| Interviewer: Let's move onto the next topic which has been a point of contention. Many would like to know how you can follow the messenger (rasool Allah) without studying and following the ahadeeth collections. Quranite: I think the answer is quite simple. In the quran the messenger/s has/have been used as an example or told to be followed because they are adherents to the ground plan of the quran. The recipient of wahi (revelation) is said to follow only that which is revealed (see: 6/50). So to me the messenger is followed by becoming a living quran as Traditional Muslims have called their Prophet Muhammad. Interviewer: Okay, then let me throw this out at you. In verse 59/7 of the quran it is said to follow what the messenger gives you. This is an argument used to defend the use of ahadeeth. How do you respond to that. Quranite: Ah, this is an interesting verse (ayat) you bring up. This verse is referring not to ahadeeth, but to the fair distribution of war spoils. This is ordered of him because in that very verse it says, "Thus, it will not remain monopolized by the rich among you". It further goes on to say among whom they should be distributed in the next verse: "For the immigrants who are poor and were driven out of their homes and deprived of their properties, because they sought God's grace and pleasure, and because they supported God and His messenger." Interviewer: That is an interesting assessment and makes sense. What about other verses throughout the quran which seem to indicate otherwise and confirm that it is ahadeeth that should be followed? Quranite: There are people who pick out a verse to make a point, ignoring the context in which it makes its point. This has been done with verse 59/7 which has a clear context if you read the beginning of the chapter. Let's take another example where it is said that an excellent model for the believers is the messenger who shows hope in God and who remembers Him in moments of distress and adversity. This is a verse, which is 33/21, commonly pointed out to people to show how God says we must follow the sunnah of the messenger. The messenger's example is pointed out, in the context of verses 33/9-27, as being in contradistinction to the people who seek to turn away and run and conclude that God's promises are naught but deceptions since they've encountered some trouble. They do this when they have become shaken. God shakes all people, but those who remain steadfast and patient are of course the worthy. Other points are brought up in the context of these verses which Traditional Muslims seem to miss when they follow the simple interpretation that verse 33/21 means we should follow the sunnah of the messenger. These verses show that hypocrites will resort to any means to appease their desire to remain aloof from hardships. They break covenants as is shown by their failure to stand firm and then go fleeing about here and there. They have run from death/slaughter unaware that God alone determines who recieves it or not [see: 33/16-17; 10/104]. The believers accomplish their vow by staying true to the covenant. So when someone mentions that verse 33/21 means I should follow the sunnah as taught by Sunni or Shia schools I counter with this argument. |