Title: Regarding the Significance of the Contents of Hadith Question/Comments: I just want to comment briefly on your four points regarding the correct stance on the position of hadith , which, generally, I tend to agree with. For one thing I totally reject the idea of some Muslim thinkers that say we should totally disregard all hadith . Because all this shows plain ignorance of the material at hand, and it would in any case be a great loss of such a legendary, scholarly work (as you have put it). It would be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. However, I also reject the idea (maybe not as strongly as my aforementioned point) of blindly accepting all the hadith , primarily that of Bukhari and Muslim , because for one thing this would be a sign of ignorance and, for another, some hadith may be contrary to the Qur'an and the Sunnah . Although there may be room for debate on this latter point regarding a few " sahih " hadith , nevertheless, hadith that are clearly contrary to the Qur'an and Sunnah should be rejected without question. Therefore, it is my humble opinion that we should try to keep the baby, and throw as much of the bathwater out as possible. This said, the Qur'an (naturally) would be on the top shelf, the Sunnah on the next shelf down, and the books of Bukhari and Muslim (and any other sahih hadith based on the accepted criterion) would be on the shelf directly below the Sunnah , which is below the Qur'an. At this point I would like you to explain something to me. You say: "The Qur'an and the Sunnah entail the complete content of Islam". Which I don't think anybody would dispute - but maybe most would add to your statement: "... and hadith ", which I generally tend to agree with (within certain limits as mentioned above). But if as you say hadith holds no Islamic teaching/content (which I disagree with), how is it then, that we have such a comprehensive and sophisticated Shari`at ? Now obviously, the Shari`at is extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah - but as I understood it, Shari`at is also extracted from hadith considered to be sahih , and certain elements of the Shari`at , as I understood it, are not found in the Qur'an itself, neither are they contrary to the Qur'an or the Sunnah . Would you please clear this point up by explaining the position of the Shari`at and how/wherefrom it was extracted? Also, if as you say, we can take an intermediate position on hadith (esp. in point 4 of your stance), then how can we then say that Hadith cannot be considered as part of the Islamic teachings/content? I don't think we can... Regards and salaam, Answer: In my referred article, while explaining the position of Hadith , with reference to the derivation of Shari`ah , I had mentioned that the position of Hadith should inevitably be determined keeping four points in mind. Your question pertains to the first of the four points mentioned, which was given as: The Qur'an and the Sunnah entail the complete content of Islam [1] . Nothing from outside these sources can add, reduce, abrogate or, in any other way, alter the contents of the Qur'an and the Sunnah . Regarding this point, you write: You say: "The Qur'an and the Sunnah entail the complete content of Islam". Which I don't think anybody would dispute - but maybe most would add to your statement: "... and hadith " Which I generally tend to agree with (within certain limits as mentioned above). But if as you say hadith holds no Islamic teaching/content (which I disagree with), how is it then, that we have such a comprehensive and sophisticated Shari`at ? Now obviously, the Shari`at is extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah - but as I understood it, Shari`at is also extracted from hadith considered to be sahih , and certain elements of the Shari`at , as I understood it, are not found in the Qur'an itself, neither are they contrary to the Qur'an or the Sunnah . Before answering your question, I would like to clarify that I did not imply, as you have construed, that " hadith holds no Islamic teaching/content". In fact, on the contrary, I have clearly stated in the fourth point that: Hadith entails invaluable information about the life, times, general teachings and practices of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as information about the prevalent socio-religious and socio-moral environment. It is the primary and the most authentic source of the Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as that of Muslim history of the time of the inception of the Muslim Ummah . Obviously, information about "the life, times, general teachings and practices of the Prophet (pbuh)" and "the Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh)" constitutes an important part of Islamic teachings. I cannot, therefore, imagine implying that 'Hadith' does not entail any 'Islamic teachings/contents'. Thus, when I say: "The Qur'an and the Sunnah entail the complete content of Islam", here "Islam" implies the basic structure of Islam, which includes all the Shari`ah as well as the basic corpus of Islamic beliefs. However, besides the Shari`ah and the basic corpus of Islamic beliefs, there exist a number of other things, which even though are neither a part of the Islamic Shari`ah nor that of the basic beliefs of Islam, yet they should be, and always have been, considered a part of Islamic teachings in a broader sense. For instance, the directives of the Shari`ah were interpreted to imply certain meanings by the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions; the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions acted upon and practiced these directives in a certain manner; the Prophet (pbuh) applied these directives to practical situations that he faced as an individual as well as a representative of the Muslim collectivity in his particular environment and circumstances; if there was any confusion in the minds of any of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the meaning, implication or application of any of the directives of the Shari`ah , the Prophet explained the directive to the particular companion and guided him to its correct application etc. The importance of the aforementioned information is obvious and does not need any elaboration. Nevertheless, the point remains that the interpretation, the application or the clarification of the directives of the Shari`ah is not a part of the Shari`ah . As a practical example, take the case of the Tahajjud prayers. The directive of the Shari`ah for the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the Tahajjud prayers are given in the Qur'an. The Prophet (pbuh) applied and practiced these directives throughout his life by offering eleven Raka'h of prayers at night. Now, obviously, offering eleven raka'h in the Tahajjud prayers is not a part of the Islamic Shari`ah . It may, indeed, be considered as the 'Uswah e Hasanah' (i.e. the finest example) of the Prophet (pbuh), yet it, clearly, is not a part of the Islamic Shari`ah . Another related example is that of asking for permission before entering inhabited houses. The Qur'an has directed all Muslims to seek permission before entering the houses occupied by others. However, the Prophet (pbuh), as an application of this directive of the Qur'an, advised the Muslims to seek permission by saying " Assalaam Alaikum " three times. The Prophet (pbuh) further directed that if there was no response from inside the house even after the third call, then it should be assumed that the residents are either not at home or they do not want to meet a visitor at the particular hour and, therefore, the visitor should leave and may come back later. Once again, the directive of the Shari`ah in this respect is that which is given in the Qur'an, while the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) have given us the information as to how the Prophet (pbuh) applied the directives of the Shari`ah in his particular environment and circumstances. The fact that "The Qur'an and the Sunnah entail the complete [basic] content of Islam" is based on the belief that the Prophet (pbuh) delivered all the basic contents of Islam to the whole Muslim community present at that time, without any exception. Every individual, who accepted Islam, was given the complete Islamic Shari`ah , as it was being revealed, as well as the basic corpus of Islamic beliefs. This, in fact, was the primary responsibility of the Prophet (pbuh) and, as Muslims, we believe that he fulfilled this responsibility to the ultimate level of fulfillment. Furthermore, the Prophet (pbuh) not only delivered the basic corpus of Islam to all the Muslims, but also directed all of them to deliver it, completely, to all those who accept Islam at their hands. Thus, the total basic content of the Shari`ah as well as the basic Islamic beliefs was transmitted to all Muslims present during the time of the Prophet (pbuh), without any exception and, subsequently, to all later generations by its succeeding generation. The idea that Hadith , like the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), is a primary source of the Shari`ah and the basic beliefs of Islam, contrary to the above explanation, implies either 1) that there were some parts of the Shari`ah as well as that of the basic beliefs of Islam, which were not and have never been known to all Muslims, including the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) [2] ; or 2) that there were some parts of the Shari`ah as well as that of the basic beliefs of Islam, which were not transmitted by the whole generation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) with the exception only of a few individuals, who have narrated the issue through Hadith [3] . I am sure you would agree that of these two implications, neither is correct or even considerable. It is an established fact and a part of the Muslim faith that the Prophet (pbuh) delivered the complete basic message of Islam (the Shari`ah as well as the basic beliefs) to all his companions and, subsequently, all his companions, as a group, delivered the complete basic message of Islam to the subsequent generation. Moreover, it is also obvious that had the corpus of Hadith been considered a basic source of the Islamic Shari`ah and Islamic beliefs, then its compilation could not have been left to the discretion, inclination and decision of later generation individuals, like Bukhari , Muslim and their likes. It would then understandably have been a part of the basic responsibility of the Prophet (pbuh) and, subsequently, his companions to compile an official corpus of Hadith and, thereby, secure all parts of the basic contents of Islam from being wasted. In such a case, it is also obvious that the Prophet (pbuh) would not have left the reporting of Hadith , as is actually the situation, to the understanding and interpretation of the individual narrators (which obviously entail chances of mistakes and errors), but would, on the contrary, have made special arrangements, as was the case regarding the Qur'an and the Sunnah , for the transmission of the exact sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) to the subsequent Muslim generations. The initial Muslim history, however, is completely devoid of any such collective and official efforts. In my opinion, these are only a few points that do not allow us to hold Hadith as an independent source of Islamic Shari`ah and that of the basic Islamic beliefs, which is completely entailed in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Hadith , as I have stated earlier, entails invaluable information about "the life, times, general teachings and practices of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as information about the prevalent socio-religious and socio-moral environment. It is the primary and the most authentic source of the Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as that of Muslim history of the time of the inception of the Muslim Ummah ", but it cannot be considered an independent source of the Islamic Shari`ah and its basic beliefs. You write: Now obviously, the Shari`at is extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah - but as I understood it, Shari`at is also extracted from hadith considered to be sahih , and certain elements of the Shari`at , as I understood it, are not found in the Qur'an itself, neither are they contrary to the Qur'an or the Sunnah . It would be advisable, in my opinion, that you give an example of a practice or a belief which - even though, it is not mentioned in the Qur'an or the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) - is considered to be part of the Shari`ah or the basic Islamic beliefs, on the basis purely of narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh). I am sure that in this manner, we shall, insha'Allah , be able to appreciate each other's stance with more depth. I hope this helps. October 7, 2000 [1] It may also be added here that the complete structure of Islam and Islamic teachings, whether relating to Islamic beliefs or the practical aspects in its teachings, is entailed in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). The transmission of neither of these sources (neither the Qur'an, nor the Sunnah ) is dependent upon the transmission of Hadith . The Qur'an was transmitted by the consensus of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and the verbal perpetuation of the generation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as that of all subsequent generations of Muslims. The Sunnah , on the other hand, has been transmitted by the consensus of the Companions and the practical perpetuation of the generation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as that of all the subsequent generations of the Muslims. [2] Consider, for instance, the narrative in which Abu Musa Al-Ash`ariy (ra) informs `Omar (ra) about the directive of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding repeating the words " Assalaam Alaikum " three times to seek permission for entering an inhabited house. If this directive is taken to be a part of the Shari`ah , then it obviously implies that `Omar (ra) - and may be a number of other companions of the Prophet (pbuh) - was not aware of this part of the Islamic Shari`ah , even after the death of the Prophet (pbuh). [3] Both these implications are a result of the fact that there is not a single hadith , in the whole corpus of hadith literature, which has been transmitted by all the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), as a whole, as is the case with the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).