By: Ildiko Polgar

Questioning the logic of Hadith

I grew up as a Roman Catholic. Like many converted Muslims, I veered away from the teachings of Christian faith for specific reasons i.e. (1) The trinity did not make sense. As a child, I always thought the trinity separated God from “the son” (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit (Gabrielle), but soon discovered that God and Jesus (Lord) were believed to be the same: Jesus was believed to be “The Lord and God”; (2) The bible, written by man had been revised and revised again. How can a document with so many revisions be presented as truth?

I am a novice in Islam. I view things from a logical perspective, and Islam is logical. Thus, I am left very confused by a different version of Islam being held above the Islam I believe to be true. If we believe in the Holy Qur’an to be words of God (Allah), then should we also not believe in Allah’s words as absolute? Because Allah’s words are absolute, I do not understand the need to “support” the Holy Qur’an with obscure writings compiled in what is called the Hadith. Allah clearly tells us about book(s) and messages being sent down, and repeatedly warns us not to differentiate between his Prophets and Messengers:

 (ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ†ظ’ط²ظگظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ†ظ’ط²ظگظ„ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ظ‚ظژط¨ظ’ظ„ظگظƒظژ ظˆظژط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ط¢ط®ظگط±ظژط©ظگ ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظڈظˆظ‚ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ)2:4  

And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and have the assurance of the Hereafter.

 (ظˆظژط¢ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ط²ظژظ„ظ’طھظڈ ظ…ظڈطµظژط¯ظ‘ظگظ‚ظ‹ط§ ظ„ظگظ…ظژط§ ظ…ظژط¹ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ„ظژط§ طھظژظƒظڈظˆظ†ظڈظˆط§ ط£ظژظˆظ‘ظژظ„ظژ ظƒظژط§ظپظگط±ظچ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ„ظژط§ طھظژط´ظ’طھظژط±ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظگط¢ظٹظژط§طھظگظٹ ط«ظژظ…ظژظ†ظ‹ط§ ظ‚ظژظ„ظگظٹظ„ظ‹ط§ ظˆظژط¥ظگظٹظ‘ظژط§ظٹظژ ظپظژط§طھظ‘ظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ†ظگ) 2:41

And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to reject Faith therein, nor sell My Signs for a small price; and fear Me, and Me alone.

(ظپظژظˆظژظٹظ’ظ„ظŒ ظ„ظگظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظٹظژظƒظ’طھظڈط¨ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظژ ط¨ظگط£ظژظٹظ’ط¯ظگظٹظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ‡ظژٰط°ظژط§ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط¹ظگظ†ظ’ط¯ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ„ظگظٹظژط´ظ’طھظژط±ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ط«ظژظ…ظژظ†ظ‹ط§ ظ‚ظژظ„ظگظٹظ„ظ‹ط§ ظپظژظˆظژظٹظ’ظ„ظŒ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظژطھظژط¨ظژطھظ’ ط£ظژظٹظ’ط¯ظگظٹظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظˆظژظٹظ’ظ„ظŒ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظٹظژظƒظ’ط³ظگط¨ظڈظˆظ†ظژ) 2:79  

Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from Allah," to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.

 (ظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ†ظ’ط²ظگظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژط§ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ†ظ’ط²ظگظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ٰ ط¥ظگط¨ظ’ط±ظژط§ظ‡ظگظٹظ…ظژ ظˆظژط¥ظگط³ظ’ظ…ظژط§ط¹ظگظٹظ„ظژ ظˆظژط¥ظگط³ظ’ط­ظژط§ظ‚ظژ ظˆظژظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ‚ظڈظˆط¨ظژ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ط£ظژط³ظ’ط¨ظژط§ط·ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظˆطھظگظٹظژ ظ…ظڈظˆط³ظژظ‰ٰ ظˆظژط¹ظگظٹط³ظژظ‰ٰ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظˆطھظگظٹظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط¨ظگظٹظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژط§ ظ†ظڈظپظژط±ظ‘ظگظ‚ظڈ ط¨ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژ ط£ظژط­ظژط¯ظچ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ†ظژط­ظ’ظ†ظڈ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ…ظڈط³ظ’ظ„ظگظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ) 2:136

Say ye: "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah."

 (ط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ط±ظ‘ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظڈ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ†ظ’ط²ظگظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظŒ ط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژظ„ظژط§ط¦ظگظƒظژطھظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظƒظڈطھظڈط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط±ظڈط³ظڈظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظ„ظژط§ ظ†ظڈظپظژط±ظ‘ظگظ‚ظڈ ط¨ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژ ط£ظژط­ظژط¯ظچ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط±ظڈط³ظڈظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط³ظژظ…ظگط¹ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ظˆظژط£ظژط·ظژط¹ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط؛ظڈظپظ’ط±ظژط§ظ†ظژظƒظژ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژظ†ظژط§ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظژطµظگظٹط±ظڈ)2:285 

The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. "We make no distinction between one and another of His messengers." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."

 (ظٹظژط§ ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ ط¢ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظگ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ظ†ظژط²ظ‘ظژظ„ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ٰ ط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظگ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ط²ظژظ„ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ظ‚ظژط¨ظ’ظ„ظڈ ظˆظژظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظژظƒظ’ظپظڈط±ظ’ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژظ„ظژط§ط¦ظگظƒظژطھظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظƒظڈطھظڈط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط±ظڈط³ظڈظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¢ط®ظگط±ظگ ظپظژظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ط¶ظژظ„ظ‘ظژ ط¶ظژظ„ظژط§ظ„ظ‹ط§ ط¨ظژط¹ظگظٹط¯ظ‹ط§)  4:136  

O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the scripture which He hath sent to His Messenger and the scripture which He sent to those before. Any who denieth Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Day of Judgment, hath gone far, far astray.

 (ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¢طھظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژط§ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظژ ظٹظژظپظ’ط±ظژط­ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ†ظ’ط²ظگظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ظˆظژظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط£ظژط­ظ’ط²ظژط§ط¨ظگ ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظڈظ†ظ’ظƒظگط±ظڈ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¶ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ…ظژط§ ط£ظڈظ…ظگط±ظ’طھظڈ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ ط£ظژط¹ظ’ط¨ظڈط¯ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژظ„ظژط§ ط£ظڈط´ظ’ط±ظگظƒظژ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ط£ظژط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ظ…ظژط¢ط¨ظگ)13:36 

Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what hath been revealed unto thee: but there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof. Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with Him. Unto Him do I call, and unto Him is my return."

(ظˆظژظƒظژط°ظژٰظ„ظگظƒظژ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ط²ظژظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظژ ظپظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¢طھظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژط§ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظژ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ظ‡ظژٰط¤ظڈظ„ظژط§ط،ظگ ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ظٹظژط¬ظ’ط­ظژط¯ظڈ ط¨ظگط¢ظٹظژط§طھظگظ†ظژط§ ط¥ظگظ„ظ‘ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظژط§ظپظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ)29:47

And thus that We have sent down the Book to thee. So the People of the Book believe therein, as also do some of these : and none but Unbelievers reject our signs.

At a very basic level, the Hadith was written by man hundreds of years after the death of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). Is this not enough to question its value? By whose authority is this to be believed as truth? Certainly Allah – the only authority tells us something very different. And here we circle back – Why do many Muslims have a need to align a book with the Holy Quran, even going so far to raise this book above the words of Allah?  It is simply not logical.

 (ط£ظژظˆظژظ„ظژظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظƒظ’ظپظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژط§ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ط²ظژظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظژ ظٹظڈطھظ’ظ„ظژظ‰ٰ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظپظگظٹ ط°ظژٰظ„ظگظƒظژ ظ„ظژط±ظژط­ظ’ظ…ظژط©ظ‹ ظˆظژط°ظگظƒظ’ط±ظژظ‰ٰ ظ„ظگظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظچ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†)19:5

And is it not enough for them that we have sent down to thee the Book which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it is Mercy and a Reminder to those who believe.         

Al- Hamdu Lil-Lah