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The advantage that Islam has over the People of the Book is that we have a preserved message from Allah, and the practical implementation of that message (hadeeth). Unfortunately there are those who would argue that Islam is the Quran only, without a need for hadeeth. Some might be sincere in their thinking, but some are definitely trying to destroy Islam with this argument.

For those wishing to attack Islam, they know that attacking the Quran directly is futile. Compared to the Quran, the hadeeth contains some weakness, so that has become their primary target.

Is the Quran Enough for Us?

For the ignorant their arguments might seem compelling. They argue there’s no need for the sunnah because Allah says in the Quran:

وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ 
And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.

Quran 16:89

In order for their argument to be accepted, we would have to take this verse to its literal extreme. That the Quran truly is an explanation of literally all things. That it explains Calculus, Physics, Chinese and so on. Obviously this is not the intended meaning, but rather it explains everything that we need to know to get into paradise.

The Quran was revealed in Arabic. If you don’t know Arabic can you read the Quran and understand it? So then does the Quran literally bring an explanation to everything? Of course not.

Not to mention it says Allah sent down the book, and in that very book Allah also says,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا 
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.

Quran 4:59

How will a person obey the Messenger if he doesn’t know, or ignores what the Messenger says? Why does Allah say to refer your differences back to Allah and the Messenger? Wouldn’t it have sufficed to refer it only back to Allah, if the Quran is all we need?

Is the Quran the only Form of Revelation?

Those that accept the Quran but deny the hadeeth do so, for a multitude of reasons. One of them is they don’t accept the hadeeth as wahy from Allah. They seem to think that Quran is the only form of wahy. But the Quran itself mentions other forms.

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ ۖ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي ۖ إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ 
And We Awhayna [inspired] to the mother of Moses, “Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers.”

Quran 28:7

And also:

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ  إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ 
Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. (3) It is not but a wahyun [revelation] revealed.

Quran 53:3-4

Upon understanding that the Quran itself clarifies that the Quran is not the only form of wahy, and understanding that the actions and words of the Prophet, Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam, were guided. Then it becomes abundantly clear that the hadeeth must be accepted.

Not to mention basic things like prayer are not explained in detail in the Quran. So when the Quran commands us to pray, and yet doesn’t explain the steps to prayer, then how would a Muslim pray? It becomes problematic.

Are Hadith Reliable?

The next issue that may arise, is a Muslim might accept that the Quran and hadeeth are necessary but might argue that the hadeeth are all unreliable, so how can we accept them? By default we should accept that authentic hadeeth have been preserved, because Allah says in the Quran:

مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا 
He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away – We have not sent you over them as a guardian.

Quran 4:80

and:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا 
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.

Quran 5:3

Considering that Islam requires hadeeth, so that we can obey the Messenger and do practical things like pray, then the hadeeth must be preserved. Hadeeth have been historically compiled, and critiqued to make known the strong hadeeth from the weak and fabricated. A science of verification gives strong assurance of the authenticity of hadeeth, and is a testament to Allah’s preservation of it.

Those Who Preserved the Quran Also Preserved the Hadith

Another strong consideration for why we should accept hadeeth is that the process of preserving hadeeth is very similar to the process of preserving the Quran itself. If we accept the Quran as being preserved, then there is very little reason we should deny the same for the hadeeth. The same people who preserved the Quran preserved the hadeeth after all. The Quran was memorized and written down, and so was the hadeeth.

If we applied the same criteria for the acceptance of hadeeth upon history books, most of history would have to be rejected. Yet the same people who would reject hadeeth have no issue accepting whatever the history books say.

Even though the verification of historical material is far less stringent than that of hadeeth. If we applied hadeeth criticism upon history, we would have to reject most of it as being fabricated or weak.

In conclusion, the arguments of hadeeth rejectors is weak and unfounded. It comes from a fear of gaining knowledge in the science of hadeeth, as well as a hatred of Islam itself. What Muslims should do is encourage gaining knowledge, especially those of us living in non-Muslim majority countries.

The pressures of society encourages secularism, and a general disdain for spiritual Truth. We must work hard to protect our youth, so that they don’t cave from the pressures and can stand firmly in their beliefs. And when the time comes to defend and rebuff criticisms, they can do so with knowledge and wisdom.

References

Sahih International. (1997). Quran (English).

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