Following Quran only and rejecting Sunna | Response to Quranists

All Muslim scholars denied the fact that Muslims can follow Quran only and reject Hadith. We can find evidence for this in the Qur’an itself and the Sunnah. Scholars stated that Quran is not sufficient to be followed without Hadith or Sunna as a source of religious laws and a Muslim should follow both Quran and Sunnah.

In this article, You can discover the reasons why you should not reject Hadith or Sunna or any other source of information in our religion.

What Is a Quranist

A Muslim follows the rules of the Quran only in religious matters and does not consider the teachings of the prophet as abiding. Quranists differ in the following parts of Sunnah some rejects Sunna as a whole while other accept some of it.

The real appearance of Quranists was in the nineteenth century in India. It spread recently through social media websites like Reddit and Quora where non-Muslims attack Hadiths of the prophet PBUH which led some Muslims who do not have sufficient knowledge of Islam to deny these Hadiths and sometimes Sunnah as a whole. That is why there are no famous Quranist websites or famous Quranist scholars.

The view of the Quranists

The orientalists’ suspicions did not stop at the claim that the Prophet’s Sunnah, or the greater part of it, was a result of the religious, political, and social development of Islam in the first two centuries, which means in their spiteful view that Islam was not completed in its current form in the life of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, and therefore it is possible to dispense with The Prophet’s Sunnah, and being abided by what came in the Holy Qur’an, which is what some Muslims who are affected by the claims of others repeat, without awareness of the realities and Sharia of Islam.

Why Muslims should follow Sunna or Hadith

Quran is the book of Allah and his message to people. And the Hadith of the prophet came to explain and detail what is in the Quran. Ask yourself a question, How to pray Salah, pay Zakah, and perform Hajj? The holy Quran mentioned the Sharia rulings briefly, but the prophet clarified everything about it. Like, Salah, Allah commanded all Muslims to perform Salah in Quran but without mentioning how to do it. And the prophet clarified the way of performing Salah.

It is clear in Quran in many Ayat that we must follow and take what the prophet came with and said.

Qurasists change the clear narrative of the Quran in order to prove that the Holy Quran is sufficient.

Refuting the Quranist’s argument

Allah commands Muslims in Quran to follow Sunna and Hadith

Allah ordered Muslims in Quran to follow what the prophet said. Here is some Quran Ayat that proves this.

And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

¹

This Aya is clear that we must follow and do what the prophet ordered us to do and refrain from what he has forbidden.

Another Quran Ayat about this:

• He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away – We have not sent you over them as a guardian. ²
• O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result. ³
• Say, “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away – then upon him is only that [duty] with which he has been charged, and upon you is that with which you have been charged. And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided. And there is not upon the Messenger except the [responsibility for] clear notification.” ⁴

Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in your heart] and [to make possible] its recitation. *

So when We have recited it [through Gabriel], then follow its recitation. *

Then upon Us is its clarification [to you].

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ * فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ * ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

Quran: 75:17

This is an explicit text that indicates that Allah – the Mighty and Sublime – has ensured the preservation of the Sunnah on the basis of authenticity and independence on the path of necessity and follow-up; Because he ensured in it the explanation of the Qur’an in the Almighty’s saying: {Then it is incumbent upon us to explain it} i.e.: the explanation of the Qur’an and the clarification is for the Prophet – may God’s prayers and peace be upon him- it will be for his nation after him, and it is for the Prophet – may God’s prayers and peace be upon him – by inspiring it to him to convey it to the people Which is what is meant by the Almighty saying: {And We did not send down the Book to you except that you would make clear to them about what they differed about.} ⁵

What the prophet said about following Quran only

The prophet peace be upon him predicted the appearance of those people who call themselves the Quranists.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Beware! I have been given the Qur’an and something like it, yet the time is coming when a man replete on his couch will say: Keep to the Qur’an; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited…⁶

Qَuran Aya’s Quranists use

There are some Ayas the Quranists use to support their view. Those state that Quran contained everything and Quran perfected the religion for us. Those Muslims must study the real meaning and Tafseer of these Aya’s to understand what it means and they should know that Quran is complementing itself and we can not follow some Ayas and refuse others. Those Ayas need too much explanation you can ask in the comments if you want to discuss the meaning of some of them.

Authority of Hadith

The argument that Hadith was not written at the time of the prophet and the prophet ordered not to write it is a very weak argument since what the prophet wanted the companions to focus on the writing of Quran and He would say to them if He does not want them to follow his Sunnah. Thinking that Sunnah is less authoritative than Quran is not a real reason that may allow you not to follow Sunnah as the same people who narrated the Quran also narrated Sunnah and there are many Hadith that of high authority and Sahih.

Fatwa on the necessity of believing in the Quran necessitates believing in Sunna

There is many Fatwa about this: You can view this Fatwa in Arabic. click here.

Conclusion

Quran was revealed through the prophet and Hadith is the words of the prophet and what he said. So, why would someone follow Quran and refuse or neglect Hadith which is also a revelation from Allah?

The evidence is in the Quran. Which says you have to follow Allah and his prophet. Everyone with this should study every Hadith he doubts before denying it.

If you have any questions please let me know in the comments.

References

1. Quran 59:7
2. َQuran 4:80
3. Quran 4:59
4. Quran 24:54
5. Quran: 64
6. Sunan Abi Dawud 4604 Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)