The Prophetic Sunnah Never Contradicts the Qur'an

After investigating and examining the creeds of both the sects: the Shi'ah and Ahl al-Sunah wa al-Jama'ah, we have come to recognize that the Shi'ah refer, in all their fiqhi rules, to the holy Book and Prophtic Sunnah, with no third source.They (Shi'ah) put the Qur'an in the first rank, giving the second place for the Prophetic Sunnah, meaning that they impose survellance over the Sunnah, subjecting it on the Book of Allah, approving whatever compiles with the Book, rejecting and disregarding that which disgraces with it.254 To this end the Shi'ah depend upon what Ahl al-Bayt have ordaind, as reported from their grandfather the Messenger of Allah (S), who said: Whenever a hadith is reported from me, you should take and apply it, and whatever disgraces with it disgraced it.

Al-'Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A) used to say: Whatever disgraces with the Qur'an is but a vanity.

He is reported to have said also in Usul al-Kafi, that the Prophet (S) has addressed the people in Mina, saying: "O mankind, if what is reported from me agree with Allah's Book, it is uttered by me, and whatever reported from me disgraces with Allah's Book, I have never uttered it".

The Imamiyyah Shi'ah have established their fiqh and beliefs on such a firm situation, as however veracious be the chain of transmission of the hadith, it should be weighed on this balance and subjected on the Book, that falsehood cannot come at it from before it or from behind it.This condition has never been stipulated but only by the Imamiyyah Shi'ah form among all the Islamic sects, especially in regard of an issue about which narrations and reports disgrace.

In his Book Tashih al-'i'tiqad, al-Shaykh al-Mufid is reported to have said: "The Book of Allah is superior to all traditions and narraions, and through it judgement can be issued regarding the various and frail akhbar, as it decision being the sole of truth".

Based on this provision (shart), i.e. subjecting any hadith on the Book of Allah, the Shi'ah have been distinguished from Ahl al-Sunnah inregard of many fiqhi rules and doctrines.

Any truth-seeker, when going through the rules and doctrines of the Shi''ah, finds for them a confirmation in the Book of Allah, on the contrary of those of Ahl al-Sunnah, which prove to be expressely contradictory to the holy Qur'an, as shall be exposed later on with proofs.

On this basis, the truth-seeker will recognize that the Shi'ah have never any of hadith books or regarded them sacred like the Qur'an, as believed by Ahl al-Sunnah, who approve all the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim, though containing hundreds of traditions contradicting the Book of Allah.

Enough be to know that despite the veneration held by Shi'ah for the author of the book al-kafi, Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni, and his profoundity in 'ilm al-hadith, but the Shi'ah 'ulama' have never claimed that all the traditions collected by him being sahih, and some of them have disapproved half of them, regarding them unauthentic. Morever the author of al- Kafi himself never believes in the varacity of all the ahadith he has compiled in his book.

This may be resulted from the conduct of the caliphs of each sect, as Ahl al-Sunnah have followed the guide of chiefs unaware of the rules of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, or being aware of them but exerted their opinions, contradicting thus those texts, for reasons some of which we have exposed before.

Whereas the Shi'ah have adhered to the Imams of the Pure Progeny, who being equal and interpreters of the Qur'an, never contradicting it or differing in its regard.

It is stated in the holy Qur'an:

"Is he (to be counted equal with them) who relieth on a clear proof form his Lord, and a witness from Him reiteth it, and before it was the Book of Moses, an example and a mercy? Such believe therein, and whoso disbelieveth of the clans, the Fire is his appointed place. So be not thou in doubt concerning it. Lo! it is the Truth from thy Lord; but most mankind believe not". (11:17)

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254. This is verily the sound logic that closes the door before all the narrators who were known of foisting and fabricating the ahadith, and ascribing them to the Messenger (S), while he being free from them.

Adapted from the book: "The Shi'ah; The Real Followers of the Sunnah" by: "Dr. Muhamad al-Tijahi al-Samawi"