Is The Sunnah Divinely Protected Like Quran, And How Does It Differ From Hadith?
1. Zikr Refers to the Quran Alone The claim that al-Zikr refers only to the Quran is valid in many verses, where Zikr clearly signifies the Quran as a divine reminder. However, Islamic scholars have argued that Zikr can also encompass broader divine guidance, including the Sunnah . To fully understand this, we must explore how the Quran and Sunnah interact and how Zikr is understood in different contexts. Zikr as a Reminder of Both the Quran and Prophetic Guidance While the Quran is the most direct form of Zikr , this doesn’t exclude the Sunnah from serving as a practical reminder of divine guidance. The life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a model for believers to follow. For example, in Surah Al-Nahl (16:44), Allah commands the Prophet to clarify the message, and his actions and decisions—recorded in the Sunnah —serve as practical reminders of how to implement the Quran’s teachings. Additionally, in Surah Al-Najm (53:3-4), Allah states that the Prophet “does not speak from his own inclination, but from revelation.” This shows that the Prophet’s actions were inspired by divine revelation, making them a form of Zikr —a practical guide for living according to the Quran. The Role of the Sunnah in Complementing the Quran The Quran is a book of guidance, but it often provides general instructions without detailed steps. For instance, while the Quran commands Muslims to “establish prayer” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:43), it doesn’t specify how to pray. The Sunnah provides the details of prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship, making it a practical form of Zikr that guides Muslims in following Allah’s commandments. The Sunnah acts as a reminder through both scripture and practice. The Quran repeatedly refers to itself as Zikr , but the Prophet’s life is also a model (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:21). Therefore, Zikr can refer to both the Quranic text and the Prophet’s actions, which illustrate how to live according to the Quran. Circumcision and Other Practices as Forms of Remembrance The argument that practices like circumcision cannot be considered Zikr overlooks the broader application of the term. While circumcision isn’t a verbal reminder like Quranic recitation, it is part of Islamic tradition promoting purity. The Quran encourages cleanliness, and the Sunnah upholds such practices. Thus, circumcision, like other acts in the Sunnah , reminds Muslims of their commitment to divine guidance. The Quran Directs Muslims to Follow the Prophet’s Guidance The Quran itself commands believers to follow the Prophet’s example. In Surah Al-Hashr (59:7), it instructs: “Take what the Messenger gives you and refrain from what he forbids.” This shows that the Sunnah plays an essential role in implementing Quranic guidance, serving as a practical reminder of how to live according to Allah’s will. While Zikr often refers to the Quran, it can also include the Sunnah as a practical form of remembrance. The Prophet’s life, guided by divine revelation, complements the Quran and serves as a living reminder of how to follow Allah’s commandments. 2. The Prophet Did Not Issue Any Sunnah in Addition to the Quran Some claim that the Sunnah was a later addition to Islam, and that early Muslims relied solely on the Quran. However, this view contradicts both historical evidence and the Quran itself, which emphasizes the need to follow the Prophet’s guidance. The Quran and Sunnah Were Always Interconnected The Sunnah —the practical application of the Quran—was integral to Islam from the beginning. The Prophet’s companions followed his actions and sought his guidance on practicing their faith. The Quran explicitly links the Prophet’s example to divine guidance, as seen in Surah Al-Najm (53:3-4), which asserts that the Prophet’s speech and actions were divinely guided. The Sunnah as a Model for Future Generations The Quran commands Muslims to follow the Prophet’s example, reinforcing the importance of the Sunnah . In Surah Al-Ahzab (33:21), the Prophet is called “an excellent example” for those who seek Allah. His companions observed how he prayed, fasted, and gave charity, passing these practices on to later generations as the authentic way to follow the Quran’s teachings. The Companions’ Reliance on the Sunnah From the earliest days, the companions of the Prophet relied on both the Quran and Sunnah . When faced with questions about how to practice their faith, they referred to the Prophet’s actions. This reliance on the Sunnah as a source of practical guidance shows that the Sunnah was not an afterthought but a key element of Islam from the very start. Imam Shafi’i’s Contribution to the Formalization of the Sunnah Imam Shafi’i did not invent the Sunnah . Instead, he formalized the methodology of using the Hadith to understand the Sunnah and clarify its role alongside the Quran. His contribution helped preserve the Sunnah and ensure it remained an authoritative source of guidance, complementing the Quran. The Prophet’s Statement About Leaving Only the Quran The claim that the Prophet left only the Quran for his nation is often misunderstood. The Prophet emphasized the Quran to ensure its central role, but he never implied that the Sunnah was unnecessary. The Sunnah , as a living tradition, was always practiced and followed alongside the Quran, providing Muslims with a complete way to live according to divine guidance. The Sunnah was not a later invention; it was practiced from the Prophet’s time and was always meant to complement the Quran. Imam Shafi’i’s role was to clarify the relationship between the Quran and Sunnah , not to add anything new. 3. The Quran Covers 100% of Religion It’s true that the Quran describes itself as a “fully detailed” book (Surah Al-An’am, 6:114; Surah Yusuf, 12:111), but this doesn’t mean it contains every practical detail of religious practice. The Quran lays out general principles, while the Sunnah provides specific instructions on how to implement them. The Quran as a Book of Principles The Quran is comprehensive in its guidance, covering principles of faith, worship, morality, and law. However, it often provides broad commands, such as establishing prayer or fasting, without specifying the exact steps. For instance, the Quran commands prayer, but it doesn’t explain the number of units (rak’ahs) or the sequence of actions—these details are provided by the Sunnah . The Role of the Sunnah in Practical Application The Sunnah plays an essential role in Islam by showing how to apply Quranic principles. The Quran provides the framework, and the Sunnah demonstrates how to put that framework into action. For example, the Quran commands zakah (charity), but the Sunnah clarifies how much to give and who should receive it. The Quran and Sunnah Work Together The Quran and Sunnah are interdependent. The Quran provides the foundational guidance, while the Sunnah ensures that Muslims know how to apply that guidance in their daily lives. This relationship doesn’t diminish the Quran’s completeness but rather enhances its practical relevance. The Quran is complete in its role as a book of guidance, but the Sunnah is necessary to explain how to implement its commands. Together, they form a complete system of divine guidance for Muslims. 4. Only the Quran Is Divinely Protected The Quran is explicitly promised divine protection from corruption (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:9; Surah Fussilat, 41:42). However, this doesn’t mean that the Sunnah is not preserved in its own way. The Sunnah is protected through the continuous practice of the Muslim community. The Sunnah’s Preservation Through Practice While the Quran is protected in its text, the Sunnah has been safeguarded through consistent practice. Key aspects of Islamic worship—like prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage—have been passed down from generation to generation, preserving the Sunnah through communal adherence. Distinction Between Sunnah and Hadith It’s important to clarify that the Sunnah (the lived practice) and Hadith (narrations of the Prophet’s sayings) are different. The Sunnah is preserved through the actions of the Muslim community, while Hadith are subject to human transmission and therefore require verification. Scholars developed rigorous methods to authenticate Hadith to ensure their reliability, but the Sunnah itself is preserved through practice. Scholarly Verification of Hadith The science of Hadith verification ensures that only authentic reports are accepted. However, even if some Hadith are weak or fabricated, the core Sunnah —the actual practices of Islam—remains pure and unchanged through continuous community practice. While the Quran is protected textually, the Sunnah is protected through practice. The Hadith , though valuable, require verification, but the essential practices of Islam remain intact through the lived tradition of the Muslim community.
I agree with much of what you’ve said, particularly regarding the understanding of Hadith, and the distinction between Sunnah in its pure form and Hadith, as well as their respective roles in Islamic sources for understanding Allah’s guidance. However, where I differ is in the interpretation of the term ‘al-Zikr’ in Surah Al-Hijr (15:9). According to Surah Yusuf, 12:2, the acknowledgment of the Quran being revealed in the language and context of the Quraysh underscores the need for interpreting the text based on how it was understood at the time of revelation. With this in mind, several points raised in the alternative interpretations above could indeed be challenged or denied when we consider how the people of that time might have understood al-Zikr . The point suggesting that al-Zikr should be interpreted narrowly based on the literal meaning of the word, focusing solely on the Quran, can be denied under this perspective. The Quraysh and the companions of the Prophet were familiar with the broader context of zikr , which in Arabic can mean “reminder,” “mention,” or “recollection.” Given their understanding of revelation as not just the text of the Quran but the way the Prophet lived and exemplified it, they likely would not have understood al-Zikr in an overly narrow, literal sense. The term al-Zikr could have been understood by them as including the practical manifestation of the Quran’s teachings, which is the Sunnah in practice, not merely the words. Hence, a strictly literal interpretation that limits al-Zikr to just the Quran, without considering the Prophet’s actions and teachings, might not align with how the Quraysh understood divine guidance. The argument that the surrounding verses in Surah Al-Hijr focus solely on the Quran, and therefore al-Zikr should refer only to the Quran, can also be reconsidered. The people of Quraysh and the early Muslim community viewed the Prophet’s life as integral to the message. They would have understood al-Zikr as encompassing not only the textual Quran but also the practical application of its teachings through the Prophet’s actions, since their concept of revelation included both words and deeds. The distinction we make today between the Quran and Sunnah as separate sources of guidance might not have been as sharp in their minds. For them, the Quran and the Prophet’s actions were inseparable parts of divine guidance. Therefore, interpreting al-Zikr exclusively as the Quran, without accounting for the Sunnah , might contradict how revelation was understood by the people of the time. If we adopt the principle that we should interpret the Quran according to how the Quraysh and the early Muslims understood it, then the narrow interpretation of al-Zikr as referring only to the Quran becomes problematic. For the Quraysh and early Muslims, zikr (remembrance or reminder) was a broad term that could refer to any form of divine guidance, including both the Quran and the Prophet’s way of life. Therefore, the argument that al-Zikr must be limited to the Quran would be weakened by the cultural and linguistic understanding of the Quraysh at the time of revelation. The term zikr was likely understood by the Quraysh not just as a text but as a holistic remembrance of Allah, which includes acting upon the guidance of the Prophet. Therefore, al-Zikr could easily be understood to encompass both the Quran and the Sunnah (as a practice), based on the broad meaning of the term in the language of the time. Even with this understanding, one could still argue the potential differences between the terms al-Zikr and Zikr , used multiple times in the Quran. that the presence of the definite article al- (ال) in al-Zikr often signifies a more specific or particular form of remembrance. But still, when we go back to how the Quraysh understood it, the Quraysh, the tribe to which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) belonged, understood Zikr primarily in the broader sense of remembrance of God, including both scriptural revelations and spiritual practices of remembering Allah. They were already familiar with zikr and various acts of worship rooted in the Abrahamic tradition, although these practices had lost their true or pure form by that time. When the Quran referred to al-Zikr , it would have been understood by the Quraysh as referring to the specific divine message that was being revealed to the Prophet. As the custodians of the Kaaba and adherents of a pre-Islamic form of monotheism mixed with polytheism, the Quraysh were familiar with the idea of divine messages and revelations through prophets. Therefore, when al-Zikr was invoked in the Quran, they would have recognized it as referring to something sacred and divinely sent, especially as it was revealed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).