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Islam and Scripture: Difference between revisions
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The ''Hadith'' (الحديث ahadith, plural) are traditions of Muhammad which provide information about him and his life. They are usually narrations about a certain incident in which he said, did, or tacitly approved of something. Unlike the Qur'an, the books that contain them are usually arranged in some logical fashion. The majority of Islamic law and belief derives from the hadiths. The hadith are said to be of varying authenticity according to the Islamic tradition, with some considered to be so reliable that to reject them would be tantamount to disbelief. Historians are less certain about the reliability of the hadith, as they were supposedly transmitted orally and written down, for the most part, some 150-200 years after Muhammad's death. | The ''Hadith'' (الحديث ahadith, plural) are traditions of Muhammad which provide information about him and his life. They are usually narrations about a certain incident in which he said, did, or tacitly approved of something. Unlike the Qur'an, the books that contain them are usually arranged in some logical fashion. The majority of Islamic law and belief derives from the hadiths. The hadith are said to be of varying authenticity according to the Islamic tradition, with some considered to be so reliable that to reject them would be tantamount to disbelief. Historians are less certain about the reliability of the hadith, as they were supposedly transmitted orally and written down, for the most part, some 150-200 years after Muhammad's death. | ||
=== | ===Quranism and the importance of hadith=== | ||
{{Main|Quranism}}The Qur'an, often presented as the exclusive domain of God's commands, also contains numerous injunctions from Muhammad himself, and indeed commands obedience of Muhammad. Traditionally, therefore, the hadiths have been viewed as an Islamic scripture of fundamental importance, without which Islam as it is known could not exist, since the Quran contains a relatively paltry amount of legal, ritual, and doctrinal content when compared to the hadith literature.{{Quote|{{Quran|4|80}}|'''He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah''': But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds).}}In recent times, a small minority of Islamic thinkers and modernists identifying as 'Quranists' have tried to reinterpret Islam from the ground up relying only on the Quran while at the same time disqualifying the hadith effectively wholesale, either on the basis of their historical questionability or on the basis of their at times troubling content. This has vexed traditionalist scholars, who consider the hadith to be of fundamental importance and without which, they point out, Muslims would have no solid epistemological grounding for such integral items as the rituals of the daily Islamic prayer, among other things. | {{Main|Quranism}}The Qur'an, often presented as the exclusive domain of God's commands, also contains numerous injunctions from Muhammad himself, and indeed commands obedience of Muhammad. Traditionally, therefore, the hadiths have been viewed as an Islamic scripture of fundamental importance, without which Islam as it is known could not exist, since the Quran contains a relatively paltry amount of legal, ritual, and doctrinal content when compared to the hadith literature.{{Quote|{{Quran|4|80}}|'''He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah''': But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds).}}In recent times, a small minority of Islamic thinkers and modernists identifying as 'Quranists' have tried to reinterpret Islam from the ground up relying only on the Quran while at the same time disqualifying the hadith effectively wholesale, either on the basis of their historical questionability or on the basis of their at times troubling content. This has vexed traditionalist scholars, who consider the hadith to be of fundamental importance and without which, they point out, Muslims would have no solid epistemological grounding for such integral items as the rituals of the daily Islamic prayer, among other things. | ||
===Uswa | ===Uswa hasana=== | ||
:''Main Article:'' ''[[Uswa Hasana]], See also [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad|Muhammad's Sunnah]]'' | :''Main Article:'' ''[[Uswa Hasana]], See also [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad|Muhammad's Sunnah]]'' | ||
In Islam, Muhammad is known as '' | In the mainstream theology of Sunni Islam, the Prophet Muhammad is known as ''al-Insān al-Kāmil'' (lit. "the perfect human") and ''uswa hasana'' (lit. "an excellent model"). This is taken to mean that his conduct in all things, from how he prayed, how he conducted himself in business and in war, his sexual relations with his wives, slaves and concubines, and even how he cleaned himself after defecation and urination is an exemplar and model for all humans to follow at all times, regardless of historical circumstance and independent of culture. This conception of Muhammad as the perfect man is the basis upon which the hadith, which describe his life, are used to formulate Islamic law and doctrine. | ||
===Sahih=== | ===Sahih=== | ||
{{Main|Sahih}}''Sahih'' (صَحِيْح) is an Arabic word that means genuine/authentic/sound. It is used in classification of ahadith and is the highest level of authenticity given to a narration that | {{Main|Sahih}}''Sahih'' (صَحِيْح) is an Arabic word that means genuine/authentic/sound. It is used in classification of ahadith and is the highest level of authenticity given to a narration that passes the highest level of traditional methods of authentication. Therefore, in orthodox Islam, when refusing to accept the content of a narration, one must generally prove that a sahih hadith is in fact inauthentic in order to reject it, since rejection based on a dislike for the attested actions/statements of the prophet is not considered a rigorous, consistent, or reliable basis for rejection. Historians assessments of hadiths follow a different methodology and cannot be predicted reliably based on the traditional authentication given to a hadith alone, although this can be a factor (often indirectly) in their analysis. | ||
===Daleel=== | ===Daleel=== | ||
{{Main|Daleel}}'' | {{Main|Daleel}}Daleel (دليل, pl. ''adillah'') is an Arabic word meaning evidence or proof, and in the terminology of [[Islamic jurisprudence]], the word refers to anything that is used to deduce and justify a ruling or [[fatwa]] from the [[Shariah]], or [[Islamic Law]]. While there exist numerous specific types of daleels arranged in a hierarchy, as understood variously by the different schools of Islamic law, all generally agree today that among the most important daleels are, in order, the [[Qur'an]], [[Hadith]], Ijma (consensus of Islamic scholars or [[Muhammad]]'s [[companions]]), and some form of Qiyas (analogical reasoning). | ||
In regards to Islamic hadith, Daleel can either be Maudu (fabricated), Da`if (weak), Hasan (good), or Sahih (authentic). Generally in Islam, only the authentic (sahih) and good (hasan) hadiths are used in deriving the rules. The weak (da`if) hadiths are of much lesser value for the purpose of formulating sharia, and the fabricated (Maudu) narrations are not even considered to be hadith at all (but can sometimes be useful as representatives of common perspectives circulating at the time of the fabricated hadith's origination). | |||
==Criticism of the hadith== | ==Criticism of the hadith== | ||
===Weak and | ===Weak and fabricated hadith=== | ||
{{Main|Mawdu' (Fabricated Hadith)}} | {{Main|Mawdu' (Fabricated Hadith)}}While traditional Islamic scholars have generally disallowed the very weak and fabricated hadiths from playing any role whatsoever in the formation of doctrine and law, many of them have, in varying capacities, permitted the use of unreliable hadiths in preaching, particularly where the hadith regards a topic without legal or doctrinal consequence. Examples of this include hadiths which give details about stories regarding the lives of other prophets, stories without legal consequence having to do with the life of Muhammad, and hadiths which comment on the merit or dis-merit of some deed and what its consequences will be in the hereafter. An example of the second of these three common genres is the story regarding Muhammad visiting the vicious Jew he had for a neighbor while she was sick. The last of these three genres most very often feature hadiths which say something to the effect of how many good deeds or heavenly rewards a believer gets if they recite some prayer or set of verses a given number of times. | ||
===Contradictions=== | ===Contradictions=== | ||
{{Main|Contradictions in the Hadith}} | {{Main|Contradictions in the Hadith}}While the sheer vastness of the hadith literature coupled with the large percentage of it that is admittedly inauthentic virtually necessitates the presence of contradictions, critics and historians have pointed out that even among those limited number of traditions graded as very reliable by Muslim scholars, there exist contradictions which can only be resolved through the most inventive hermeneutical techniques, which, needless to say, strain credulity. Historians have referenced these contradictions to argue that traditional system whereby Islamic scholars have tried to ascertain the reliability of hadiths is itself not reliable.{{Quote|{{Muslim|41|7005}}| | ||
Ibn Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). made a mention of Dajjil in the presence of the people and said: Allah is not one-eyed and behold that Dajjal is blind of the right eye and his eye would be like a floating grape.}}{{Quote|{{Muslim|41|7010}}| | Ibn Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). made a mention of Dajjil in the presence of the people and said: Allah is not one-eyed and behold that Dajjal is blind of the right eye and his eye would be like a floating grape.}}{{Quote|{{Muslim|41|7010}}| | ||
Hudhalfa reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Dajjal is blind of left eye with thick hair and there would be a garden and fire with him and his fire would be a garden and his garden would be fire.}} | Hudhalfa reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Dajjal is blind of left eye with thick hair and there would be a garden and fire with him and his fire would be a garden and his garden would be fire.}} | ||
===Scientific | ===Scientific errors=== | ||
{{Main|Scientific Errors in the Hadith}} | {{Main|Scientific Errors in the Hadith}}A common criticism of the [[Hadith]], [[Scientific Errors in the Quran|as with the Quran]], is that they contain numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and historical errors, with no obvious attempts to differentiate their understanding of the natural world and historical events from the common folklore and misconceptions of the people living in 7<sup>th</sup> century Arabia. Modern responses typically appeal to metaphor, alternative meanings, or phenomenological interpretations of such hadiths. They also argue that the wording needed to be acceptable to people of its time. Critics typically argue that an all-knowing, perfect communicator would nevertheless have been able to guide the avoidance of statements in the Hadith that reinforced misconceptions of the time, caused future generations to have doubts about its perfection, and on a scale that critics contend is an overwhelming weakness. | ||
===Absurdities=== | ===Absurdities=== | ||
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars: Remarkable and Strange Islamic Traditions}} | {{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars: Remarkable and Strange Islamic Traditions}}The Islamic tradition is truly vast, and covers an impressive number of different topics, often including surprising stories, anecdotes and injunctions. Some of these traditions are truly strange or noteworthy in their own right. As with contradictions, historians and critics (who also cite the scientific errors), have argued that the presence of absurd anecdotes among those hadiths that have been graded very reliable by traditional scholars directly undermines the traditional method of grading hadiths.{{Quote|{{Muslim|30|5654}}|Jabir b. Samura reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying : I recognise the stone in Mecca which used to pay me salutations before my advent as a Prophet and I recognise that even now.}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|188}}|Narrated 'Amr bin Maimun: During the pre-lslamic period of ignorance I saw a she-monkey surrounded by a number of monkeys. They were all stoning it, because it had committed illegal sexual intercourse. I too, stoned it along with them.}} | ||
==Other important texts== | ==Other important texts== | ||
===Tafsirs=== | ===Tafsirs=== | ||
{{Main|Tafsir}}Tafsirs are commentaries written by scholars, | {{Main|Tafsir}}Tafsirs are commentaries written by scholars, generally relying on the hadith collections, to explain the meanings of verses in the Qur'an (as the Qur'an itself does not provide the context of its verses). The most respected and widely used being the ''Tafsir ibn Kathir''. Modern Islamic scholars often deflect criticism from the Qur'an by arguing that it must be read in conjunction with an authoritative tafsir. Critics have argued, in response, that referencing traditional and authoritative tafsirs often renders the passages of the Quran an even less acceptable light. | ||
===Sira=== | ===Sira=== | ||
{{Main|Sirat Rasul Allah}} | {{Main|Sirat Rasul Allah}}Sirat Rasul Allah (<small>Arabic: سيرة رسول الله, Romanization: ''Sīrat Rasūl-Allāh,'' Abv: ''Sirat''</small>), or Biography of the Prophet of Allah, refers to the collected biographies of [[Muhammad]]. It is also the title of one of the most important early Siras, namely that of Ibn Ishaq. In addition to the [[hadith]] (oral account of [[Muhammad]]'s statements and actions), the Sirat provides an integral foundation to the [[sunnah]] (example, customs, and practices) set forth by [[Muhammad]]. Throughout Islamic history, the Siras and [[Sunnah]] have established the foundation of much of [[Islamic Law|Islamic Law (Shariah)]] and [[Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)|Jurisprudence (Fiqh)]], including but not limited to the [[Five Pillars of Islam|Five Pillars of Islam]], societal code, and dietary standards. The biggest contribution of the Siras to the hadith is in their serving as a reference point whereby an attempt can be made to chronologize the events reported piecemeal in the hadiths. | ||
===Books of | ===Books of fiqh=== | ||
{{Main|Fiqh}}Books of Islamic jurisprudence (فقه Fiqh) are complimentary expansions of the Shari'ah (Qur'an and Sunnah), written by Islamic jurists (experts on | {{Main|Fiqh}}Books of Islamic jurisprudence (فقه Fiqh) are complimentary expansions of the Shari'ah (Qur'an and Sunnah), written by Islamic jurists (experts on Islamic law). ''Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law'' (''Umdat Al-Salik''), for instance, is the traditional handbook on Shafi'i law. Translations of these texts in English have been problematic, as translators have often mistranslated the texts where the prove objectionable to modern sensibilities.<ref>An example of such a mistranslation is argued for [http://www.answering-islam.org/Sharia/fem_circumcision.html here], which should be read alongside the full entry for بَظْرٌ in Lane's lexicon available [http://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/02_b/137_bZr.html here].</ref> | ||
==Muhammad in | ==Muhammad in other scriptures== | ||
{{Main|Muhammad in Other Scriptures}}The figure of Muhammad and the religion he founded is often depicted negatively in | {{Main|Muhammad in Other Scriptures}}The figure of Muhammad and the religion he founded is often depicted negatively in religious scriptures that post date him. | ||
In the Bhavishya Purana, one of the eighteen major Hindu Puranas, Muhammad is depicted as a reincarnated demon, Islam as a demonic religion, and its followers as "the corrupters of religion". | In the Bhavishya Purana, one of the eighteen major Hindu Puranas, Muhammad is depicted as a reincarnated demon, Islam as a demonic religion, and its followers as "the corrupters of religion". | ||
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And in the Kālachakra Tantra, a ninth century Tibetan Buddhist text, Muhammad is referred to as a demonic incarnation and a "false impostor". Muslims are described as invading "barbarians", bringing with them the barbarian religion ("mleccha-dharma"), a religion of violence ("himsa-dharma") that also advocates savage behavior ("raudra-karman"). | And in the Kālachakra Tantra, a ninth century Tibetan Buddhist text, Muhammad is referred to as a demonic incarnation and a "false impostor". Muslims are described as invading "barbarians", bringing with them the barbarian religion ("mleccha-dharma"), a religion of violence ("himsa-dharma") that also advocates savage behavior ("raudra-karman"). | ||
==See | ==See also== | ||
*[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars]] - ''This section of WikiIslam lists quotations from the Qur'an, Hadith and Islamic Scholars'' | *[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars]] - ''This section of WikiIslam lists quotations from the Qur'an, Hadith and Islamic Scholars'' | ||