WHEN WAS THE HADITH WRITTEN?

by Dr. Kaukab Siddique [Pennsylvania]
Is It True That Hadith Were Not Written in the time of the Prophet, pbuh?
Were Qur’an and Hadith transmitted by same people or different ones?

Question from Sis. N. in Detroit

I am originally from Iran, moving to real Islam, Qur’an and Hadith. I read a good book by Fazlur Rahman (Chicago University) but it confused me on some points. He writes, Hadith was written in third century after the Prophet. New Trend’s web site says follow Qur’an and Hadith. I am confused please explain why Hadith was not written in time of the Prophet ?

ANSWER by Kaukab Siddique:

Unfortunately it seems from his writings that Dr. Fazlur Rahman was significantly influenced by Christian missionaries and Jewish orientalists.

His writings were such that they confused the Muslims of Pakistan. However he had the support of the military government, but eventually was defeated and fled to America where he was immediately given a senior position at Chicago University to teach Islam.

Both the Qur’an and the Hadith were written down in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Qur’an is the word of Allah revealed to Muhammad (peace be on him). The Hadith is the commentary, explanation, implementation of the Qur’an by Muhammad (pbuh). Both are interlinked and essential to each other. No authentic Islamic scholar has ever tried to say that Hadith is not necessary or was written later.

The people who wrote down the Qur’an, on bits and pieces of materials, were the SAHABA or companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Paper and printing were not available at that time. So, people could not go around with printed and bound copies of the Qur’an. Even the collation and putting together of the Qur’an was done by the SAHABA so that the Qur’an became a BOOK between two covers after the Prophet (pbuh) passed away. This great work was done under the supervision of Abu Bakr, Umar, Osman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all) who were the first four rightly guided Caliphs of Islam.
The same SAHABA also wrote and transmitted the Hadith and made sure that nothing was falsely attributed to the Prophet (pbuh).

The QUR’AN was also MEMORIZED by the Sahaba. In fact few of them had it in writing but many of them knew it from memory. The cross checking of memory with writing was carried out to make sure that the Qur’an as revealed to the Prophet, pbuh, was transmitted to future generations.

The HADITH was also memorized by the SAHABA and transmitted to future generations. Any scholar of Hadith had to MEMORIZE the HADITH from the written collections of the Sahaba and then RECITE IT FROM MEMORY to his/her teacher. Thus an accurate record of the Prophet’s, pbuh, life and teachings was enshrined in the scholarship of the Muslim world.

In the era after the SAHABA various kinds of sects arose which tried to disseminate their own versions of the Qur’an. Some of them claimed that Hazrat Ali (r.a.) had received suras of the Qur’an from the Prophet, pbuh, which no one else had. The scholars of the line of Ali (r.a.) and Fatima (r.a.), such as Imam Jafar and Imam Baqir, were able to repudiate these claims because they had the Qur’an both by memory and in writing.

Similarly attempts were made to invent “Hadith.”

This was a very serious effort by Kings and emperors who wanted religion to justify their tyranny and to creatre a “tame Islam.” The problem was aggravated by the fact that various SAHABA had migrated to various cities, and after they passed away, various people could claim that they had heard Hadith from them.

It was in that context that great scholars like Imam Bukhari stepped forward to ENSURE that fabrications did not enter the corpus of Hadith. I think that these scholars were a bit too strict and as a result they sometimes designated as “weak” even those Hadith which were authentic but which would not pass the test of extremely severe scrutiny.

Imam Bukhari and other imams are the ones Dr. Fazlur Rahman was abusing when he claimed that Hadith was written in the third century after the Prophet. Fazlur Rahman really was quite ignorant of Hadith and hence recklessly fell into the trap set for him by Christian missionaries and Jewish orientalists.

WAS HADITH WRITTEN in the TIME OF THE PROPHET (pbuh)?

Yes! the evidence is overwhelming.

Here is one sample from a prominent companion of the Prophet, pbuh, Abdullah ibn Umru ibn al-Aas. It is authenticated by two distinct and separate compilers of Hadith, Abu Dawud in his Sunan (chapter kitabut al-ilm) and Darimi in his Musnad (chapter on Rukhs fi kitabut al-ilm):

“Whatever I heard from the messenger of Allah, peace be on him, I would write it down so as to be able to memorize it. Then some in the Quraish (tribe) said to me: You write down whatever you hear though the messenger of Allah is a human being and speaks both in anger and in joy. On hearing that I stopped writing and then I mentioned this to the messenger of Allah. He pointed with his finger to his mouth and said: Write on! By Him in whose Hand is my being, no word comes out of this mouth but the Truth.”
Abdullah ibn Umru (r.a.) collected the Hadith he had written in the presence of the Prophet (pbuh) in a book titled Al-Sadiqa. Abdullah said: “There are two things I love in life: Al-Sadiqa and al-Wahat.” He explained: “Al-Sadiqa is that manuscript which I heard and wrote from the messenger of Allah and Wahat is that land which (my father) Umru ibn al-Aas donated to the cause of Allah and which I take care of.” [Darimi’s Sunan.]

The compendium Tahzeeb al-Tahzeeb tells us that on the death of Abdullah, r.a, the manuscript of Al-Sadiqa was secured by his grandson Shuaib bin Muhammad and then transmitted to the next generation by his son also named Umru. THE HADITH WRITTEN BY Abdullah, r.a., DIRECTLY FROM THE PROPHET, pbuh, AND AT HIS COMMAND, are to be found in the collections of Hadith which we have under this chain of narration:

“From Umru son of Shuaib from his father from his grandfather.” As Hadith is a very strict discipline, some classical scholars wanted to classify the collection as Mursal because they thought the grandson should have SAT DOWN IN FRONT OF THE GRANDFATHER AND RECITED THE WHOLE COLLECTION TO HIM FROM MEMORY! However, some of the greatest scholars of Hadith, like Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, accept the authenticity of Al-Sadiqa.

What makes Al-Sadiqa’s authenticity irrefutable is that it was also transmitted by OTHER STUDENTS of Abdullah (r.a.) who had nothing to do with his grandson.

So, don’t let anyone tell you that Hadith was not written in the time of the Prophet, pbuh.

FINALLY, spend a couple of months in trying to understand this verse of the Qur’an. It will help you to understand why the Hadith is essential and ALWAYS goes with the Qur’an:

“The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers. [33:6 ]

EVERY WORD OF THE QURAN WAS TRANSMITTED THROUGH HADITH

 

courtesy: fonsvitae

How the Qur’an was Transmitted. Every verse was  connected to Hadith. 
Answering the Fitna of Rejection of Hadith. 

The following is a segment of the Juma Khutba given by Dr. Kaukab Siddique in Baltimore on October 25:

1. The Book called the Qur’an was with Allah and was revealed to Muhammad, pbuh, over a period of 23 years.

2. Each time it was revealed, it was a WAHI or revelation on his heart and soul, NEVER IN WRITING.

3. He would be helped by the Angel to memorize it. Then he would recite it to one of few Companions who could write and the sahabi would write. The Prophet, pbuh, himself could NEITHER READ nor WRITE.

4. When the Prophet, pbuh, would tell a Companion what had been revealed and ask him to write, that was Hadithe Muhammad, pbuh. Thus EVERY VERSE in the Qur’an was transmitted by hadith.

5. In Madina, the Prophet, pbuh, instituted writing as a skill among the converts to Islam. Thus as longer and longer suras were revealed, there were more and more katibs [scribes] to write them down.

6. The Book was with Allah and was gradually revealed VERBALLY, not in writing, to the Prophet, pbuh. This should be clear to all.

6. Thus when the world IQRA is translated as read or recite, it meant that Allah was going to educate the Prophet, pbuh, to be able to recite the Book coming down [nazil] from heaven.

7. When the Qur’an says, “Book”, it is not implying that the whole book had been revealed right away. The whole Book was with Allah.

8. As time went on, the Prophet, pbuh, through Allah’s Guidance told the sahaba [his Companions] which Sura to place where. Thus the first revelation, Alaq or Iqra became sura 96.

9. Again all this arrangement of the Qur’an was through Hadith, the Prophet’s directions to the sahaba,

10. Sometimes, a few words were placed by the Prophet, pbuh, within an entire sura which had already been revealed. Again, this is Hadith in action. The Qur’an thus is UNTHINKABLE without hadith. There is no Islam without Muhammad, pbuh.

The Qur’an uses the term RECITE in various forms, such as YATLU, TATLU, ATLU, YATALA. The role of the Prophet’s, pbuh, hadith, is best defined thus in Sura 2 verse 151:

“Allah has conferred a great favor on the believers, sending among them a messenger from among themselves, who RECITES [YATLU] unto them the Signs of Allah, and purifies them and INSTRUCTS them in the Book and Wisdom.”

The whole process was verbal, not in writing:

“Do not move your tongue concerning the Qur’an to make haste therewith. It is for us to collect it [in your heart], so you may recite it [quranu’hu], and when We have recited it, follow its recital [quranuhu] Nay, more, it is for US to expound it [through your tongue.” [75:16-19]

So, dear Muslims, the Prophet, pbuh, was not carrying a written Book around with him. It was all verbal and became WRITING when the Sahaba, r.a., wrote it down and memorized it.

So, bless the Sahaba, r.a., after you bless the prophet, pbuh, among them the great compiler of the entire revelation, Usman r.a., ibn Affan.

Thus those who say “Qur’an only” or that hadith was produced in the 3rd century are playing into the hands of the Zionists and the Rand Corporation.

EVERY WORD of the Qur’an was transmitted through hadith.

I conclude with this beautiful Hadith:

Fatima Zahra, r.a., narrates: “The Prophet informed me secretly, ‘Jibril used to recite the Qur’an to me and I to him once a year, but this year he has recited the entire Qur’an with me twice. I do not think but that my death is approaching.’ ” [Sahih Bukhari, Fadail al-Qur’an.]

Kaukab Siddique, PhD

Chairperson, Department of Languages and Literature, Interim

WHO WAS ABU HURAIRA r.a?

Who was Abu Huraira RA? (The lover of cats so much that this became his name)

There can be no doubt that Muhammad Mustafa, the final messenger of Allah, pbuh, loved Abu Huraira, r.a. and in turn Abu Huraira, r.a., loved Muhammad, pbuh, more than anyone or anything in the world.

Here is a short history to this companion of Prophet Muhammad pbuh who was an avid scribe and noted each and every moment with Prophet Muhammad pbuh in as much detail as possible.

HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT HIM:

• Abu Huraira, r.a., along with 70 others from the Banu Dos tribe, embraced Islam and did Hijrah to join forces with Muhammad, pbuh.
• Abu Huraira, r.a., left everything in the world to embrace the Prophet, pbuh. He took his mother and his slave with him on the journey to Madinah leaving everything else behind. When he reached Madinah, he found that the Prophet, pbuh, was in Khaibar, fighting a Jewish tribe.
• Abu Huraira, r.a., joined the Prophet, pbuh, in the final days of the battle at Khaibar, in the 7th year of the Hijrah. His first act on meeting the Prophet, pbuh, was TO FREE HIS SLAVE. Islam teaches the freeing the slaves and Abu Huraira, r.a., started his life with the Prophet, pbuh, by freeing his slave.
• The Prophet, pbuh, took Abu Huraira, r.a., with him on a series of Jihad expeditions immediately after the battle of Khaibar. Some eyewitness narrations of these expeditions by Abu Huraira, r.a., are available in Hadith and in early history books. The purpose was to ward off attacks by Jewish and other tribes, which were moving to attack the Muslims. For instance there is a narration by Abu Huraira about the expedition of Wadi al-Qurra in Tabari’s TARIKH, vol. 3. A very severe expedition was that of Zaat ar-raqa’a. Some details in Bukhari’s Sahih indicate that there was only one camel for six mujahideen. They rode by turns and the rough terrain tore up the feet of the Sahaba. Abu Huraira, r.a., prayed Salatul Khauf with the Prophet, pbuh, on this expedition. 
[Bukhari’s Sahih, vol. 2]
• Abu Huraira, r.a., then took part in major Islamic moves by the Prophet’s, pbuh, army, including the CONQUEST of MAKKA, 8 Hijri, BATTLE of HUNAIN,, and in the expedition of TABOOK, 9 Hijri. Tabook was very difficult and required a journey of 350 miles in severe summer weather, which challenged the Romans for 20 days and foiled their attack plans. 
[See Bukhari’s Sahih, vol. 2, for Abu Huraira’s participation.]
• After these major moves, the Prophet, pbuh, also sent out Abu Huraira, r.a., in smaller raids to stop various threats. On one such occasion, the Prophet, pbuh, said to Abu Huraira, r.a. “I put you under Allah’s Trust and safeguard and He is the one whose Trust is never wasted.” 
[ Sunan of Ibn Maja, vol.2]
• During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Usman [Allah be pleased with all three], Abu Huraira, r.a., continued to participate in Jihad. One of the HISTORY CHANGING battles in Islamic history was the BATTLE OF YARMOUK, which brought down the power of the Roman Empire. The historian Ibn Asakir in his Tarikh Damishq writes that the Banu Azd, with its sub group of the Banu Dos, with Abu Huraira, r.a., in its core, was on the RIGHT WING of the Islamic army. The huge Roman army attacked and the outnumbered Muslims would have been wiped out but for the leadership of great companions of the Prophet, pbuh, such as Abu Huraira. Ibn Asakir quotes Abu Huraira, r.a., as he rallied the mujahideen. Abu Huraira said:

“O valiant believers! The hoories of Paradise are awaiting you. Prepare yourself to meet them. Prepare to gain the approach to Allah and to be accepted by Allah. At this time, no place is dearer to Allah than the one where you are standing.”

The ferocious Roman onslaught was beaten back. At that point, another 20,000 Romans attacked the small group led by Abu Huraira, r.a. Khalid ibn al-Waleed, r.a., the overall commander of the Islamic army noted the severe pressure on the right wing of his forces. He launched an all out attack on the Romans and routed them. Yarmouk changed the history of the Middle East forever.

Other historians, Ibn Athir, Ibn Kathir, have noted the participation of Abu Huraira in Jihad as far away as Jilan and Jurjan during the Caliphate of ‘Usman, r.a.

WHY DO SOME SECTARIANS ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THIS COMPANION OF OUR RASOOL PBUH? CLICK HERE TO READ……..


[KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS: r.a. = radi Allah unh =Allah be pleased with him.] 
[pbuh = peace be on him. ]

WHO PROTECTS THE HADITH? PART TWO OF THREE

Ladies going to the mosque: a way o life in muslim countries: courtesy: http://vladimirkagan.typepad.com/vladimir-kagans-blog/2011/06/our-fabulous-visit-to-istanbul.html

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.

PART TWO

FOR PART ONE CLICK HERE…..

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).

PART TWO

THE DIMENSIONS OF “ZIKR “”

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 one part. The Qur’an is the center of this Zikr, but the Zikr covers the entire area of life itself:

رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ ۙ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ ﴿٣٧﴾

“…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 (Salah). All of it is Zikr and is safeguarded by Allah, as in 15:9. Note well this comprehensive meaning of Zikr:

اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ ۖ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّـهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٤٥

“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]

In the content of the Quran there is a strong element of admonition as well as 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:

ص ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ ﴿١﴾ بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ﴿٢

“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 also in the process of life enunciated by the Prophet (pbuh). Hence the true believers, MEN and WOMEN are :

وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّـهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٣٥﴾

“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:

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ ﴿٤﴾

“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 call 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.

CONTINUED IN PART THREE TOMORROW INSHALLAH……..

CLICK HERE FOR PART ONE……..