The Preservation of Hadith by Ibrahim Madani

The way our love for our parents is understood by realization of the sacrifices they made for us, likewise our realization of how úadīth were preserved, their authority in Islam, and the work and sacrifices of the úadīth masters in the science of úadīth, helps increase our love and adoration for our predecessors. In addition, we will appreciate the true value of úadīth and be more scrupulous before judging a hadith as weak.

Allah (SWTH) states in the Qur’an:

Indeed Allah (SWTH) has already done a favor to the believers, when He raised amongst them a messenger from themselves to recite to them His verses, purify them and teach them the book and the wisdom.

This aya explains one of the most important responsibilities of the beloved Blessed Prophet (PBUH): to teach the Book. This responsibility consists of not just teaching the pronunciation and reading of the Book [as that is already covered in the first responsibility, i.e. ‘to recite to them His verses’], but more importantly, the meaning of the Qur’an. It would be meaningless for a Muslim to try to understand the meaning and message of the Qur’an without the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) as a teacher to explain it to us.

Proficiency in the Arabic language alone cannot help us grasp the meaning of the Qur’an. Remember, the ýaúóba , who spoke fluent Arabic, always turned to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) to understand the deeper meanings of the Qur’an. The Qur’an’s words and its meanings were explained both verbally and practically by the Blessed Prophet (PBUH). These sayings and explanations of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) are called úódõth and provide us with the the most authentic commentary of the Qur’an. Therefore, Allah’s (SWTH) promise to preserve the Qur’an meant preservation of the aúódõth as well.

However the preservation of words alone serves little purpose. For example, if the Qur’an commands Muslims to establish üalót, but we are unable to understand what this command entails [such as how to perform it], then what benefit is there in preserving the words “establish the üalót?” This proves that the preservation of the Qur’an, by necessity, includes preservation of the úódõth. Without úódõth, the õmón of a Muslim is incomplete. After all, how do we know that the Qur’an is the book of Allah (SWTH)?

If we know the Qur’an and its place, it is only because the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) said, “This is the Qur’an; it is the word of Allah (SWTH).” If we were to reject this Hadīth of the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) then the whole foundation of Islam collapses. We would not know that the Qur’an is what it claims to be.

Allah (SWTH) says to the Blessed Prophet (PBUH) in the Qur’an:

And We have sent unto you the message, that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.

This aya proves that the fundamental role of úódõth is to reveal the meaning of the Qur’an, which means that the Qur’an cannot be understood without the ahadith.