Some Rebuttals of Views Held by Disbelievers of Hadith (Munkareen e hadith) (5)

Disbelievers of Hadith say the only wahi revealed to Muhammad ﷺ was Quran; Hadith is not outcome of wahi. In the following lines, we would see this belief does not seem to be tenable in the light of Quran.

Disbelievers of Hadith need to appreciate Muhammad ﷺ is Rasool and Nabi combined; we have to believe in both Resalah and Nabuwwah of Muhammad ﷺ.  The Quran is outcome of Resalah; whereas outcome of Nabuwwah is Hadith. We have discussed this point already in many articles. The Quran demands us to believe not only in Resalah but also in Nabuwwah of Muhammad ﷺ. Quran says:

“……So believe in Allah and His Rasool, the unlettered Nabi, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow/ ‘ittabi uhu’ him that you may be guided” (al-aaraf-158).

In this verse too word ‘rasool’ and ‘nabi’ have been mentioned side by side; it means this verse also ordains that we should believe both in Resalah and Nabuwwah of Muhammad ﷺ and we should follow both the Resalah and Nabuwwah of Muhammad ﷺ. In other words, we should follow not only Quran but also Hadith i.e. outcome of Nabuwwah.

“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets/ Nabeyyeen” (Al-baqra-177).

In this verse mentioned above, belief in the Book (Quran) and in Nabeyyeen has been mentioned side by side; it means belief in both is essential. To believe in Quran means believing in Resalah; to believe in Nabeyyeen means believing in ahadith i.e. outcome of Nabuwwah.

Quran not only ordains to believe in Resalah and Nabuwwah but also instructs to follow Resalah and Nabuwwah. The above mentioned verse al-aaraf-158 states about following Resalah and Nabuwwah of Muhammad ﷺ.  Many other verses also ordain to follow both Resalah and Nabuwwah of Muhammad ﷺ.

 “Those who follow the Rasool, the unlettered ‘Nabi’…..” (al-aaraf-157).

“ O Nabi , sufficient for you is Allah and for whoever follows you of the believers” (al-anfaal-64).

These above mentioned verses states about following Nabi ﷺ; in other words, these verses states about following Hadith e Nabi ﷺ.

Quran also makes it clear that whatever our Nabi ﷺ does, he ﷺ does according to wahi. Quran says:

“Say, "I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This is enlightenment from your Lord and guidance and mercy for a people who believe” (al-a,araf-203).

This verse clearly states that our Nabi ﷺ ONLY follows what has been revealed to him ﷺ . The word ‘innama’ means only; this word may also mean ‘indeed’. But in this verse this word ' innama' is followed by ‘ma’; with such a construction, this word ‘innama’ may only mean ‘ONLY’. In other words, this verse clearly states our Nabi ﷺ  follows ONLY what is revealed to him ﷺ. So much so that our Nabi ﷺ does not even utter a single word which is not according to ‘wahi’.

“Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination” (al-najm-3).

  Our Nabi ﷺ does not even speak with his own inclination. In other words above mentioned two verses state that whatever our Nabi ﷺ does, he ﷺ does according to ‘wahi’.

As has been explained in many articles before, it may  be appreciated that itba,a/following and obedience/ ‘ata,at’ have been differentiated in Quran. Quran says:

 “And Aaron had already told them before [the return of Moses], "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow (itba,a) me and obey (ata,at) my order” (Taha-90).

In this verse ‘itba,a’ and ‘ata,at’ have been used side by side; it means these two words have different connotation. Actually ata,at is relating to only what is commanded; whereas ‘itba,a’ is relating to every act/saying whether or not commanded for. Therefore itba,a means to follow  all acts/sayings of our Nabi ﷺ except those ones which have been specifically prohibited from.

From the foregoing, we may conclude Hadith is not only what is based on wahi but also is essentially follow-able by the people because Hadith is manifestation of function of Nabuwwah of our Nabi ﷺ like Quran is outcome of function of Resalah. We have already seen in previous articles, wahi is revealed to a ‘Rasool’ in the form of Book (Kalamullah). But wahi is revealed to a Nabi in the form of Allah’s Ideas translated by Nabi himself or by Gabriel a.s. It is called wahi e ghair matlu. A rasool also receives wahi e ghair matlu. The difference between a Rasool’s and a Nabi’s wahi e ghair matlu is that a rasool’s wahi e ghair matlu is not interpretation of the Book revealed to him; but a Nabi’s wahi e ghair matlu is actually interpretation of the Book revealed to the Rasool to whose Ummah that Nabi belongs to. In case of our Nabi ﷺ too, Quran says:

Indeed, upon Us is its (Quran’s) collection [in your conscious/mind] and [to make possible] its recitation (17). Then lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation/interpretation thereof” (19). (al-Qiyamah).

This interpretation of Quran has been revealed to our Nabi ﷺ through wahi ghair matlu in the form of Hadith (continued).