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Part I of a series:
Both the
Qur'an
and the Authentic Hadith of the
Prophet (pbuh) are
Safeguarded by Allah.
Evidence From the Qur'an to Refute those who
Think the Qur'an alone is
Safeguarded.
by Kaukab Siddique, Ph.D
Question: Sis. Mehjabeen writes from Edmonton,
Canada: I read your article in
which you say that Jewish scholars attacked
Hadith and rejecters of Hadith
are influenced by them. I have the book MAQAME
HADITH by Allama G.A. Pervez
in which on page3 he quotes God's words from the
Qur'an: "Surely We revealed
this Qur'an and surely We are its Guardian."
(15:9) Then on page 4 he
compares the Qur'an with the Hadith and writes:
"Allah Almighty has not taken
the responsibility for safeguarding anything
other than the Qur'an." How can
you disagree with that.? Allama Pervez is right
and you are wrong. Qur'an is
full of certainty, Hadith is a human product.
Response by Kaukab Siddique: Dear sister. Asalamu
alaikum.
Surah 15, verse 9 itself indicates that the
entire edifice of the rejecters
of Hadith is built on a false premise. The verse
does NOT use the word
"Qur'an"; it uses the word "Zikr." In Arabic it
says: "Inna nahnu
nazzal-naz-zikra wa inna lahu la-hafizun." Thus
the correct translation is:
"Surely We revealed the Zikr and surely We are
its Guardian."
Yusuf Ali has translated az-Zikr as "the
Message." The word is used numerous
times in the Qur'an and these usages indicate
that Zikr is not only the
Qur'an but the entire Islamic way of life
implemented by the Prophet (pbuh).
As we shall see, when Allah says that Allah is
the Guardian of the Zikr, it's
a reference to the WORDS of the Qur'an, the
MEANING of the Qur'an [explained
by the Prophet, pbuh], the way of life of the
Prophet , pbuh, [documented in
Hadith], the entire system of Islam transmitted
by the sahaba, the
spirituality, the Law. ALL these are safeguarded
by Allah.
Let us look at the Qur'an's use of the word
"Zikr."
Surah al-‘‘Araf 7:63 uses the word not for the
Qur'an but for Allah's message
sent to Noah as a reminder to the people. It
says:
"Do ye wonder that there has come to you a
reminder from your Lord
[zikrum-mir-rabikum] through a man of your own
people, to warn you,-so that
ye may fear Allah and perhaps ye may receive His
Mercy."
Thus the "reminder" and "warning" aspect of
Allah's message to others than
Muhammad's (pbuh) people is also called Zikr.
Where Allah uses "zikr" as referring to the
Qur'an, Allah makes it clear that
it is to be explained to mankind by the Prophet
(pbuh), which is precisely
the role of Hadith:
"(We sent them) with clear signs and scriptures,
and We sent down unto thee
(O Muhammad) the Zikr, that thou MAY EXPLAIN
CLEARLY to MANKIND [li-tubayinna
lin-naas] what is sent for them, and that they
may give thought." [16:44]
Notice that the Prophet's explanation of the
Qur'an is not given in the
Qur'an itself but in the Hadith. For Muslims, the
words in the Qur'an are
SEPARATE AND DISTINCT from the words of the
Prophet, pbuh.
At places Allah differentiates clearly between
the BOOK and the MEANING in
that book (which as seen above was explained by
the Prophet, pbuh):
"We have revealed for you a Book in which is your
ZIKR. Will you not then
understand." [21:10] or "Zikr for you."
It is this "zikr" within the Book which is
explained by the Prophet, pbuh,
and is enunciated in Hadith.
Then Allah widens the meaning of Zikr and applies
the word to cover all the
sanctities of Islam, the entire spiritual and
physical life of the believers,
of which formal prayer and zakat are only a part.
The Qur'an is the center of
this Zikr, but the Zikr covers the entire area of
life itself:
"...people whom neither sale nor trade can divert
from the ZIKR of Allah, nor
from regular prayer, nor from paying zakat. Their
only fear is for the Day
when hearts and eyes will be turned about."
[24:37]
The Islamic way of life, as established by the
Prophet, pbuh, includes the
Qur'an and the entire way of life based on prayer
(salat). All of it is Zikr
and is safeguarded by Allah, as in 15:9. Note
well this comprehensive meaning
of Zikr:
"Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration
to thee (o Muhammad), and
establish regular prayer, for prayer restrains
from shameful and evil deeds:
and ZIKR of Allah is the greatest without doubt.
And Allah knows the (deeds)
that ye do." [29:45]
Among the Qur'an's content is a strong element of
admonition as well as of
good news. The Qur'an connects the Prophet's role
of being a warner (nazeer)
and Bashir (bringer of good tidings) with its own
purpose. The verse about
admonition also indicates clearly that the ZIKR
is the meaning of the Qur'an
and not the WORDS of the Qur'an:
"Sa'ad: By the Qur'an, full of Admonition [ZIKR],
but the unbelievers are
steeped in self-glory and opposition ..."
[38:1-2]
Every Muslim, man and woman, is involved not only
in reciting the Qur'an but
in the process of life enunciated by the Prophet
(pbuh). Hence the true
believers, MEN and WOMEN are "ZAKIRIN Allaha
kathiran- waz- ZAKIRAT." [33:35]
[Men and women who engage much in Allah's
remembrance.]
Once we have clarified the fact that by
safeguarding ZIKR, Allah is
safeguarding the entire Islamic way of life,
including the Qur'an, let us
note that the Qur'an sanctifies the example of
the Prophet (pbuh) as
essential to Islam and hence blesses and
safeguards the Prophet, the sahaba
(r.a.) and the authentic role model enshrined in
the Hadith:
THE ZIKR OF MUHAMMAD (pbuh)
At a time of great stress and difficulty, the
Qur'an prophesied for Muhammad
(pbuh) that his Zikr or remembrance would be
raised high in exaltation:
"And We raised high your ZIKR." [94:4]
Thus we find the name of Muhammad (pbuh) honored
and exalted next to Allah's
in Adhan, iqama, khutba, kalima-e-tayyaba,
attahiyat, etc. Of special
significance is the ZIKR of Muhammad (pbuh) in
the Adhan, the call to prayer,
which takes place FIVE TIMES A DAY around the
world, from
Nigeria
to Morocco
to
Sudan,
from Arabia to
Pakistan
to
Indonesia
to
the Philippines. This call
in which the ZIKR of Muhammad (pbuh) is exalted
is referred to in the Qur'an
but neither the command to give the Adhan nor the
words of the Adhan are
given in the Qur'an.
IF THE ADHAN WERE NOT ENSHRINED IN THE HADITH,
the entire fabric of the
Islamic world, which is knit into UNITY by the
adhan would not have existed.
The ZIKR of Muhammad (pbuh) is a telling proof
that Allah safeguards the
Prophet's ZIKR (pbuh) as much as Allah safeguards
the Qur'an.
THE PATTERN of EXCELLENCE and
THE ROLE MODEL for CHARACTER
The Qur'an gives Muslims the example of Muhammad
(pbuh) as the pattern of
excellence.
"Surely in the messenger of Allah, ye have the
pattern of excellence for one
whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day, and who
does much ZIKR of Allah."
[33:21]
Allah reassures the Prophet (pbuh) and the
believers who follow his example:
"And thou are endowed with an exalted standard of
character (and morality)."
[68:4]
All Muslims believe that the Qur'an's teachings
are for ALL time to come.
Like yesterday and today, tomorrow too Muslims,
following the Qur'an, will
NEED to know that pattern of excellence of the
messenger of Allah (pbuh).
Same is true of the Prophet's (pbuh), personal
character and morality. Other
than in hints and references, it is NOT given in
the Qur'an. If that pattern
and that character were not SAFEGUARDED by ALLAH,
Muslims would not be able
to follow these important teachings of the
Qur'an.
In the HADITH, Allah has safeguarded both the
pattern of excellence and the
standard of character. How Muhammad (peace be on
him) lived and died, how he
prayed and fasted, how he fought and made peace,
how he treated women and
children, how he dealt with slavery and
oppression, how he distributed wealth
and transformed society, the SHARIA, the Law and
its application .... all
that is SAFEGUARDED by Allah in the Hadith. All
that is part of Zikr of
Muhammad (pbuh) and part of the LARGER ZIKR which
encompasses the Muslim's
entire life.
The Qur'an and the Hadith are intertwined and
impossible to be cut off from
each other.
The SAHABA (companions) of the Prophet are the
people who transmitted BOTH
the Qur'an and the Hadith. The way of the Sahaba
[with whom Allah is well
pleased] is SAFEGUARDED by Allah, otherwise how
could they have successfully
transmitted the Qur'an and the Hadith to future
generations.
Thus when the Jews attack Hadith and the Pervezis
try to say that the Qur'an
is safeguarded by Allah and the authentic Hadith
of the Prophet (pbuh) is not
safeguarded by Allah, they are flying in the face
of the Qur'an and are
actually saying NO to the ENTIRE ISLAMIC WAY of
Life. They are denying Zikr
of Allah and the Zikr of Muhammad (pbuh). They
must be confronted and
defeated on the battlefield of ideas.
[To be continued in Part II]
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2003-05-05 Mon 19:30ct