The Qur'an and Sunnah in Ahl al-Sunnah's Perspective

After realizing the Shi'ah view regarding the Qur'an, that they prefer it over the Sunnah, making it the judge and supervisor over it, Ahl al-Sunnah have proven to be the opposite of them, as they prefer the Sunnah over the Qur'an, regarding it the judge and supervisor over it.

The conclusion we get here is their calling themselves Ahl al-Sunnah, stems from this principle they have invented. Otherwise why haven't they chosen the name of Ahl al-Qur'an wa al-Sunnah, especially that they narrate in their books that the Prophet has said: I am leaving behind among you the Book of Allah and my Sunnah?

Since they have neglected the Qur'an, placing it in the second degree, adhering to alleged sunnah and giving it the first rank, we came to know the main reason behind their saying that the Sunnah being the judge over the Qur'an. This in fact is an amazing thing, and probably they have been obliged to such a claim when observing their practising acts contradictory to the precepts of the Qur'an, being accustomed to them after being imposed upon them by the rulers whom they have followed. For justifying these practices, they have fabricated traditions ascribing them to the Prophet (S), but when observing these traditions being incongruous with the Qur'an, they have resorted to claiming that the Sunnah overrules or abrogate the Qur'an.

I cite here example for an act being practised by every Muslim several times a day, that is the ablution before prayers, as stated in the holy Qur'an : "O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and your feet up to the ankles ".(5:6) And regardless of all opinions and readings: with fathah over or kasrah under lam of the word arjul (feet), we have mentioned that al-Fakhr al-Razi- the most renowned Sunni grammarian in Arabic language -has adopted wiping (mash) in both the readings.255

Ibn Hazm has also said: Wheather it is read with kasrah or fathah, it is anyhow regarded joined to the heads, either on pronunciation or place, with no any other alternative.256

But after al-Fakhr al-Razi's admission of the Qur'an's being revealed with the obligation of wiping (mash)in both the readings, we find him to be a fanatic for his Sunni creed, saying: But the Sunnah has called formash, abrogating the Qur'an.257

There are many more example claimed by Ahl al-Sunnah for this alleged Sunnah, overruling and abrogating the Qur'an, as they have fabricated numerous traditions invalidating God's rules, with the pretext the Messenger of Allah has abrogated it.

If we contemplate into the verse of ablution in Surat al-Ma'idah, taking into consideration the Muslims'unanimity (ijma') that this surahbeing the last one revealed in the Qur'an, and it is even said that it was revealed only two months before the Prophet's demise, so how and when has the prophet (S) abrogated the rule of ablution?! And while the Prophet (S) has persisted for twenty-three years in performing ablution with mash, several times a day, how can it be reasonable then that he, two months before his death and after revelation of the Almighty's saying: ''....and lightly rub your heads and your feet'', has embarked in washing his feet in opposition to the Book of Allah? It is an incredible story.

How can people believe in this Prophet, who invites them for adhering to the Book of Allah, saying: This Qur'an verily guides unto that which is straihgtest, but contrradicting it himself? Is this reasonable or can be sensed by sane people? Or his opponents, with the polytheists and hypocitesmay argue him by saying: If you yourself contradict the Qur'an in you deeds, so how do you allow yourself to command us to follow it? Thereat the Prophet (S) will be embrrassed, being unable to refute their argument. Therefore we never believe this claim, which is rejected by narration and reason ('aql), and by whoever having cognisance of the Book and the Sunnah.

But Ahal al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah, who being in fact the Umayyad rulers and their followers, have fabricated many tradittions ascribing them to the prophet, with the aim of confirming the opinions and verdicts of the leaders of deviation, imparting religious legitimacy upon them, justifying their acts by claiming that the Prophet (S) himself has practised ijtihad against the Qur'anic texts, abrogating of them as desired by him. In this way Ahl al-bida' (followers of heresies) seek legitimamacy for their contradiction to the texts (nusus),following allegedly and falsily the guide of the Messenger(S).

We have previously proved with indisputable evidences and arguments, that the Messenger to Allah (S) has never exerted his opinion or adopted qiyas, but has veen waiting for the descending of revelaion, fulfilling God's commandment:''.... that thou mayst judge between mankind by that which Allah showth thee.(4:105)258

Hasn't he (S) disclosed God's words: ''And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them, they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture (Qur'an) other then this, or my own ccord. I only follw that which is inspired in me. Lo! if I disobey my Lord I fear the retribuion of an awful Day''. (10:15)? Hasn't his Lord threatened him with the severest retributtion should he ascribe even one word to Allah, when He -- the Exalted, the Glorious-- said: '' And if he had invented false sayings concerning Us, We assurredly had taken him by the right hand. And then secerred his life-artery. And not one of you could have held Us off from him''. (69:44--47)?

Such is the Qur'an, and this being the Prophet whose morals incarnate the Qur'an, but Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah,259, due to their intense hostility against 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and Ahl al-Bayt (A), have been contradicting them in every thing, to the extent that contradicting 'Ali and his Shi'ah in all rules, has become their motto even if the established proof be with them. 260

As al-'Imam 'Ali has been known of raising his voice in reciting the basmalah even in the silent prayers, for the sake of reviving the Prophetic Sunnah, some of his opponents have given verdict, about reprehensibility of this practice in prayers. The same is also applied upon gathering the hands (qabd) and extending them, and supplication in qunut, beside other matters related to the daily prayers.

Therefore Anas ibn Malik used to weep and say: By God, I never see anything practiced by the prophet (s) in the past. When he was asked: What about this prayer? he replied: You have changed all its rules.261 The strange point about Ahl al-Sunnah lies in the their keeping silent in regard of these differences due to the presence of disagreement among their four schools (madhahib), finding thus no harm in this regard, and rather saying that their disagreement being a blessing.

But when being disapproved by the Shi'ah in any issue, they (sunnis) start to revile them, rendering this mercy into indignation, adopting only the opinions of their Imams, though being incomparable with the Imams of the Pure Kindered, in respect of knowledge, conduct, virtue and honour.

As mentioned about wishing the feet, and though their: (Ahl al-Sunnah's) books testify that mash being revealed in the Qur'an and performed by the Prophet (S) as a sunnah,262 they never approve of the Shi'ah anything accusing them with interpreting the Qur'an and being out of the pale of religion.

The second instance to be cited here is the temporary marriage (mut'ah) in regard of which a Qur'anic verse was revealed, and has been ordained by the Prophetic Sunnah. For justifying 'Umar's ijtihad who has forbddin it, they have fabricated a false hadith ascribing it to the Prophet (S), beside reviling the Shi'ah for for permitting this kind of marriage in accordance with al-Imam 'Ali's narration. Added to this, their Sihah testify its being practised by the Sahabah during the eras of the Prophet and Abu Bakr, with portion of 'Umar's time before forbidding it. They also testify that there used to be disagreement among the Sahabah, some permitting it (mut'ah) and some forbidden.

There are many other instances proving their abrogating the Qur'an text with a false hdith, but we suffice with these two for disclosing how Ahl al Sunnah prefer hadith over the Qur'an, expressing that the Sunnah is overruling the Qur'an.

We can refer to al-'Imam al-faqih 'Abd Allah ibn Muslim ibn Qutaybah, the muhaddith and faqih of Ahl al-Sunnah (d. 276 H), who expressly says: ''The Sunnah is overruling the Book, not the opposite''.263

The author of the book Maqalat al-'Islamiyyin has reported from al-'Imam al-'Ash'ari-- Ahl al- Sunnah's Imam in usul--his saying: "The Sunnah abrogated more than the Sunnah is of the Qur'an and overrule it, but the Qur'an cannot abrogate the Sunnah or overrule it".264

On the authority of Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, it is reported from al-'Imam al-'Awza'i -a great Sunni 'alim-that he said: "The Qur'an is in need of the Sunnah more than the Sunnah of the Qur'an...265

When their sayings be a witness against their creed, it is intuitive to find disagreement between their sayings and those of Ahl al-Bayt, who expose and weigh very hadith with the Qur'an, since is the Qur'an is overruling the Sunnah. Also their rejection to those traditions and disapproving them- though narrated by Ahl al-Bayt -being natural since they (traditions) dissipate their creed thoroughly.

In the book Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (Evidences of Prophethood), al-Bayhaqi states that the hadith reported from the Prophet (S) which reads: "If you hear any hadith reported from me, you should subject it on the Book of Allah", is false and incorrect, testifying its falsehood by itself, as there is no indication in the Qur'an expressing the exposure of the hadith on the Qur'an.

Ibn 'Abd al-Barr has reported from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi his saying, that the hadith reported from the Prophet (S) as he said: "You have to subject whatever reported from me on the Book of Allah: that which agrees with it, is said by me, and that which disagrees with is never said by me" cannot be accepted by men of knowledge as a means for distinguishing the sahih hadith from the false one, and this hadith has been fabricated by the Zanadiqah and Khawarij.266

What a blind fanaticism overwhelming these people, leaving before them no way for conducting scientific investigation or submittin to Truth, making them call the narrators of this hadith as Zanadiqah and Khawarij, accusing them with fabrication of hadith, though they be in fact Imams of guidance!

Are we to ask them: What goal the Zanadiqah and Khawarij intended to reach from composing this hadith making the Book of Allah- which falsehood cannot come from at it from before it or from behind it-as a reference for everything?

Then inclining of an equitable sane man towards such people (Zanadiqah and Khawarij) who glorify the Book of Allah, making it the first source of legislation, does him more good than inclination toward Ahl al-Saunnah wa al-Jam'ah who overrule the Book of Allah through false traditions, abrogating its rules by alleged innovations.

The holy Qur'an says about them: "Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak naught but a lie".(18:5) This being their real nature as those called by them Zanadiqah and Khawarij, are in fact the Prophet's Household, Imams of guidance and beacons for darkness, who are described by their grandfather the Messenger of Allah (S) as being the safety for the Ummah against disagreement, and any tribe contradicts them shall be reckoned as Iblis party. Their only faul being adherence to the Prophet's Sunnah, rejecting everything other than it including the innovations of Abu Bukr, 'Umar, Uthman, 'Mu'awiyah, Yazid, Marwan, and Umayyads. Since these people have been seizing power, so they maturally used to slander their opponents with titles like Zanadiqah and Khawarij, declaring war against them. Haven't they reviled Ali and Ahl al-Bayt from over their pulpits for eighty years? Haven't they killed l-Hasan by poison and his progeny by their sword?

Apart from the tragedy of Ahl Bayt, whose grievance is never ending, we return to those calling themselves Ahl al-Sunnah wa la-jama'ah, and denying the hadith about subjecting the Sunnah on the Qur'an and question them: Why haven't they counted Abu Bakr among the Khawarij or Zanadiqah? Hasn't he burnt the (Prophet's) ahadith and addressed people saying: ''You report from he Messenger of Allah, traditions about which differ, that people be in more anarchy after you. So do not narrate anything from the Messenger of Allah, and whenever asked about anything you can say: The Book of Allah is between us and you, you can permit its halal and its haram.267

Hasn't Abu Bakr preferred the Qur'an over the Sunnah? Hasn't he made the Qur'an he only source (of legislaion), rejecting the Sunnah witth the pretext of presence of disagreement in its regard?!

Why haven't they counted 'Umar ibn al-Khattab among the Khawarij or Zanadiqah, due to his rejecting the Prophetic Sunnah from the first day of his rule, when he said: We are sufficed wih he Book of Allah? He has also set to fire all the traditions and conducts compiled by the Sahabah in his time,268 transgressing this boundary to prevent the Sahabah from disseminating the hadith.269

Why haven't they counted 'A'ishah- from whom half he religion is taken - among he Khawarij and Zanadiqah, as she was known of exposing evey hadih in the Qur'an? Whenever hearing any hadih unknown by her, she would subject it in the Qur'an, denying it if opposing the Qur'an. She has disaproved 'Umar's hadith: ''The dead is tormented in his grave due to the weeping of his family'', saying: ''nor doth any laden bear another's load.. 270

She has also disapproved 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar's ahadith, who has reported that the Prophet (S) stood at the graveyard of the polytheists slain in the Badr Battle, and addressed them, then he turned his face towards his Companions saying: ''They verily hear by utterance''.

But she has denied that the dead can hear what is said to them, saying: What the Prophet said is thus: ''They verily know that I am telling them is the truth'', citing as evidence for this by esposing the hadith on the Qur'an, reading the Almighty's sayings: ''Lo! thou canst not make the dead to hear'' (27:80) and ''Thou canst not reach those who are in the graves''.(35:22) 271

She has refuted many ahadith, after exposing them in the Book of Allah. Once she said to someone who reported that Muhammad has seen his Lord: My hair has bristled for what you have said, what is your position in relation to three cases, about whichever one tells you has lied: "whoever tells you that Muhammad has seen his Lord is a lair", reciting then the verse: "Vision comprehendeth Him not, but He comprehendeth (all vision). He is the subtile, the Aware", (6:103) and the verse: "And it was not (vouchful) to any mortal that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from behind a veil". (42:51) And whoever tells you that he (Prophet) has pre-knowledge of what is going to be tomorrow is a liar", and recited: ''No soul koweth what it will earn tomorrow''.(31:34) ''And who tells you that he has conceled (the truth) is liar'', reciting the holy verse: ''O Messenger Make known that which hath been reveled unto thee from thy Lord''.(6:67)

So also was the case with Abu Hurayarah, as so often he used to narrate a hadith, saying afterwards: ''If you wish you can read the Almighty's saying'', exposing then his hadith on the Book of Allah for making the audience believe him.

What prevents Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-jama'ah from calling all these people Zanadiqah and Khwarij, as they also expose the traditions on the Book of Allah, denying whichever disagrees with the Qur'an? They dare not to do this, but when it concerns the Imam of Ahl al- Bayt, they never disdain from disgracing them with every blemish, striving to cripple and invlidate Allah's rules by false ahadith, be disclosed for all, due to their awareness of the fact that when their ahadith be subjected on the Book of Allah, nine-tenth of them will verily disagree with it. The one-tenth left, that agrees with the Book of Allah, includes the Prophet's sayings, some of which are interpreted in contrariety with what intended by the Prophet (S), like their interpretation of the hadith ''The successors (caliphs) after me are twelve, all being from Quraysh ''and the hadith: ''Hold in to the sunnah (conduct) of al-Khulaf' al-Rashidun after me'', and also his (S) saying:''Disagreement among my Ummah is a mercy''. Beside other holy traditions uttered by the Prophet (S) in regaard of the Pure Progeny (A), but Ahl al-Sunnah have diverted them to their surping Caliphs and some reversible Companions.

Even the titles they impart upon the Sahabah, like ''alSddiq'' for Abu Bakr, ''a,Faruq'' for 'Umar, ''Dhu al-Nurayn'' for Uthman, and ''Sayf Allah'' for Khalid are in fact ascribed to al-'Imam 'Ali by the Prophet (S) as he (S) has said once: ''Al-Sddiqun (the Truthful) are only three: Habib al-Najjar the beliver of Al Yasin, Hizqail the beliver of Pharaoh's household and and 'Ali ibn abi Talib (A), who is the best of them''.272

'Ali himself used to say: ''I am the biggest siddiq (truthful), and whoever claims it (title) after me is but a liar''. He is also the gretest Faruq, with whom Allah has separated between Truth and falsehood,273 and it is him in whose regard the Prophet (S) said: To love him is faith (iman), and truth be always wherever he be.

In respect of the tittle "Dhu al-Nurayn",274 we can say that he (A) is the father of al-Hasan and al-Husayn (A) --the two masters of heavens youth and the two lights sprung from the lions of Prophethood. Regarding "Sayf Allah", it is 'Ali who has been addressed by Jabriel (A) as: "No guy (fata) is (there) but 'Ali and no sword is but Dhu al-Faqar". He is truly the sword of Allah Who has unshealthed it against the polythiests, killing with it their heroes, bringing to the ground ther valiants, and subduing the till compelling them to surrender to truth though being averse fled any battle, and never feared combating at all, and it was him who has conquered and opened Khaybar, from which the chiefs of Sahabah failed short and retreated after being routed.

The Caliphs' policyhas been established, from the outset, upon secluding 'Ali and depriving him from all excellences and virtues. But Mu'awiyah, on coming to power, has transgressed all boundaies though embarking on reviling and defaming 'Ali, beside elevating the rank of his opponents, ascribing to them all his excellences and titles falsity. Who could at that time disapprove or oppose him? The Sunni is have agreed with him on slandering, cursing and disavowing 'Ali, beside reversing all the realities upside down, that good (ma'ruf) was regarded by them as evil (munkar) and evil as good. They have also considered 'Ali and his Shi'ah as Zanadiqah, Khawrij and Rawafid, permtting thus reviling and slaying them, while the enemies of Allah and His Messenger and his Household have turned to be Ahl al-Sunnah! It really a wonderful world, and if anyone doubts this he can investigate and seek the truth.

The holy Qur'an states:

''The similitude of the two parties is the blind and the deaf and and the seer and the hearer. Are they equal in similitude? Will ye not then be admonished?'' (11:24)

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255. Al-Fakhr al-Razi, al-Tafsir al-kabir, vol. xi, p.161.

256. Ibn Hazm, al-Muhalla, vol. iii, p.54.

257. Al-Fakhr al-Razi op. cit, vol. xi, p. 161.

258. Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. viii, p.148.

259. By them we mean the earlier ones who made a covenant with 'Ali and his sons afterwards, and who founded the school of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah.

260. We have celeberated this, and reported their expressions from their books and Imams' sayings in Ma'a al-Sadiqin.

261. Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. i, p.74.

262. Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra , vol. vi, p.191.

263. Sunan al-Darimi, vol. i, p. 145; Ibn Qutaybah, Ta'wil muktalif al-hadith, p.199.

264. Maqalat al-'Islamiyyin, vol. i, p.3.

265. Jami' bayan al-'ilm, vol. ii, p.234.

266. Ibid, vol. ii, p.233.

267. Al-Dhahabi, Tadhkirat al-huffaz, vol. i, p.3.

268. Kanz al-'ummal, vol. v, p.237k, Ibn Kathir; al-Dhahabi, op. cit, vol. i, p.5.

269. Al-Dhahabi, op, cit, vol.i, p.4.

270. Sahih al-Bukhari, kitab al-jana'iz, bab al-Nabi yu'adhdhab, al-mayyit bi ba'd buka' ahlihi 'alayh; and sahih Muslim, the same bab.

271. Ibid.

272. Shawahid al-tanzil by al-Hasakani, vol.ii, p.223; Ghayat al-maram' p. 417; al-Riyad al-nadirah, vol.ii, p.202.

273. Ta'rikh al-Tabari, fi Islam 'Ali; Sunan Ibn Majah, vol. i, p. 44; Kahasa'is al-Nasa'i: Mustadrak al-Hakim, vol. iii, p.112.

274.Ahl al-Sunnah call 'Uthman: Dhu al-Nuryan, with the reason that he got married to Ruqayyah and Umm kulthum, the two daughters of the Prophet, while the truth is that they being his step-daughters. Supposedly they were his daughters, how could they be two lights (nurayn) while no virtue was mention by the Prophet for them. Why couldn't Fatimah be the light, in whose regard the prophet said: The lady of all worlds women, is the light, and why haen't they called Ali (Dhu al-Nur) on this basis?

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