The Preservation of Hadith by Ibrahim Madani

The Blessed Prophet (PBUH) received two types of divine revelations. One is the spoken [matluww] and the second, the unspoken [ghair-matluww]. The spoken revelation is that which is recited [i.e., the Qur’an]; the unspoken revelation is that which is not recited [i.e., the aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH)]. An indication of the roots of the unspoken revelation can be found in the ayas of the Qur’an. Allah (SWTH) says in the Holy Qur’an: And We appointed the qibla to which you were used only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels.3

To gain a broader understanding of this aya, it is important that we look into its historical background.

Shortly after the migration to Madina, the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) and the Sahaba were told to pray towards Masjid al-Aqüó in Jerusalem. Masjid al-Aqüó became the qibla of the Muslims for seventeen months. After seventeen months, the order to pray towards Masjid al-Aqüó was abrogated and Muslims were ordered to pray towards Makka. This order was established through the following aya:

Turn your faces towards al-Masjid al-Haram.

And We appointed the qibla to which you were used only to test those who followed the messenger from those who would turn on their heels.

In this aya, Allah (SWTH) mentions the first order, which was to face towards Jerusalem, as His own order. This impresses upon the reader the fact that Allah (SWTH) himself was behind the order to face Masjid al-Aqsa. But when we read the Qur’an we do not find any such aya in which Allah (SWTH) ordered the Muslims to pray towards Jerusalem. The fact is that this order came from the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) and not from any aya of the Qur’an. The aya does not say, “The Blessed Prophet (PBUH) enacted the order…” rather it says, “We appointed the qibla….” This brings us to the understanding that the order of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) is no different from the order of Allah (SWTH). The proof is so self-evident it does not require any further clarification. This clear statement from the Qur’an regarding the order given by the Blessed Prophet () demonstrates a fundamental belief about the aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH): that they are a form of revelation. And this is what is known as the unspoken or unrecited revelation.

The aya mentioned above also reveals some other important points:

1. A special type of revelation was sent to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) which was not a part of the Qur’an.

2. These revelations were from Allah (SWTH).

3. Similarly, the rulings that derived from the unspoken revelations were also the rulings of Allah (SWTH).

All the Sahaba were obligated to fulfill the orders of the unspoken revelations in the same manner as they were the spoken revelation [Qur’an]. Some orders were revealed to test the õmón of the Muslims, particularly those orders that were revealed through the unspoken revelation, to see whether they obeyed the orders. Many other examples could be cited, but they have not been mentioned for the sake of brevity.

While this aforementioned proof highlights the importance of the Ahadith and their validity as an authority in Islam, it also establishes that the preservation of the Qur’an includes preservation of the úódõth. The Qur’an itself is the essence of Islamic thought and is the final word in this matter. The Qur’an states:

"Whosoever follows the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) has followed Allah".

In this aya the Qur’an orders us to adhere to the way of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH), as adherence to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) is adherence to Allah (SWTH). Once, a woman came to the famous Sahabi, ‘Abd Allah ibn Masood . She said, “I have heard you stop people from doing certain things even though I have read the Qur’an from cover to cover and I have never read the Qur’an ordering us to abstain from these things.” ‘Abd Allóh ibn Masood replied, “Had you read the Qur’an you would have found it. Have you not read this aya of the Qur’an:

"Whatever the Prophet (PBUH) gives you, accept it; and whatever he disapproves of, abstain from it".

From this incident we learn that this aya incorporates the aúódõth of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) and establishes the authority of the Ahadith in Islam.