6.81 Do hadith followers follow the Quran?

Do the hadith followers follow the Quran?

By: A. Muhammad

The following table examines some of the most important practices of Islam and compares the Quranic laws that govern these practices with the way the same practices are observed by the followers of the hadith.

		What the Quran says	What the hadith followers do
1	Source of Law	The Quran states that God is the only Law Maker (6:114), and that the only duty of the messenger is to deliver God's message (5:99), and that Muhammad does not have the authority to prohibit anything not prohibited by God (66:1)	They instated Muhammad as a law maker besides God and follow hadith that says Muhammad prohibited gold and silk for men, dogs, pictures, make-up for women, etc.
2	Shahada	Only one Shahada authorised in the Quran (3:18). It has only one name, the name of God.	They add a non Quranic shahada to honour Muhammad.
3	Salat	Only 3 Salat named, timed and authorised in the Quran. They are Fajr and Isha (24:58) and the Wusta Salat (2:238).	They add many Salat not mentioned in the Quran and not authorised by God, like Asr, Maghrib, Zhuhr, Tahajjud, Nawafil, Taraweeh.
4	Words of Salat	The Salat is to commemorate and glorify God alone (20:14, 6:162).	They commemorate the name of Muhammad in the Salat which violates the command in 6:162, thereby making the Salat void.
5	Salat Format	The Quran speaks of standing (2:238), bowing and prostrating (48:29).	They add the non Quranic concept of raka, and assign a fixed format (24434) for it.
6	Salat Attire	The Quran does not require any specific attire for the Salat for men or women.	They force women to cover all their body and also their hair during the Salat.
7	Salat Restrictions	The only Quranic case which forbids a person from observing the Salat is when intoxicated (4:43).	They forbid women from observing their Salat during their monthly cycle.
8	Salat Times	God decreed that the Salat must be observed during specific times (4:103).	They observe the Salat after its time has ended (Salat Qada).
9	Zakat Timing	The Zakat must be paid as soon as we receive income (6:141).	They delay paying the Zakat until the end of the month/ year.
10	Zakat Rate	God in His mercy did not set a fixed rate so as not to burden the low income believers.	They enforce a fixed rate of 2.5% which is not Quranic.
11	Zakat Payment	Only one Zakat authorised in the Quran: upon receipt of income.	They proclaim a number of non Quranic Zakat, such as Zakat al-Fitr.
12	Fasting	The only Fasting prescribed in the Quran is during the month of Ramadan (2:185).	They add other days of the year for fasting such as the day of 'Ashura' and the day of 'Arafah'.
13	Hajj	Only one Masjid Al-Haram named by God in the Quran, which is the Kaaba (5:97).	They add the Masjid of the Prophet in Medina and call them the 2 Haram masjids.
14	Hajj Words	The only name to be commemorated during Hajj is the name of God (6:162, 2:203, 22:28)	They repeatedly commemorate the name of Muhammad during Hajj and ask for his intercession.
15	Hajj Rituals	The Quranic Hajj rituals are: Abstention, Prayers at the Kaaba, Safa & Marwah, Arafat, Animal Offering.	They add the pagan ritual of 'stoning' and the idolatrous ritual of kissing the 'black stone'.
16	Hajj Attire	The Quran does not require any specific attire for Hajj. God instructs believers to wear their nice clothes when they visit any masjid (7:31), which includes the Masjid Al-Haram.	They impose a 2 towel garment on men, which once again has no Quranic reference. What they do in that respect is the exact opposite of the instructions in 7:31.
17	Hajj Trip	The Quran does not place any restrictions on any believer who wishes to observe his/her Hajj.	They prevent women from going to Hajj unless they are accompanied by a male 'mihrim'.
18	Hajj Duration	Quran allows Hajj to be observed any time during "the known months" (2:179), which are the 4 Hurum months (9:36).	They restrict Hajj to the first 10 days of the 12th month (Zhu Al-Hijjah), thereby depriving millions of people yearly from observing their Hajj.

It is important to note that the above examples were only a selection of cases which are connected to the main practices of Islam, but in truth, the number of cases in which the hadith followers violate the Quran far exceeds the above examples.

After considering the above cases, it is necessary to be reminded of the following Quranic assurances:

1- Our religion is complete in the Quran:

" ........ Today, I have completed your religion for you." 5:3

2- The Quran has all the details we need and nothing has been left out:

"Shall I seek other than God as a 'hakaman' (Law Maker), when He has revealed to you this book (Quran) fully detailed?"6:114

" ……… This (Quran) is not fabricated hadith, but an authentication of what is with you, a detailed account of all things and guidance and mercy for people who believe." 12:111

" ……… We did not leave anything out of the book (Quran)" 6:38

" …..We have brought the Book (Quran) down to you providing explanations for all things plus guidance and mercy and giving news to the submitters." 16:89

Finally, and after reviewing all the above information, it becomes necessary to question whether the hadith followers are truly following the same Islam which is authorised by God in the Holy Quran, or are they in fact following a religion that has very little to do with the Quran?

"Should We regard the submitters as the criminals?

What is the matter with you? How do you make judgement?

Or do you have some other book in which you are studying?"

68:35-37

"These are God's revelations that We recite to you truthfully.
In which hadith other than God and His revelations do they believe?
Woe to every sinful fabricator. He hears God's revelations recited to him,
then persists arrogantly as if he never heard them!
Give him news of a painful punishment."

45:6-8