Quran Majeed and Hadith Mubarak are the core of Islam. Quran is the revealed word of Allah and Hadith is the report about the words, deeds, and actions of Rasool Allah (PBUH). In order to understand Islam, it is critical to understand the Quran as well as Hadith. To develop a proper understanding of Islam, it is essential to study and comprehend the Quran in the light of Hadith and the Prophetic tradition.
What actually is Hadith? How does it help us in understanding Islam? And what are the ways in which we can understand Hadith as a discipline? These are the primary inquiries that will be explored in this essay.
By definition, “Hadith involves everything referred to/or reported as the words, deeds, and actions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).” Hadith’s books are the reservoirs of knowledge about his words and actions. The Sahaba (Prophet’s companions) comprehended the Quran under the Prophet’s guidance. However, after the Prophet, his words and actions were persevered by the Sahaba and the larger Muslim community. These Prophetic traditions and approaches were persevered in actions as well as in written and oral traditions. The Hadith encompasses general Islamic practices and actions that the Prophet himself had either practiced, ordered, encouraged, or approved. Rasool Allah (PBUH) himself instructed his companions to preserve his words and actions by remembering them and through written means. He also encouraged Sahaba to pass on his teachings to people, of other places, who were not present with him. The companions vigorously participated in this mission and took his words and Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) to far off lands all over the world. This tradition of transmission of Hadith and Sunnah continues to date.
The responsibility of preserving the Quran and the Prophetic tradition was taken up by the Prophet’s family and companions. Other than the Quran which is the core Islamic text, some Sahaba additionally specialized in the discipline of Hadith by taking special interest in the Prophet’s words and his instructions. Among them who took keen interest were companions like, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Aisha, Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umru bin Al Aas, Hazrat Abu Hurrairah, Hazrat Anas ibn Malik, Hazrat Abu Said Khudri and many others (may Allah be pleased with them all). Some of them inscribed Rasool Allah’s words during his lifetime, with his permission and direction, while others preserved it orally by remembering the words and henceforth passed them on to other people.
The tradition and culture of preserving the Prophet’s words and actions laid down the foundations of ‘Hadith’ as a discipline of Islamic sciences. This led to the perseveration and evolution of Hadith as a groundbreaking discipline that Muslims have practiced and followed throughout centuries since the Prophet’s time. It is important to note that the whole structure of Islamic knowledge and Islamic sciences like Tafseer, Fiqh, Kalaam, and Islamic philosophy rests on the Quran as well as Hadith.
So, how does Hadith help us in understanding Islam? As mentioned earlier, Hadith is the body of discipline that preserves the Prophet’s actions, words, and directions about what Islam is and how Muslims must act according to the laws of the Quran. Quran is the law ordained by Allah, and the Prophet (PBUH) is the perfect example through which we learn about how to act on it.
Every Muslim, man or a woman, loves Rasool Allah (PBUH) more than anything else in this world. Therefore, the love of Rasool Allah necessitates that one must gain enough knowledge about the beloved Prophet. It is important to know his beautiful personality, how he spent his days? How was his routine like? How did he pray? What was his overall approach towards life? How was he to his companions, his family? How did he deal with his foes? How did he act as an army general during the wars he fought to preserve Islam? how did he lead prayers? Understanding all of this, and many other things about him, helps us in understanding Islam in a proper manner.
If Islam can be imagined and envisioned in one personality, it is the personality of Rasool Allah (PBUH). It is reported in the Sahih Muslim that Saad b. Hisham said, “I went to (Hazrat) ‘Aisha and said, “Mother of the faithful, tell me about the conduct of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH).” She asked, “Do you not recite the Quran?” On my replying that I certainly did, she said, “The Prophet’s conduct was the Quran.” Therefore, it is significantly important to explore Prophet’s personality and to understand Islam in the light of Hadith. To clearly envision Prophet’s personality and act according to it, one must explore Hadith.
So, what approach should be adopted to study Hadith? The best way is to find authentic Hadith books and read them regularly. One can easily find them from bookstores in almost all Muslim countries. Among the Sunni school of thought the Al- Sihah Al Sittah (six books of Hadith) namely; Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan Nasai, and Muwatta of Imam Malik, are the canonical books of Hadith which provide the base for the discipline. Among the Shia school Al-Kafi, or more specifically, Usul-e-Kafi, is considered to be major source of Hadith along with three other books collectively called Kutub-e-Arbah (The Four Books).
Additionally, some short versions and introductory books that I personally like, and recommend, are “Riyadh As Salihin” by Imam Yahya bin Sharaf Al Nawawi (available in English and Urdu) and “Muhazarat-e-Hadith” by Dr. Mehmood Ahmed Ghazi (Urdu). Another book by Dr. Muhammad Azeem Farooqi Naqshbandi “Aiye Hadith Seekhiye” (Urdu) is easy to read. These books may be read as an introduction to the discipline of Hadith. While we undertake the learning of Hadith, it is important to know, that on one hand the subject is inspiring and easy, but on the other hand, it requires keen eye of a scholar to bring out the correct and proper meaning intended in Hadith. Hence, reading and understanding Hadith under the guidance of a teacher of Hadith is extremely important and encouraged.
The love of Allah kareem and Rasool Allah (PBUH) is at the heart of Islam. Without love and dedication Islam can neither be preserved nor it can be practiced in its true spirit. Therefore, Hadith is an extraordinary and inspiring discipline that must be taken into study with sincerity of heart for a proper and comprehensive understanding of Islam.
Dr. Taimur Shamil
The writer holds a PhD in International relations. He has a keen interest in Hadith and Tasawwuf. He is based in New York.