreds of verses instructing Muslims to follow it as a source of religious law. The Quran probably talks about itself more than any other book in history. But are there any verses in the Quran that instruct to follow Hadiths and Sunnah?

Many Muslims believe that the Quranic command to obey the messenger is the justification to follow Hadiths as a source of Islamic law. Let us analyze what obedience to the messenger actually means.

[3:32] Say, “Obey God and the messenger.” But if they turn away, then indeed, God does not like the disbelievers.

The Quran says that God is the only one authorized to make Islamic law (according to verse 6:114 and 42:21). We also know that the prophet was told to say that he only followed what was revealed to him, in multiple verses (6:50, 7:203, 10:15, etc.).

Therefore, obedience to the messenger in the Quran means obeying only whatever the messenger received from God.

If hypothetically the prophet commanded all people to wear red hats, and this command was not a revelation from God but from the prophet’s own self, then no one would be obligated to obey his command to wear red hats because the prophet does not make the rules in the religion, that is the job of God.

But if the command to wear the red hat came from God, then it is a command people would be required to obey.

• [6:114] “So shall I seek other than God as a judge, while He is the one who has brought down to you the Book which is detailed?”…

• [42:21] Or are there partners for them who have legislated for them of the religion what God has not given permission for?…

So if obedience to the messenger only means obedience to whatever the messenger received as revelation from God, then the question is: did the prophet Muhammad receive Hadiths and Sunnah as revelation from God or not?

• If yes, then obeying the messenger = obeying Hadiths and Sunnah.

• If not, then obeying the messenger is not obeying Hadiths and Sunnah.

How do we know whether the Sunnah is revelation from God? It is very easy, the Quran has all the details that we need for guidance and mercy, with nothing left out (verses 12:111, 16:89, 7:52).

• So if the Sunnah were a revelation from God, then least one detail must exist in the Quran saying that.

• But the command to obey and follow the messenger by itself is not enough Quranic evidence to prove that there exists a second source of Islamic law after the Quran.

The same issue applies to the command in the Quran to follow the prophet:

• The Quran instructs the prophet multiple times to say, “I follow nothing but what is revealed to me.” (verse 10:16 and others)

• Therefore, following the prophet only means following what was revealed to him.

• So the issue circles back to the question of: what was revealed to the prophet Muhammad? Was it the Quran only? Was the Quran + Sunnah revealed to him? Or was the Quran + Harry Potter books revealed to him?

• If the Quran is not missing any details that we need for guidance (according to verse 12:111 and 16:89), then the Quran is able to tell us whether the Hadith of the prophet was given to him as revelation or not. If his Hadiths were revealed to him, then we must follow it. If not, then we are not required to follow it.

• Therefore, if we cannot find any detail inside the complete and fully detailed Quran stating that the prophet’s Sunnah is a revelation from God, then this means his Sunnah is not a revelation from God. And if his Sunnah is not revelation from God, then we are not required to follow it, because following the prophet means only following what was revealed to the prophet.

What Do Verses 53:3 and 53:4 Mean?

Verses 53:3-4 is another pair of verses that are typically used to justify following Hadith and Sunnah. Those two verses state that the prophet is not speaking from personal desire only when he is reciting and conveying a revelation known as “it”.

[53:3-4] And he does not speak from the desire. It is not but a revelation that is revealed.

Verse 53:3 states that the prophet “does not speak from desire“. If we isolate this statement from verse 53:4, then it would mean the prophet never once spoke any word out of personal desire, which is untrue because the Quran asks prophet Muhammad in verse 66:1 why he wrongly prohibited something that God made lawful due to a personal desire to please his wives.

Rather, verse 53:3 must be read together with verse 53:4 to see the full truth. Verse 53:4 says, “It is not but a revelation that is revealed.” If you combine both verses together, it says the prophet does not speak from personal desire only when conveying something that was revealed to him.

The key word in this verse is “it”. Verses 53:3-4 say that he is not speaking from personal desire when conveying a revelation known as “it”. So what does the word “it” mean in this verse?

The word “it” in verse 53:4 can include anything that the prophet received from God. If he received something from God, then it is revelation, and the prophet is not talking from personal desire when reciting and conveying that thing.

So what was revealed to the prophet Muhammad from God? Whatever revelation the prophet received, he is not speaking from desire when conveying it.

• If the prophet was given the Quran as revelation, then he is not speaking the Quran from personal desire.

• If the prophet was given Sunnah as revelation, then he is not speaking the Sunnah from personal desire.

So if someone wants to prove that verse 53:3-4 means that the prophet is not speaking the Sunnah from personal desire, then that person must prove the Sunnah is revelation from God, because those two verses only state that the prophet does not speak any revelation out of personal desire.

And once again, how should one prove that the Sunnah is a revelation from God? Well, the Quran is complete with nothing left out (verse 6:115) and has all the details and clarifications a believer needs for guidance and mercy (16:89, 12:111. and 7:52).

• So if the Sunnah is a revelation from God, then there must be a detail in the Quran saying that. If there is no such detail, then the Sunnah is not a revelation from God, and verse 53:3-4 would not apply to the Sunnah.

Revelations Outside the Quran

The Quran documents instances where the prophet received some revelation outside the Quran. In verse 66:3, the prophet told one of his wives to keep a secret, but she told another of his wives the secret and God revealed to him outside the Quran that she failed to keep the secret.

The other is when God told Muhammad via revelation outside the Quran to marry the wife of his adopted son Zaid, according to verse 33:37.

However, those revelations were all private revelations that only applied to the prophet and some of his companions, not public revelations which are legally binding for the entire Muslim community.

The Sunnah is believed to be a second public revelation besides the Quran and is not believed to be a private revelation. Therefore, the verses which speak about private revelations given to the prophet do not provide any information about whether the Sunnah was given as another public revelation besides the Quran.

Additionally, the Quran says the mother of Musa (Moses) had private revelations too, which only applied to both her and her son. She was told to throw her son in the water. But does the fact that she was given a private revelation justify following the Sunnah of prophet Musa’s mom as a source of Islamic law? Of course not.

• Likewise, the fact that prophet Muhammad was given private revelations by itself is not enough proof that all Muslims must follow his Sunnah as a source of Islamic law after the Quran.

What is Scripture (Kitab) and Wisdom (Hikmah)?

The Quran says that the prophet was given the scripture (kitab) and wisdom (hikmah) in multiple verses.

The majority opinion is that scripture refers to the Quran, and wisdom (hikmah) refers to Hadith/Sunnah. The person responsible for inventing this misguided opinion is the Sunni scholar al-Shafi’i, who founded one of the four branches of Sunni thought.

However, the Quran in verse 2:231 states that the scripture (kitab) and wisdom (hikmah) is one item, rather than two separate things:

[2:231] … Remember God’s blessings upon you and what He has brought down upon you of the Scripture and the wisdom; He advises you ‘bihi‘ (with it)…

As you can see, the word “bihi” means “with it”. If the scripture and the wisdom were two different things, the dual pronoun “bihima” (with both of them) would have been used. In Arabic, the pronouns “huma” and “hima” are used to refer to two separate nouns. But the fact that “bihi” was used here instead of “bihima” proves that the scripture (kitab) and wisdom (hikmah) refers to only one thing, the Quran.

This is further proved by the fact that verse 36:2 calls the Quran “the wise Quran” (al-Quran al-hakim). So the argument that “hikmah” refers to Hadiths does not have Quranic basis.

• [36:2] By the wise Quran.

This is further proven by verse 33:34, which states to recite God’s verses and the wisdom. The only revelation that is recited is the Quran. Hadiths are commonly thought of by Sunnis as “unrecited revelation” (wahy ghayr matluw).

Therefore, verse 33:34 shows that the “hikmah” (wisdom) refers to the recited Quran.

• [33:34] And remember what is recited in your homes of God’s verses and the wisdom. Indeed, God has been Gentle, Aware.

In verses 17:22-38, there is a list of 16 individual commandments from God. Then verse 17:39 says, “That is from the wisdom (hikmah) revealed to you…” This verse is saying those 16 commandments are from “the wisdom” (al-hikmah) revealed to the prophet.

Since those 16 commandments (and the verses containing those commandments) are from the Quran, that means verse 17:39 identifies “al-hikmah” (the wisdom) as the Quran.

• [17:39] That (the 16 commandments) is from the wisdom revealed to you from your Lord…

A person once told me that the command to follow Hadiths is based on the Quranic command to obey the messenger.

I explained that the command to obey the messenger means to obey only what was revealed to the messenger. If obedience to the messenger means obedience to the Sunnah, and if the Quran is fully detailed, then there must be proof in the Quran that the Sunnah is a revelation.

He responded that the Quran says the prophet was given “the wisdom” (hikmah) alongside Quran. He said this is the Quranic detail which proves that the Sunnah was revelation, because hikmah refers to the Sunnah.

I then stated the Quran says the wisdom (hikmah) is the recited revelation (Quran) according to verse 33:34, and verse 2:231 uses a singular pronoun to refer to both the scripture and the wisdom (thus indicating they are both one thing, the Quran). And the Quran is called wise in verse 36:2.

He then said it makes no sense for the phrase “the scripture and the wisdom” to mean “the Quran and the Quran”, therefore he again argued the scripture and the wisdom must refer to two different revelations. He stated this is the opinion of most scholars for many centuries.

I responded that in verse 2:285, it says during Ramadan, God revealed “the Quran, a guidance for the people, as well as proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion”.

• So verse 2:285 technically means “the Quran, the Quran, and the Quran, and the Quran” because it uses four different labels in succession to refer to the Quran.

Unfortunately, he responded by accusing me of mental gymnastics and revisionism, and he did not provide me with any further arguments. So, I just responded that this is clear Quranic evidence, and prayed for his understanding and guidance, and our discussion ended.

Does Being the Quran’s Teacher Authorize Hadith and Sunnah?

Another potential candidate is verse 2:151. A common argument which I have heard is that since prophet Muhammad was appointed as the teacher of the Quran, one must follow his Hadiths, because God would never appoint an imperfect teacher to teach the Quran.

[2:151] As We sent amongst you a messenger from you who recites to you Our verses, purifies you, teaches you the Book and the wisdom, and teaches you what you used to not know.

But if I point to someone in the audience and say, “Hey Jimmy, teach the Quran,” does it automatically mean Jimmy will teach the Quran 100% perfectly and without making mistakes in his interpretation or understanding? Of course not.

Likewise, just because God said, “Hey Muhammad, teach the Quran,” doesn’t necessarily mean the prophet’s understanding and teaching of the Quran will be 100% perfect.

• The Quran never said anywhere that a human whom God selected to teach His message is granted 100% perfect understanding and comprehension of His message.

Hence, while prophet Muhammad did not make a mistake in the word-for-word delivery of the Quran, he is able to make mistakes in his personal understanding of Quranic concepts like the Salat, Zakat, Hajj, and other things, just like any other human, because he too is a human being like the rest of us.

• [18:110] Say, “I am only a human like you…”

In fact, the Quran states that God made a covenant with the People of the Book that they must teach and explain the scripture, But they (whom God appointed to teach the Book) clearly did a bad job at teaching. So this is proof that God’s chosen teachers are not automatically granted perfect understanding of the message.

• [3:187] And when God took the covenant of the ones who were given the Book, “Indeed, you must explain it for the people, and do not conceal it.” But they threw the Book behind their backs and exchanged it for a cheap price. Thus, wretched has been what they purchase.

So prophet Muhammad’s job is to deliver the Quran, and to teach it to the best of his ability. But he could make mistakes in the way he teaches and understands the Quran just like any other human.

So it the duty of the Muslims to use their brains and see whether the teachings of any human being, including the prophet Muhammad, matches with what the Quran says or not.

What Does Verse 75:19 Mean?

Verse 75:19 states that the Quran’s “bayan” (explanation or clarification) is God’s responsibility.

• [75:19] Then indeed, upon Us is its “bayan” (explanation).

Therefore, the common belief is that the Quran’s explanation is in the Hadiths.

However, this is wrong because God in the Quran says that the Quran contains its own explanation. This means the explanation of the Quran is not in a second source outside the Quran, but it is inside the Quran itself.

The evidence is that verse 16:89 says that the Quran contains the “tibyan” (explanation) of everything. The words “tibyan” and “bayan” are synonyms and are derived from the same Arabic root.

• [16:89] …And We have brought the Book down to you as a “tibyan” (explanation) for everything, as well as guidance, mercy, and good news for the Muslims.

So if the Quran contains the explanation for all things that are needed for guidance, and if the Quran itself is a thing that is needed for guidance, then logically, it follows that the Quran contains the explanation for itself.

• In other words, the Quran is a self-explanatory book.

Failure to understand the Quran’s explanation to any Islam-related question or concerns does not mean the explanation cannot be derived from the Quran; rather, it means the explanation is there in the Quran, but we are deficient in our understanding, so we cannot see the Quran’s explanation.

One example is the question of, “How do we pray and fast in places far up North when the sun does not rise or set for long periods of time?”

• The answer to this question can be derived from verse 2:286, which states that God does not assign to anyone except its capacity. I will not write the answer in this post, I want to see who can figure out the correct answer from using verse 2:286.

What Does Verse 59:7 Mean?

There is a quote from verse 59:7 which says, “And thus, take what the messenger gives you, and desist from what he forbids you.” This quote is often used to justify following Hadith and Sunnah, but it is typically clipped out of context from the rest of the verse.

When the whole verse is read, it becomes clear that this instruction only applies to the distribution of the spoils of war. This verse only placed the prophet in charge of distributing the spoils of war after a battle against the “people of the towns”, thus the people with him at the time were instructed to accept whatever distribution of the spoils the prophet said and abstain from whatever the prophet said not to take from the spoils of war.

[59:7] What God reverted upon His messenger from the people of the towns is thus for God and His messenger, and for the relative, the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer, so that it may not circulate between the rich among you. And you shall thus take what messenger gives you, and desist from what forbids you, and revere God. Indeed, God is Strong in Penalty.

So it is abundantly clear that at least in 59:7, taking what the messenger gives only refers to taking the spoils of war and nothing else.

What Does Verse 33:21 Mean?

Verse 33:21 states that the prophet Muhammad is a “good example” (uswatun hasanah) for the believers. Does this mean he was given a second source of Islamic law besides the Quran?

[33:21] Certainly, there has been a good example (uswatun hasanah) for you in God’s messenger for whoever has expected God and the Last Day, and remembered God much.

However, the Quran also says that prophet Abraham and his followers who were with him are a good example (uswatun hasanah) for the believers too. Does this mean Muslims are supposed to follow the Hadith and Sunnah of Abraham, as well as the Hadith and Sunnah of his companions? That is definitely not the case.

[60:4] Certainly, there has been a good example (uswatun hasanah) for you in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are innocent of you and what you worship besides God. We have disbelieved in you, and animosity and hatred have appeared between us and you forever, until you believe in God alone.”

[60:6] Certainly, there has definitely for you a good example (uswatun hasanah) in them (Abraham and his people) for whoever has expected God and the Last Day…

The truth is that when the Quran says these people are a “good example” for us, it means they a good example in regards specific actions. In the case of Abraham and his people, they are a good example for how they denounced the idol-worship of their people.

In the case of prophet Muhammad, the first 30 verses of Surah 33 are largely about the battle between the believers and the confederates (al-Ahzab). So the prophet is a good example for his remembrance of God during such dangerous and stressful situations.

Neither of these verses tell us to imitate everything that the prophets Abraham and Muhammad did, or follow the Hadith and Sunnah of Abraham and his companions, or the Hadith and Sunnah of Muhammad, or take another source of Islamic law besides the Quran.

The Results of the Investigation

God makes a guarantee in the Quran that it contains all the details and clarifications that believers need to be guided, without any information left out (verses 12:111 and 16:89).

This is why if there was a second source of Islamic law besides the Quran, there would have to be at least one detail in the Quran authorizing to follow it.

If a second source of law in Islam besides the Quran existed, but the Quran did not provide any details to authorize it, then this would mean the Quran is missing some details that a Muslim needs for guidance, which is contradictory to the Quran’s own guarantee.

Therefore, no detail in the Quran exists to authorize another source of Islamic law besides the Quran, then that means the Quran is supposed to be followed alone, as the only source of religious law in Islam.

Hence, the investigation was done to determine if any Quranic verse exist that authorize following any other source of Islamic law after the Quran. The entire Quran was searched, from Surah al-Fatiha to Surah an-Nas.

The results of the investigation found that no verse in the Quran exists that clearly authorizes Muslims to follow the Sunnah or any another source of law in Islam besides the Quran.

• It was also found that the Quran mentions itself more than 500 times by using words such as Book, verses, Surah, revelation, the Reminder, the Criterion, and even the word Quran itself.

We are thus left with the logical conclusion that the Quran alone is where Islamic law comes from, not Hadith/Sunnah, Gordon Ramsay cookbooks, Harry Potter books, Bill Nye the Science Guy, nor any other source that the Quran did not provide any clear authorization and proof for.

Aside from the Quran’s silence on secondary sources of Islamic law, there are 8 more pieces of conclusive evidence directly from the Quran itself explaining why the Quran should be followed alone in Islam.

Conclusive Evidence: The Best Speech

Verses 39:18 and 39:55 command to only follow the “best speech”, and the best of what was revealed to the people.

• [39:18] The ones who listen to the speech, then follow the best of it, those are the ones whom God has guided, and those are the people of hearts.

• [39:55] And follow the best of what is brought down to you, before the punishment comes to you suddenly, while you do not realize.

That means a believer must listen to everything that is being said, then follow as a source of religious guidance only the best speech, and filter out everything else.

It’s like when you walk into a vineyard and are looking for the best grapes. That means you only want to pick the best grapes from the vineyard, while excluding the other grapes.

The Quran defines itself as the “Best Hadith” in verse 39:23, just five verses after 39:18. The term hadith in Arabic has a range of meanings, such as narrations and stories, discourse, statement, or speech, and all of these meanings apply to the Quran.

Therefore, the Quran defines itself as the “best speech”. This means Hadith collections like Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and all other speech, is less than the best.

Therefore, if the believers are only supposed to follow as a source of guidance the best speech, and filter everything else out, and the Quran only defines itself to be the best speech (best hadith), then that logically means the believers are supposed to only follow the Quran as a source of guidance, and filter out all lesser speech (including Hadiths and Sunnah).

• [39:23] God has brought down the Best Hadith, a Book (Quran) containing multiple meanings and pairs…

Conclusive Evidence: Verse 7:203

Verse 7:203 provides conclusive evidence that the prophet Himself followed the Quran alone, and not a second source of law besides the Quran.

• [7:203] And when you do not bring them a sign, they say, “Why have you not devised it!” Say, “I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This (Quran) is insight from your Lord, as well as guidance and a mercy for people who believe.”

• [7:204] And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and pay attention, so that you may receive mercy.

In this passage, the Prophet is instructed to declare, “I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord.” In this verse, the prophet immediately defines and identifies “what is revealed to me” by saying, “This (hādhā) is insight from your Lord, as well as guidance and mercy for people who believe.”

The Arabic pronoun hādhā (“this”) is in singular form, thus it refers to a single, specific object (the Quran) and not to multiple sources.

If verse 7:203 intended to refer to two separate bodies of revelation, such as the Quran and Hadith, then the dual pronoun “hādhāni” would have been used instead.

Additionally, verse 7:204 mentions the Quran immediately after 7:203, thus further confirming that the word “this” (haadha) in 7:203 is referring to the Quran.

So think of it like this:

• If the prophet only follows X, and X = Y, then the prophet only follows Y.

• Replace X with “what is revealed to him” and replace Y with “this Quran”.

• Then you get the following statement: if the prophet only follows what is revealed to him, and what is revealed to him = this Quran, then the prophet only follows this Quran.

Therefore, if the believers are told to follow the prophet (in verse 3:31), but the prophet was instructed to follow only the Quran (according to verse 7:203), then that means believers are supposed to follow only the Quran as a source of law, and nothing else.

So the Quran does not leave any room for debate on this topic. Not only does the fully-detailed Quran not provide any clear authorization or permission for believers to follow a second source after it, but the Quran in verse 7:203 states that the prophet (and by extension, the believers) is only supposed to follow the Quran.

Conclusive Evidence: Verse 4:105

Verse 4:65 states that the believers let the prophet judge their disputes, then accept the prophet’s judgement.

• [4:65] But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they have you judge concerning whatever disagreements that occur between them, then do not find discomfort in themselves due to what you have concluded, and they accept with acceptance.

Okay, but now the question is, what is the prophet supposed to base his judgements on, his personal opinion? Of course that is not true. He does not have independent lawmaking ability in the religion, only God does.

Rather, the Quran tells the prophet in verses 4:105 and 5:48 to judge between the people only according to the Book that he was given (Quran). No other verse in the Quran tells the prophet to judge the people in accordance with anything else other than the Quran.

• [4:105] Indeed, We have brought down to you the Book (Quran) with the truth, so that you may judge between the people in accordance with what God has shown you…

• [5:48] And We brought down to you the Book (Quran) with the truth… So judge between them by what God has brought down…

We already know by now that the Quran is complete (verse 6:115) and has the details and clarification of everything for the believers (verse 12:111, 16:89, and 7:52).

• If the prophet was supposed to judge between the people based on the Quran plus a second source after the Quran (such as Hadith and Sunnah), then the complete and fully detailed Quran would have told the prophet to do so.

The fact that the complete and fully detailed Quran (which has no information left out that is necessary for believers to be guided) does not tell the prophet to judge between the people according to a second source besides the Quran is clear proof that the prophet is supposed to judge between the people according to the Quran alone.

And if the prophet is required to judge and command the people according to the Quran only, and settle people’s disputes according to the Quran alone, then obedience to the prophet and his commands means obedience to the Quran alone, and not Hadiths, Sunnah, or any other source.

Conclusive Evidence: Verse 15:9

It is well known that the God in the Quran gives a clear guarantee that the Quran will be preserved.

• [15:9] Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We are definitely Guardians for it.

• [41:42] Falsehood cannot come to it before it or behind it. It is a revelation from a Wise, Praiseworthy one.

Now, we must ask ourselves this question: Why was the previous scriptures allowed to be corrupted, but not the Quran, when all are from God?

The reason God wants to guarantee preservation of the Quran is because the Quran declares itself to be the final message.

• God will not be sending any updated scriptures after the Quran. Therefore, the Quran must be kept pure and intact for the future generations. Otherwise, future generations will be left with a corrupted final message.

But according to Sunni Islam, the Quran is just half of the final message. The other half is Hadiths and Sunnah.

But there is one problem: if the Quran is just one half of the final message for the world, then why does not declare and guarantee preservation of the other half of the final message (Hadiths/Sunnah)?

• Why only mention that one half of God’s final message (Quran) is preserved, but not mention anything about preservation of the other half (Hadiths), which are theoretically of equal importance as the Quran?

The answer is because the Quran alone is the full final message from God, and Hadith and Sunnah is not at all God’s final revealed message to humanity.

If Hadiths and Sunnah, or anything else, were God’s final message to humanity alongside the Quran, then it too would have been given a clear guarantee of preservation just like the Quran.

And we have clear evidence that Hadiths, even the Sahih ones, have not been preserved and safeguarded like the Quran. That is because the main criteria to determine if a Hadith is authentic or not is how strong the “isnad” (chain of narrators) is.

In short, hadith collectors like Bukhari relied on the assumption that honest people with good memory can reliably transmit narrations over many decades.

• The problem with using “isnad” to test Hadith authenticity is that a strong isnad can only increase the probability that a Hadith is authentic, but does not provide any certainty or proof that this Hadith is authentic.

• For example, I can say, “My mom said she hates chocolate cake.” The chain of narrators (isnad) is just me and my mom, and this is a strong isnad because she is my mother and not a random person. But there is still the chance that I could be misquoting my mom or taking her words out of context, whether intentionally or unintentionally. There is no proof that my mom said she hates chocolate cake just because I said so.

• So if almost all Hadiths at best provide probable, not certain, information about what the prophet Muhammad could have said, then this means the Sunnah was not preserved, because preservation requires 100% certainty. If the Sunnah was not preserved, then it is not part of the final message for humanity.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of written-down prophetic Hadith for more than 150 years after the prophet’s death. So the the truth is that Bukhari’s verification method of Hadith was the best method available given this unfortunate historical circumstance.

It’s the best method we have given the documentation vacuum, but the best still amounts to an estimation of what the prophet could have said, rather than solid proof. And the Quran does not allow following estimation (zann) in the religion.

Conclusive Evidence: Verse 10:36

The Quran criticizes those who make their religion based on nothing but assumption (known as “zann” in Arabic).

• [6:116] But if you obey most of whoever are in the earth, they will mislead you from the way of God. They follow not but assumption (zann), and they do not but guess.

• [10:36] And most of them do not follow except assumption. Indeed, the assumption does not avail against the truth in anything. Indeed, God is Knower of what they do.

The word “zann” (which means both probability and assumption) is the opposite of the word “yaqin” (certainty).

People who commit assumption (zann) believe something to be true based on probable (zann) information, without any proof or certainty (yaqin) that this information is correct. The above verses forbid following “zann” (assumption) in matters of religion.

Unfortunately, it is sad that most of Sunni Islam is based on Hadiths, which is “zann” (probable) information, and not certain (yaqeen) information. As a result, Muslims are violating the command in the Quran to avoid following assumption in all religious matters.

The evidence is that the criterion of whether a Hadith is considered authentic (Sahih) is whether it has a strong “isnad” (chain of narrators).

But the criterion of isnad does not really prove with certainty whether a Hadith is actually authentic. A strong chain can only increase the probability (zann) that a Hadith is authentic, but it does not provide 100% proof or certainty (yaqeen) that it is authentic.

Suppose, for example, that Tim’s grandmother said something 60 years ago. Tim’s mother heard it as a child, then she told Tim as an adult. Tim then told his friend years later. Tim’s friend then told his son. Now the son tells you: ‘Tim’s grandmother said black cats bring bad luck.’

• The whole chain of narrators (Isnad) in this example is a strong isnad, starting with Tim’s grandmother and ending with Tim’s friend’s son.

But a strong isnad does not really give 100% proof that Tim’s grandmother actually said black cats are bad luck. There is no way to know with certainty (yaqeen) whether she really said that.

• Rather, we have no choice but to make the assumption (zann) that none of the people in this chain of narrators is telling false and inaccurate information about Tim’s grandmother or telling information about her that is missing context.

• For example, what if Tim’s grandmother actually said, “People who believe black cats bring bad luck are just superstitious,” instead?

Jonathan A.C. Brown is a converted Muslim, and an academic scholar and university professor who specializes in Islamic studies. Here is what he wrote in his book Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World:

“When Sunni legal theory matured in the eleventh century, it was accepted that, although āhād (i.e., non-massively transmitted) hadiths did not yield epistemological certainty (yaqīn) that the Prophet had made that statement, they did yield a very strong probability (zann). This was sufficient for fixing law and ritual. While almost all legal hadiths were āhād, the Quran was epistemologically certain, massively transmitted from the time of the Prophet.”

It is widely accepted by Islamic scholars that almost all Sahih Hadiths are not “yaqeen” (certain), but they are “probable” (zann). In other words, there was no need for any Hadith to be “yaqeen” (certain) information. If the Sahih Hadiths were probable (zann), it was enough for scholars to use them to determine the laws and rituals of Islam.

So we know that Hadiths are authenticated based on isnad, which can increase the probability (zann) that a Hadith is authentic, but does not provide certainty (yaqeen) that it is authentic.

• Therefore, this is another proof that the Quran must be followed alone in Islam, because it is forbidden in the Quran to follow “zann” (probable) information in all matters of religion.

Conclusive Evidence: Verse 2:23

The Quran teaches that the scripture and wisdom was “anzal” (brought down) to the prophet as revelation (verse 2:231).

• [2:231] …And remember God’s blessings upon you and what He has brought down (anzal) upon you of the Book and the wisdom; He advises you with it…

Sunnis believe that the wisdom (hikmah) refers to the Sunnah. So for this reason, and other reasons, they believe that the Sunnah is a collection of revelations sent down to the prophet alongside the Quran.

But verse 2:23 teaches that only one thing was brought down to the prophet, the Quran.

• [2:23] But if you have been in doubt regarding what We have brought down (nazzalna) upon Our servant, then produce a Surah similar to it, if you have been truthful.

In this verse, there is a general statement which says, “what We have brought down”.

• This general statement includes every single thing brought down as revelation to the prophet for mankind.

The pronoun “it” in verse 2:23 is the pronoun for “what We have brought down”.

So if what God brought down to the prophet is “Quran and Sunnah”, then let’s see what kind of statement we get if we replace “what We have brought down” and “it” with “the Quran and Sunnah”:

• “But if you have been in doubt regarding [the Quran and Sunnah], then produce a Surah similar to [the Quran and Sunnah]…”

• The brackets indicate replacement of the original text.

Obviously, Hadiths and Sunnah are not divided into Surahs, only the Quran is.

So linguistically, verse 2:23 makes zero sense if “what was brought down” to the prophet was the Quran and Sunnah.

But verse 2:23 makes perfect sense if “what was brought down” to the prophet is only the Quran, because only the Quran is made of Surahs.

• “But if you have been in doubt regarding [the Quran], then produce a Surah similar to [the Quran]…”

The word “it” in verse 2:23 is the pronoun for “what is sent down” to the prophet, meaning everything he received from God for mankind, and this verse shows that “it” refers to something which is divided into Surahs.

• As a result, the word “it” in this verse refers to the Quran only, and therefore what was sent down (which is the antecedent of the word “it”) is only the Quran, not the Quran and Sunnah.

To conclude, a linguistic analysis of verse 2:23 shows that the revelation which was brought down to the prophet for all people is only the Quran, not the Quran and Sunnah.

Conclusive Evidence: Verse 17:46

Verse 17:46 contains conclusive evidence that the prophet himself followed the Quran alone, by directly saying the prophet chose only to talk about and discuss God to the general public in accordance with what is revealed in the Quran alone.

• [17:46] And We have placed concealment over their hearts, lest they understand it, and deafness in their ears. And when you (Muhammad) mentioned your Lord in the Quran alone, they turned away on their backs in aversion.

The Arabic text of this crucial verse says, “rabbika (your Lord) fil-Quran (in the Quran) wahdah (alone)”. This translates to: “your Lord in the Quran alone“.

However, most translators translate verse 17:46 as, “your Lord alone in the Quran“.

Technically, both meanings are grammatically correct. For example, the phrase “ta’allamtu min al-kitabi wahdah” can be understood as “I alone learned from the book” or “I learned from the book alone”.

However, consider this: The word “wahdah” (alone) only appears in five other verses of the Quran (7:70, 39:45, 40:12, 40:84, and 60:4). In all five verses, the Arabic text says “Allah wahdah” (God alone).

Therefore, if the intended meaning in verse 17:46 was, “your Lord alone” then God is very much able to use the pattern found in the five other verses and say “rabbika wahdah” (your Lord alone).

• But instead, God broke the pattern in verse 17:46 and said, “Quran wahdah” (the Quran alone).

• So why would God deliberately break the pattern found in the five other verses where “wahdah” (alone) occurs? The only reason would be to convey the message that the prophet only mentioned and talked about God to the general public according to the Quran alone, rather than Bible, pre-Islamic traditions, and other sources.

Both interpretations of this verse are correct, because the prophet mentioned God alone by using the Quran, and also mentioned God by using the Quran alone. He did both things, and the disbelievers did not like both things.

And just to clarify what “mention your Lord in the Quran alone” mean, several verses in Surah 19 give us the answer:

• [19:16] And mention in the Book Mary…

• [19:41] And mention in the Book Abraham…

• [19:51] And mention in the Book Moses…

In Surah 19, the prophet was told to mention various people in the Book (Quran). That means to discuss and mention their story using the Quran, or according to what is revealed in the Quran.

Likewise, in verse 17:46, the prophet only mentioned and talked about God to the public by using the Quran alone, or in accordance with what is revealed in the Quran alone.

The prophet received a few revelations outside the Quran that applied either to himself or to several of his companions (as shown in verses 66:3 and 33:37), but those were private revelations that did not apply universally for all people. These are private communications directed towards the prophet and some of his companions.

• It’s like when the mother of Moses was told to put baby Moses into the river, this was a private communication intended only for her and is not part of God’s public message for the Children of Israel.

Verse 17:46, on the other hand, is only about what the prophet discussed and taught the general public, which is his universal public message, or the message intended for all of humanity. It is not about the private communications he received. We know this because verse 17:46 shows non-Muslims responding to the prophet with aversion and turning their backs away from him, which is a public reaction.

• So verse 17:46 shows that the prophet’s public message was the Quran alone. He only used the Quran when discussing or teaching about God to the general public, and no other source.

Hadith Contradictions

Verse 4:82 is well-known for having set the criteria that if something has many contradictions inside it, then it cannot be from God.

[4:82] So will they not reflect upon the Quran? But if it were from other than God, they definitely would have found in it much contradiction.

The presence of so many contradictions in Sahih (scholarly authenticated) Hadiths proves that such narrations could not have originated from God as revelation, according to the criteria of verse 4:82.

There are four categories of Hadith contradictions:

1. Contradictions between Hadith and Quran
2. Contradictions between Hadith and history
3. Contradictions between Hadith and science
4. Contradictions between Hadith and other Hadith

Contradictions Between Hadith and Quran

Stoning Adulterers to Death

According to verse 4:25, the punishment for married slave women who commit adultery is half of the punishment for free women (i.e. 50 lashes rather than the
100 lashes prescribed in the Quran).

But according to multiple Hadiths, such as Sahih Muslim number 1690, the punishment for the married people who commit adultery is 100 lashes and stoning to death.

You can cut 100 lashes in half, but how do you cut a death penalty in half for a slave woman? You cannot, so stoning to death for adultery contradicts the Quran.

Can Muhammad Take Anyone Out of the Hellfire?

The Quran says that the prophet cannot take anyone out of Hell.

• [39:19] So is he upon whom the word of the punishment became due? Then can you (Muhammad) rescue whomever is in the Fire?

But certain Hadiths say that the prophet will on Judgement Day take out people who are in Hell.

• Narrated `Imran bin Husain: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Some people will be taken out of the Fire through the intercession of Muhammad they will enter Paradise and will be called Al-Jahannamiyin (the Hell Fire people). (Bukhari, no. 6566)

• Narrated Hammad from `Amr from Jabir: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Some people will come out of the Fire through intercession looking like The Thaarir.” I asked `Amr, “What is the Thaarir?” He said, Ad-Daghabis, and at that time he was toothless. Hammad added: I said to `Amr bin Dinar, “O Abu Muhammad! Did you hear Jabir bin `Abdullah saying, ‘I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: ‘Some people will come out of the Fire through intercession?” He said, “Yes.” (Bukhari, no. 6558)

• Narrated Ma`bad bin Hilal Al-`Anzi: … Then He (Allah) will say, “Go (O Muhammad) and take out all those in whose hearts there is faith even to the lightest, lightest mustard seed. Take them out of the Fire.” I (Muhammad) will go and do so… (Bukhari, no. 7510)

There Will Be No Intercession, Or Will Muhammad Be an Intercessor?

The Quran teaches that during Judgement Day, no one will benefit from trade, friendship, or intercession whatsoever, without exceptions.

• [2:254] O you who have believed, spend from what We have provided you, before a Day comes in which there will be no trade, nor friendship, nor intercession. And the disbelievers are the wrongdoers.

The Quran says that God alone is the only intercessor for any person, and that all intercession belongs to God alone. No one else’s intercession can benefit anyone aside from God’s intercession.

• [6:51] And warn with it the ones who are in awe that they will be summoned to their Lord. There will not be any ally for them aside from Him, nor intercessor. Perhaps they may be reverent.

• [39:43-44] Or have they taken intercessors aside from God? Say, “Even if they neither own anything, nor do they understand?” Say, “To God belongs the intercession altogether.” To Him belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Him you will be returned.

The idea that the intercession of prophet Muhammad will save someone from the Hellfire contradicts the Quran, which says intercession will not benefit anyone on Judgement Day (2:254), and that only God (not any human) is the intercessor.

In fact, the Quran in verse 21:28 says that intercession cannot benefit anyone except if done on behalf of those whom God already approved. But if God approved them to begin with, then they will automatically be going to Paradise anyway regardless of whether anyone intercedes for them or not, according to verse 98:8.

• [21:28] He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of whomever He approved. And they are in awe, from awe of Him.

• [98:8] Their reward with their Lord is the Gardens of Eden, from beneath which the rivers flow, as eternal residents therein. God has approved of them, and they have approved of Him. That is for whoever has been in awe of his Lord.

That means you might try to intercede with God on behalf of your parents on Judgement Day, saying, “Oh God, please save my mother and father!” But if God never approved of your parents to begin with, then nobody’s intercession (including your intercession, or the intercession of any prophets) can save them.

• But if your parents were righteous and approved by God, then they don’t need your intercession to be saved because He already planned to put them in Heaven in the first place. Your intercession to save them just happens to coincide with what God already planned to with your parents in the first place.

But there are Hadiths contradicting verse 2:254 by saying Muhammad will have the authority to be an intercessor for those among the Muslims who committed major sins, and bring them out from the Hellfire after they were already put in. The people who managed to be taken out of the Hellfire through prophet Muhammad’s intercession will be known as “al-Jahannamiyeen” (Hell-people).

• Narrated `Imran bin Husain: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Some people will be taken out of the Fire through the intercession of Muhammad they will enter Paradise and will be called Al-Jahannamiyin (the Hell Fire people). (Bukhari, no. 6566)

• Narrated Hammad from `Amr from Jabir: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Some people will come out of the Fire through intercession looking like The Thaarir.” I asked `Amr, “What is the Thaarir?” He said, Ad-Daghabis, and at that time he was toothless. Hammad added: I said to `Amr bin Dinar, “O Abu Muhammad! Did you hear Jabir bin `Abdullah saying, ‘I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: ‘Some people will come out of the Fire through intercession?” He said, “Yes.” (Bukhari, no. 6558)

• Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: I shall be pre-eminent amongst the descendants of Adam on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted (by Allah). (Muslim, no. 2278)

• Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: My intercession will be for those of my people who have committed major sins. (Sunan Abi Dawud, 4739)

How can anyone who was placed in Hell be brought out of Hell via intercession, if no person will be able to benefit from intercession on Judgement Day according to the Quran?

Killing the Apostates

Apostates are those who abandon one religion in favor of another. For example, a Christian who becomes an atheist, or a Muslim who becomes a Hindu, is an apostate.

The Quran forbids any compulsion or forcing in the religion. That means a person cannot be forced by anyone to be Muslim or non-Muslim.

In fact, God in the Quran mentions those who leave Islam in several verses, but does not tell people to kill them. The Quran says that the punishment for leaving Islam is up to God, who will carry out the punishment. The Quran never tells the Muslims to kill them or sentence them to death.

Yet multiple Hadiths command to kill any person who has left the religion of Islam, and converted from Muslim to non-Muslim.

If you are threatened with your life for leaving Islam, then this is one of the highest possible forms of compulsion or forcing in the religion, so this is a very clear contradiction with the Quran:

[2:256] There is no compulsion in the religion…

[18:29] Say, “The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills, let him believe, and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.”…

[10:99] And if your Lord willed, those who are in the earth would definitely have believed, all of them together. So will you force the people until they become believers?

[109:1-6] Say, “O disbelievers…For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”

[3:86-88] How would God guide people who disbelieved after their faith (apostates), while they witnessed that the messenger is true, and clear proofs had come to them? But God does not guide the people of the wrongdoers. The punishment of those (apostates) is that God’s curse would be upon them, as well as the angels, and the people altogether…

[9:74] .. So if they (apostates) repent, it is better for them. But if they turn away, God will punish them with a painful punishment in the World and the Hereafter…

Abdullah ibn Masud reported Allah’s Messenger as saying, “It is not permissible to take the life of a Muslim who bears testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah, but in one of the three cases: the married adulterer, a life for a life, and those who leave his religion (Islam), abandoning the community.” (Sahih Muslim, No. 1676)

Narrated ‘Ikrima: Some atheists were brought to ‘Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn ‘Abbas who said, “If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah’s Apostle forbade it, saying, ‘Do not punish anybody with Allah’s punishment (fire).’ I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah’s Apostle, ‘Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.‘” (Bukhari, Vol. 9, Book 84, Number 57)

Making Du’a (Prayer/Supplication) to Someone Besides God

The Quran says not to make “dua” (invocation or prayer) anyone besides God.

• [72:18] And that the masjids are for God, so do not invoke anyone else besides God.

But there is a shocking Sahih hadith in which the prophet tells a blind person to make a du’a to both him and to God. This Hadith is graded as Sahih by Darussalam.

• It was narrated from ‘Uthman bin Hunaif that a blind man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “Pray to Allah to heal me.” He said: “If you wish to store your reward for the Hereafter, that is better, or if you wish, I will supplicate for you.” He said: “Supplicate.” So he told him to perform ablution and do it well, and to pray two Rak’ah, and to say this supplication (dua): “Allahumma inni as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika bimuhammadin nabiyyir-rahmah. Ya Muhammadu inni qad tawajjahtu bika ila rabbi fi hajati hadhihi lituqda. Allahumma fashaffi’hu fiya (O Allah, I ask of You and I turn my face towards You by virtue of the intercession of Muhammad the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad, I have turned to my Lord by virtue of your intercession concerning this need of mine so that it may be met. O Allah, accept his intercession concerning me)”. (Sunan Ibn Majah, 1385)

Coincidentally, one of the other ways that Muslims commonly violate 72:18 is that before the end of the daily Salat, they make a prayer known as the “Tashahud”, and in the Tashahud one of the sentences are, “Assalamu alayka ayyuhan nabiyyu, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (Peace be upon you, O prophet, as well as God’s blessings and His mercy).”

• That means during a state of deep devotion to God (Salat prayers) they are directly talking to the prophet Muhammad. It’s like when you intentionally answer a phone call from your mom or dad while in a state of Salat and talk to them during Salat.

• Talking to God while in a state of worship is making “dua” (prayer) to God, but if one talks to the prophet Muhammad or anyone else during a state of worship such as Salat, then they are making du’a to that person, which the Quran forbade.

Punishing One Man for the Sins of Another

The Quran says that a person will not bear the burden of another person, even if both people are relatives. The Quran also states that every person will only benefit from his own efforts.

But one Hadith states that Adam’s son (a very distant relative) bears some of the burden of people who commit murder, a clear contradiction with the Quran.

Also, there is another shocking Hadith saying that on the day of judgement, some Muslims will have sins as high as the mountains, and those sins will be transferred to the Jews and Christians. This clearly contradicts the Quran’s guarantee that no person bears the burden of another.

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud: that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “No soul is wrongfully taken except that some of the burden of its blood is upon the son of Adam, because he was the first to institute murder.” (Tirmidhi, no. 2673, graded Sahih)

Narrated from Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: “On the Day of Resurrection, some of the Muslims will come with sins like mountains, but Allaah will forgive them and will put them (the sins) onto the Jews and Christians.” (Muslim, number 2767)

[35:18] And no burden-bearer bears the burden of another, and if one who is weighed down calls upon to its carriage, not anything of it will be carried, even if he were a relative…

[53:38] That no burden-bearer bears the burden of another, and that for the human being is not but how he made effort.

Forbidden Foods

The Quran tells the prophet to state that he does not find, in anything that was revealed to him, any forbidden (haram) food except four things: carrion, blood, pork, and things sacrificed in the name of someone other than God.

Yet multiple Hadiths forbid other foods besides those four foods. Those include donkeys, animals with fangs, and birds that have talons.

But if the prophet was told to say he didn’t find in any revelations (wahy) given to him anything forbidden except those four foods, then those Hadiths are clearly not revelations from God.

[6:145] Say, “I do not find in what has been revealed to me that which is prohibited upon an eater who eats it, except if it is carrion, or blood that is leaked, or the flesh of pigs—for indeed, it is impure—or a deviance which was consecrated to other than God.”…

Narrated Abu Tha’laba: “Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade the eating of the meat of beasts having fangs.” (Bukhari 7:67:438)

Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar: The prophet prohibited the eating of donkey’s meat.(Bukhari 7:67:431)

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that Islamic Prophet prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey, and all the birds having talons. (Muslim,
no. 4752)

Missing Verse from the Quran?

This Sahih Hadith states that the verse (Ayah) of stoning adulterers to death is missing from the Quran.

Thus, this Hadith claims that the Quran is not complete and has a verse that is absent or gone, thus contradicting the Quran’s guarantee of being complete and preserved.

Umar bin Al-Khattab said: “Verily Allah sent Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) with the truth, and he revealed the Book to him. Among what was revealed to him was the Ayah (verse) of stoning. So the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stoned, and we stoned after him. I fear that time will pass over the people such that someone will say ‘We do not see stoning in the Book of Allah.’ They will be misguided by leaving an obligation which Allah revealed. Indeed stoning is the retribution for the adulterer if he was married and the evidence has been established, or due to pregnancy, or confession.” (Tirmidhi, no. 1432)

[6:115] The word of your Lord (Quran) has been completed, in truth and justice…

[15:9] Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We are Guardians of it.

If a verse of stoning adulterers to death was truly revealed in the Quran, like what is claimed in this Hadith, then where is it?

A Nation Cannot Succeed With a Woman as Ruler? What About the Queen of Sheba?

To begin with, more than 95% of failed nations in history were ruled or governed by men. So it doesn’t make sense to believe that women cannot lead a nation successfully when the men have a far worse track record.

Secondly, there was nothing in the Quran to suggest that Sheba (Saba in Arabic) was a failed nation. The people of Sheba was ruled by a righteous queen according to the Quran (Surah 27), who sought counsel amongst her advisors before making any decision, just like any good leader would do.

In Surah 27, God stated that she was very skeptical of the offer that prophet Solomon (Sulayman) provided her. That is because, as she correctly states, when tyrant kings invaded a town, they corrupted the land and shamed its people. Historically, this was very true, and this demonstrates her desire to avoid corruption and tyranny when ruling her people.

Among the trait of a good leader is a desire to rule justly and avoid tyranny and corruption, and seek the advice of their advisors rather than making decisions about the nation unilaterally. God demonstrated in the Quran that the Queen of Sheba possessed both of those traits.

So by giving the example of the Queen of Sheba, God in the Quran demonstrates that women are capable of governing a nation well, thus contradicting the Hadith quoted below:

During the battle of Al-Jamal, Allah benefited me with a Word (I heard from the Prophet). When the Prophet heard the news that the people of the Persia had made the daughter of Khosrau their Queen (ruler), he said, “Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 7099)

Should The Oppressed People Help Themselves, Or Do Nothing?

The Quran tells people to stand up for themselves when their rights are violated, and fight for oppressed people who have no way to escape their oppression.

[42:39] As well as the ones who help themselves when violation befalls them.

[4:75] And why would you not fight in the way of God, and the weakened ones among the men, the women, and the children, the ones who say, “Our Lord, exit us from this town of its wrongdoing people, and make for us an ally from with You, and make for us a helper from with You!”

However, according to a Hadith, a person cannot disobey their rulers even a little (Bukhari, no. 7053). Even if the rulers or people in power unjustly beat people up by striking their backs, or unjustly take wealth from them, or have the hearts of devils, those people must not disobey their rulers and listen to them (Sahih Muslim, no. 1847b).

Such Hadith is clearly a contradiction with the Quran which says to stand up for one’s selves when their rights are being infringed or violated, and to resist oppression wherever it exists.

If the prophet Muhammad followed the advice in this Hadith, he would not have migrated to Medina to escape persecution. He would have surrendered to the Quraysh to avoid disobeying them, and he would have stopped preaching Islam.

A Woman Cannot Go Back to First Husband Without Intercourse With Current Husband?

The Quran allows anyone to divorce even if they did not have sexual intercourse with their spouse during the marriage.

However, a Sahih Hadith (graded Sahih on Sunnah.com) states that a woman cannot go back to her first husband unless she has intercourse with her current husband.

So in other words, this Hadith forces a woman to have an unwanted sexual encounter with her current husband if she wants to return to her first one, which is a clear contradiction with the Quran.

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas that Al-Ghumaisa or Ar-Rumaisa’ came to the Prophet complaining that her husband would not have intercourse with her. It was not long before her husband came and said: “O Messenger of
Allah, she is lying; he is having intercourse with her, but she wants to go back to her first husband.” The Messenger of Allah said: “She cannot do that until she tastes his (current husband’s) sweetness.” (Sunan an-Nasai 3414)

[33:49] O you who believed, if you marry believing women, then divorce them before touching them, then there is not any interim of theirs upon them for you to count….

[2:236] There is no blame upon you if you have divorced the women that you neither touch, nor make a (dowry) obligation for….

Hadiths that Contradict History

Fasting During Ashura

According to Bukhari hadith number 2004, the prophet Muhammad found Jews fasting on the 10th of Muharram (Ashura) and asked why. The Jews explained that this is to commemorate the day Musa (Moses) saved the Children of
Israel from Pharaoh. The prophet then stated that the Muslims are more worthy of Musa than the Jews, thus commanded the Muslims to do so as well.

This Hadith contradict with historical and theological facts. The first issue is that Jews typically commemorate or celebrate Moses saving the Children of Israel on Passover day according to the Torah itself, which is a feast day and NOT a fast day. Jews do not fast during Passover, and this is more like an Eid day for them.

The second is that the Jewish fasting day occurs on the 10th of the Hebrew
month Tishrei, known as “Yom Kippur” or the “Day of Atonement”. This is the day that Jews atone or make up for their sins with prayer, repentance, and fasting. Yom Kippur is totally unrelated to Moses saving the Children of Israel from Pharaoh.

The person who fabricated this factually incorrect Hadith likely confused these two Jewish holidays with one another, yet somehow this is the exact Hadith that formed the basis of Ashura being widely seen as an Islamic holiday by more than 2 billion people.

Conquest of Constantinople

A hadith (Muslim no. 2897) states this:

• “The Last Hour would not come until the Romans would land at al-A’maq or in Dabiq. An army consisting of the best (soldiers) of the people of the earth at that time will come from Medina (to counteract them). When they will arrange themselves in ranks, the Romans would say: Do not stand between us and those (Muslims) who took prisoners from amongst us. Let us fight with them; and the Muslims would say: Nay, by Allah, we would never get aside from you and from our brethren that you may fight them. They will then fight and a third (part) of the army would run away, whom Allah will never forgive. A third (part of the army) which would be constituted of excellent martyrs in Allah’s eye, would be killed and the third who would never be put to trial would win and they would be conquerors of Constantinople. And as they would be busy in distributing the spoils of war (amongst themselves) after hanging their swords by the olive trees, the Satan would cry: The Dajjal has taken your place among your family. They would then come out, but it would be of no avail. And when they would come to Syria, he would come out while they would be still preparing themselves for battle drawing up the ranks. Certainly, the time of prayer shall come and then Jesus (peace be upon him) son of Mary would descend and would lead them. When the enemy of Allah would see him, it would (disappear) just as the salt dissolves itself in water and if he (Jesus) were not to confront them at all, even then it would dissolve completely, but Allah would kill them by his hand and he would show them their blood on his lance (the lance of Jesus Christ).”

According to this Hadith, sometime after the prophet, the Roman Empire would land in al-A’maq or Dabiq, which are two Syrian towns, then a major battle because a Muslim army from the city of Medina, Arabia would counter them. A third of the Muslim army would run away, a third would be martyred, and a third would proceed to take away the city of Constantinople from the Romans during the fight.

The first claim in this Hadith that is proven false is that an army from Medina will conquer Constantinople. That is not true. Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire that came from Anatolia (now modern-day Turkey) in the year 1453, not by an army from Medina like what this Hadith says.

The Hadith states the Roman Empire will invade Amaq and Dabiq and a battle will begin there. But there is no historical record of the Romans ever setting foot in Amaq and Dabiq after Muhammad’s time. There is no record of any battle between a Medinan army and Byzantine Romans in Amaq or Dabiq before Muslims conquered Constantinople, so this is a second claim made by this Hadith that is proven false.

Hadiths that Contradict Science

Fever Comes from Heat of Hellfire?

Bukhari hadiths 3262, 3263, 3264, 3265, and 3266 state that fever comes from the heat of Hellfire.

This is false, as fevers come from a rise in body temperature due to immune system activity if disease-causing bacteria or viruses invade the body, not Hellfire.

Semen Versus Vaginal Discharge?

In Sahih Muslim, number 315, it says that during intercourse, the body fluids of a man and woman are competing. If the male’s white substance wins against the female’s yellow vaginal discharge (cervical mucus), the child will be male, but if the female’s yellow substance wins against the male’s white substance, the child will be female.

So this Hadith says both sperm and cervical mucus help to decide whether the baby is male or female.

Of course, this is scientifically false, as biological sex (male or female) only depends on whether the sperm that reaches the egg contains an X or Y chromosome. If the sperm has an X-chromosome, the baby will be female. If the sperm has a Y chromosome, the baby will be male.

So really, the “white substance” (sperm) alone decides whether the baby is male or female.

The yellow substance from the female (cervical mucus) is not at all involved in deciding whether the baby will be born male or female.

Also, there is zero competition between semen and female discharge when a female is fertile and able to get pregnant. In fact, vaginal discharge from the woman’s cervix (the cervical mucus) helps sperm swim to the egg to impregnate a woman by providing extra lubrication, rather than compete against it.

False Information About Genetics

According to Bukhari Hadith number 3329, the prophet said that during intercourse if the man gets discharge first (ejaculation of semen), the baby will look like the father. But if the woman gets discharge first, the baby will look like the mother.

Obviously, this Hadith contains false scientific information. The appearance of the baby is determined only by genetics, and not at all determined by whether the mother or father experienced “discharge” first during intercourse.

Incorrect Embryology

According to Bukhari no. 6594 and other Hadiths, a person exists as a “nutfah (drop of semen)” in the womb for 40 days, then an alaqah (leech-like entity) for another 40 days, then a mudghah (lump that looks like it was chewed, having teeth marks) for another 40 days.​

But if you look at images of a human embryo as it grows in the mother, it becomes an “alaqah” (looking like a leech) by day 7.​

By day 25 or 26 it starts having the mudghah (chewed) appearance (looks like teeth marks due to having the somites that will eventually form the backbone)​

By day 44 the chewed appearance (mudghah) disappears because the somites aren’t visible anymore​

You can find images easily of the human embryo at various stages (from day 1 to day 56) at www.ehd.org/developmental-stages​

So in conclusion, the sperm-drop (nutfah) definitely does not take 40 days to become an alaqah, unlike what this Hadith says. The time period in which the nufah becomes an alaqah is much shorter than that (7 days).

Secondly, unlike what this Hadith says, the embryo transforms from the alaqah stage to the mudghah stage somewhere between day 7 and day 26, which is almost 20 days rather than 40 days.

And lastly, this hadith says the embryo stops being a mudghah after 120 days, but the mudghah stage evidently ends more quickly than that (after day 44).

When Does the Sun Prostrate?

A Hadith from Bukhari (no. 3199) states that the sun prostrates itself beneath the throne of God when it sets, and stands up from prostration during sunrise. ​

However, the sun is always visible in some part of the world. If it is night in one part of the world, it is daytime in the other part of the world. ​

So if the sun is in a state of prostration at night when it is invisible, but it gets up from prostration during the daytime when it is visible, how does that work? If it’s night time in the United States right now, but daytime in Bangladesh right now, is the sun currently prostrating, or is the sun currently standing up and not prostrating?

The sun cannot be doing both acts at the same time (prostration and standing), so this Hadith is a contradiction in both science and logic.

Marketing Hadith Advertising Ajwa Dates

There is a Hadith advertising Ajwa dates, which are a kind of date grown in Madina.

The false marketing claim here is that the prophet said those who eat 7 Ajwa dates in the morning are immune to poison and magic on those days. (Bukhari, no. 5779) ​

Has anyone ever scientifically tested this to see if it is true? Did anyone ever eat 7 dates in the morning before poisoning themselves with snake venom or some other kind of toxin, to see if the poison has any effect?

Hadiths that Contradict Other Hadiths

Should you breathe into a container that you drink from?

• According to Sahih Bukhari no. 5631, the prophet said to do this three times while you drink from a container.

• According to Sahih Muslim no. 267, the prophet forbade from doing this.

Can you drink water while standing?

• According to Sahih Muslim no. 2026, it is forbidden, and whoever does this must vomit out their drink.

• According to Bukhari no. 5615, the prophet was seen drinking water while standing.

Did the prophet order the killing of the Jewess who tried to poison him with a roasted sheep?

• According to Sunan Abi Dawood 4508, the prophet said not to kill her.

• According to Sunan Abi Dawood 4511, the prophet ordered her to be killed.

• Both Hadiths were graded as Sahih by the scholar al-Albani.

Should you lie on your back and place one foot on top of the other?

• The prophet forbade doing this according to Sahih Muslim no. 2099

• The prophet was seen lying on his back at the masjid, placing one foot on top of another according to Sunan an-Nasa’i 721 (graded Sahih by Darussalam)

Is there a punishment for drinking alcohol?

• According to Sunan Abi Dawood 4481 and Sunan Abi Dawood 4482, the punishment is 40 lashes for the first offense, 40 lashes for the second offense, and death for the third offense.

• But according to Sunan Abi Dawood 4486, the prophet did not give a definite punishment for drinking alcohol.

• All three Hadiths were graded as Sahih by al-Albani.

Is cupping forbidden or permitted?

• According to Bukhari no. 5680, cupping is permitted as a form of healing.

• But cupping is prohibited according to Sunan Abi Dawood 2374 (graded Sahih by al-Albani).

Is making money from cupping bad and undesirable?

• According to Sahih Muslim no. 1568, the worst earnings are the earnings of the prostitute, the price of a dog, and the earnings of a cupper.

• According to Sahih Bukhari no. 2279, the prophet paid the person who cupped him, because if cupping was undesirable, the prophet would not have paid the cupper.

Does cupping break the fast or not?

• According to Bukhari no. 1938, the prophet received cupping services during fasting and in a state of ihram.

• But according to Sunan Abi Dawood 2367 (graded Sahih by al-Albani), the prophet said both the cupper and the person who receives cupping services breaks their fasting when they do this.

Is it permissible to assassinate someone?

• It is not permissible for a believer to assassinate according to Sunan Abi Dawood 2769 (graded Sahih by al-Albani)

• But according to Bukhari no. 3023, the prophet sent a group of the Ansar to the house of someone named Abu Rafi to assassinate him. The assassin (Abdullah ibn. Atik) entered Abu Rafi’s house at night and killed him while he was asleep.

Is there a legal punishment for bestiality?

• The prophet said the punishment is death (Sunan ibn. Majah 2564, graded Sahih by Darussalam)

• The prophet said there is no prescribed punishment for this (Tirmidhi no. 1455, graded Hasan, or good, by Darussalam).

Sahih Hadiths Instructing to Follow Quran Alone

Narrated Aisha: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits.” In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, “Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in Allah’s Book (Laws)? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in Allah’s Laws, then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah’s conditions are more binding and reliable.” (Bukhari, no. 2155)

Narrated `Abdul `Aziz bin Rufai’: Shaddad bin Ma’qil and I entered upon Ibn `Abbas. Shaddad bin Ma’qil asked him, “Did the Prophet (ﷺ) leave anything (besides the Qur’an)?” He replied. “He did not leave anything except what is Between the two bindings (of the Qur’an).” Then we visited Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyya and asked him (the same question). He replied, “The Prophet (ﷺ) did not leave except what is between the bindings (of the Qur’an).” (Bukhari, no. 5019)

It was narrated that Salman Al-Farisi said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about ghee, cheese and wild donkeys. He said: ‘What is lawful is that which Allah has permitted in His Book, and what is unlawful is that which Allah has forbidden in His Book. What He remained silent about (in His Book) is what is pardoned.’” (Sunan ibn Majah. 3367, graded as Sahih)

Narrated Ubaidullah bin `Abdullah: Ibn `Abbas said, “When Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was on his deathbed and there were some men in the house, he said, ‘Come near, I will write for you something after which you will not go astray.’ Some of them ( i.e. his companions) said, ‘Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) is seriously ill and you have the (Holy) Qur’an. Allah’s Book is sufficient for us.‘ So the people in the house differed and started disputing. Some of them said, ‘Give him writing material so that he may write for you something after which you will not go astray.’ while the others said the other way round… (Bukhari, no. 4432)

What is interesting about Bukhari 4432 is that it says that the prophet tried to leave behind a written statement of guidance for his companions on his deathbed, but one group of people were concerned about the prophet being too ill and said there is no need, and the Quran alone is enough guidance. Another group wanted to comply with the prophet’s wish. Why would a group of companions believe the Quran alone is enough guidance, and insist there is no need for a final written statement from the prophet? That is because the prophet received only one, not two, sources of Islamic law from God, and that is the Quran.

Interestingly, there are multiple Hadiths contradicting the Hadiths saying that the prophet was given the Quran alone, such as this one:

• Narrated Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Beware! I have been given the Qur’an and something like it, yet the time is coming when a man replete on his couch will say: “Keep to the Qur’an; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited.” Beware! The domestic donkey, beasts of prey with fangs, a find belonging to confederate, unless its owner does not want it, are not permissible to you. If anyone comes to some people, they must entertain him, but if they do not, he has a right to mulct them to an amount equivalent to his entertainment. (Sunan Abi Dawud, 4604)

Addressing Counterarguments

To begin with, there may be a wide variety of objections to following the Quran alone, and I will try to discuss as many as I am aware of.

The most common objection is, “Where do we find out how many raka’at (units) of Salat we should do? Where is the steps for Zakat and Hajj?”

The Quran has the Zakat, Hajj, and Salat steps outlined for us, although they are not the same steps found in the Hadith. Here are the links below for comprehensive step-by-step guides on how to practice the Zakat, Salat, and Hajj from the Quran only:

• Salat
• Zakat
• Hajj

Let’s talk about the Salat, for example. A question may be “how many raka’at of Salat to do?” The answer is: as many as you want, whether 1, 2, 3, or more.

If I ask you to finish your cup of water in the next 30 seconds, I don’t care how many sips it takes you to finish as long as you do the job.

So in brief, regarding the Salat, a unit of Salat according to the Quran starts with standing, then the next position is bowing, and it ends at prostration, and at some point in between, the Quran must be recited. There is no limit to the number of prostrations or bowing done at each unit. There’s no limit to the number of units (raka’at) you can do either, and there is no limit to the amount of Quran to recite at each unit; the more you do, the more reward you will get, God willing.

It’s the same with Hajj, we Muslims commonly accept that the minimum number of times to do Hajj is at least once in your lifetime, as there is no set Hajj frequency in the Quran. We Muslims already accept that you can recite as much Quran as you want during the Salat. Thus, flexibility in the amount of raka’at (units), bows, and prostrations should not come as a big surprise.

Another common objection is, how do we find the background or context to verses of the Quran without Hadith?

• The answer is that there is no prohibition in using Hadith to derive additional background information to certain verses of the Quran. But the background information is not needed to understand the main point that the Quran is trying to convey.

• Verse 66:1, for example, asks the prophet why he prohibited something God made lawful just to please his wives. The background of this verse is not needed to understand the main point of this verse, which is that not even the prophet has the authority to make prohibitions on anyone (including himself) if God did not prohibit it.

• Surah al-Masad (or al-Lahab) says that Abu Lahab (Muhammad’s uncle) and his wife are doomed to Hell for what they did, and that no material earnings of theirs in this life could save them. It isnot necessary to know who Abu Lahab and his wife is. or what they did, to understand the main point of this Surah, that your wealth and children cannot save you from the Hellfire for doing evil deeds.

Nonetheless, using Hadith for historical background is not the same as using Hadith for Islamic law, rules, and regulations. The Quran does not allow getting Islamic law from unauthorized people, items, or sources, but there is no prohibition against using Hadith for getting additional background into Quranic verses.

It is like using science textbooks for background into Quranic verses. The Quran says all living things are made of water, and modern science provides additional background by explaining why living things need water, such as: the composition of the cytoplasm, the role of water as a universal solvent, the role of water in metabolic processes and regulating electrolyte balance, and more. The Quran says the sun and moon are each in an orbit, and science textbooks provide background by explaining the laws of gravity and motion, how orbits happen, what planet the moon orbits (Earth), what the sun orbits (the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy), etc. But this does not mean science textbooks are a second source of Islamic law alongside the Quran.

Another counterargument is: how can all the scholars, sheikhs, muftis, ustadhs, mullahs, and all others be wrong for 14 centuries?

• To answer this question, a Christian can ask any Muslim the same thing: “How can all my Christian scholars, experts, theologians, and saints be wrong about Jesus for 21 centuries? Why is my Bible wrong and your Quran right?”

• The Quran commands in many places against rejecting the truth simply because it contradicts what your forefathers, scholars, and relatives taught. This guideline applies to Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Another counterargument is: where did all the Hadiths come from if the Quran is the only source of Islamic law? Did later generations make up lies and attribute them to the prophet and his companions?

• The historical evidence so far is leaning towards this conclusion, because there is much historical evidence of Hadith fabrication, including: Hadith contradictions, the absence of contemporary accounts of what the prophet said, evidence of anachronisms, evidence that Hadiths (even Sahih ones) were created for political, sectarian, and religious propaganda, and more. Dr. Joshua Little, whose research focuses on Islamic history, discusses why scholars of historical criticism view Hadiths as unreliable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz4vMUUxhag&t=6489s

• Another possibility is that many Hadiths that have information outside the Quran are authentic accounts of the prophet, but are teachings based on his personal (but imperfect) understanding of the Quran, rather than based on divine revelations given outside of the Quran. The prophet is only human (verse 18:110) and he is responsible for delivering the Quranic message word-for-word, but he is allowed to make mistakes in his personal understanding or interpretation of Quranic verses like any other human. Needless to say, Islamic law does not come from the prophet’s personal opinions on anything.

• But in general, the consensus among scholars who study Hadith using the historical critical method is that Hadith should be approached with a high degree of skepticism and caution, unlike the Quran which can be traced back to the prophet with certainty.

Conclusion

The main takeaway from this article is that the Quranic evidence is very clear and points only towards one conclusion: One deity (God), one religion (Islam), and one source (Quran).

And as explained by the historian Joshua Little, a lot of problems and red flags emerge when studying Hadith using the historical critical method.

More Muslims need to be aware of this and start practicing Islam in accordance with the Quran alone, as soon as possible, without any delay. Our Educational Articles teaches you exactly how to do this, step-by-step.

That is why this mosque is named Masjid at-Tajdeed (the Mosque of Revival). It is not established as a mosque yet due to lacking the resources, but inshaAllah it will one day become a reality.

The singular goal of this future masjid is to worship God correctly. The primary way to worship God correctly is by teaching and practicing Islam correctly.

Hopefully, with the efforts of this mosque, we can live up to our name and help promote a worldwide revival of the people towards, “the Quran, the whole Quran, and nothing but the Quran,” as a wise man once said.

We pray to God to guide us to the truth, and to use us as a means to guide everyone to the truth.