Have you seen the trend saying that Hadiths should be disregarded and Qur’an is sufficient?

Confused?

You aren’t the only one believe me. This trend is confusing a lot of Muslims because it is very persuasive.

As a scholar, I want to help you understand the arguments being made so your decisions will be informed.

Firstly, reflect: have I studied Qur’an and Hadith with Muslim scholars, including the sciences of Qur’an and Hadith? If the answer is no – then maybe that is a place to begin – even at a basic level.

What is the history of Quranism (or the Qur’anist movement)?

The idea of relying on the Qur’ān alone in this way is a recent development – in fact since around the 19th century.

In early Islamic history, from the time of the Prophet ﷺ as Islam spread, concerns arose about fabricated hadith that were beginning to emerge. As the companions and early generations were still around but dying out, there was a need for rigorous hadith sciences to check accuracy and protect the Sunnah. Scholars examined chains of narration and the reliability of narrators, and classified hadith according to levels of authenticity while rejecting weak or fake reports. This led to the structured collections of hadith that we have today like Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

The Quranist narrative ignores the oral tradition of memorising Hadiths that was practised by thousands of companions right from them hearing and seeing our beloved Prophet’s ﷺ words and actions and then passing them onto generations leading up to the Hadiths being recorded, categorised and put into collections. This is a problem as it is not fully explaining the history of Hadiths – only focusing on when they were collated.

A Timeline of Hadith Collection and Preservation:

• 10–632 CE (Prophet ﷺ lifetime)
  Hadith preserved through memory and some personal writings

• 650–720 CE (Companions & early generations)
  Growing concern about accuracy → verification begins
• 720 CE (Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz)
  First Hadith collection systems.
• 750–900 CE (2nd–3rd century AH)
  Major compilations produced (e.g. Bukhari, Muslim).

Where does Quranist Thinking Come From?

The modern roots were seen in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries during a period of colonial influence and academic reform.

Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida, who were both classically trained scholars grounded in traditional Islamic sciences, called for greater scrutiny of hadith, not their rejection.

The shift toward rejecting hadith came later from individuals who were not traditionally trained scholars, such as Ghulam Ahmad Parwez, an intellectual and civil servant, and Rashad Khalifa, a scientist. Neither had formal training in Islamic theology, yet both promoted a Qur’an-only approach. This raises an important question.

Is it reasonable to disregard over a thousand years of established Islamic scholarship and methodology based on these later unqualified views?

If we are to learn about Islamic theology, it should be from qualified scholars. Just as you would not go to a hairdresser to fix your car, you would go to a mechanic, knowledge should be taken from those trained in the field and THEN decide.

Anyway, let’s look into the claims that the Quranists make, focusing on the Qur’ān.

Claim 1: The Qur’an is Complete so it doesn’t NEED Hadiths.

Qur’an 6:38, “We have not neglected anything in the Book,” and Qur’an 16:89, “an explanation for all things,” are verses used to support this view. However, what does completeness actually mean? This interpretation assumes that completeness means that every practical detail of religious life is explicitly laid out in the text.

According to classical scholars, these verses are understood to mean that the Qur’an provides complete guidance in its principles and foundations, not that it contains every detail on how to live it’s words. Islam is a practical as well as theory based faith, meaning it requires action as well as belief.

The Qur’ān gives the Prophet ﷺ a clear explanatory role. In 16:44, Allah tells us that the revelation was sent so that the Prophet may explain to people what was revealed to them. This shows that the Qur’ān is accompanied by Prophetic explanation and example as a necessity, not separate from it.

Claim 2: The Qur’an asks, “In what Hadith after Allah and His verses will they believe? (45:6)” Doesn’t this mean that we can’t accept Hadiths?

Here, a key linguistic issue arises. The Arabic word hadith in the Qur’an does not refer specifically to the technical body of Prophetic narrations compiled later. It means any speech, narrative, or discourse.

Interpreting this verse as a rejection of the Prophet’s sayings imposes a later meaning onto a Qur’ānic term that is used generally. This is an example of how translation without linguistic and contextual knowledge can lead to misunderstanding.

The Qur’ān does not contradict itself, so when this verse is read alongside others, its meaning becomes clearer. In Qur’an 59:7, Allah commands, “Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, abstain.” This clearly refers to the broader guidance of the Prophet ﷺ, which is preserved through hadith.

What’s the point of the Prophet ﷺ if we only need the Qur’an? What does the Qur’an say about his position?

The Qur’ān repeatedly emphasises the authority of the Prophet ﷺ as a source of guidance alongside revelation. In Qur’an 4:59, believers are instructed to obey Allah and the Messenger, and in Qur’an 33:21 the Prophet ﷺ is described as an excellent example to follow.

These verses cannot be properly implemented without access to the Prophet’s ﷺ words and actions. Without hadith, these commands become abstract and open to personal interpretation.

A clear example is prayer. The Qur’ān commands believers to establish prayer, but it does not specify the number of daily prayers, the number of units, or the exact method of performing it. These details are known only through the transmitted practice of the Prophet ﷺ.

Claim 3: Hadiths weren’t put into collections until generations after the Prophet ﷺ so we can’t trust them.

It is true that major written compilations such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim were compiled later. However, this argument overlooks the rigorous system of oral transmission and verification that preserved these teachings.

Ask yourself, do you know the background and qualifications of those who are sharing this information? Are they qualified Islamic scholars or are they relying on translations or are they simply wannabe scholars with no background or knowledge – or are they social media speakers who are simply passing on what they heard?

The Qur’ān tells us we must verify doubtful information – in 49:6, tells believers to verify information brought by unreliable sources. This principle actually became the foundation of hadith science, where chains of hadith narration were carefully examined.

The existence of weak or fabricated hadiths does not invalidate the entire body of hadith. It demonstrates why system of verification was necessary.

Claim 4: It is more simple to just have the Qur’an isn’t it? I mean Islam is so divided!

Sometimes the differing interpretations of hadith and competing groups make Islam feel divided or confusing, especially for new Muslims or those reconnecting with their faith. When we see groups or individuals claiming their group have the right path and others are wrong – this is not a part of Islamic scholarship.

Difference of opinion in scholarly interpretation was accepted right from the time of the Prophet ﷺ and early generations. The principle of scholarly difference is that it is acceptable and should be respected.

The appeal to simplicity and removing oneself from these differences of opinion is one reason why Quranism arguments often feel attractive. But isn’t moving in yet another direction actually causing more division in the Ummah?

Quranism often claims that verses such as Qur’an 54:17, which says that the Qur’ān has been made easy, refer to its accessibility and memorisation means that there is no need for Hadiths. Actually when we look at these verses in their context, this means it is easy to memorise and access for us – not the absence of explanation or interpretation.

Islamic practice, from the time of the Prophet ﷺ and the early generations, has always involved the Qur’anic revelation and how to live its guidance and messages. Removing one from the other creates an incomplete framework.

Dangers of removing the Sunnah

Relying on the Qur’an alone, without Hadith, effectively removes the Sunnah, which is the lived example and explanation of the Prophet ﷺ that gives practical meaning to the text. While the Qur’an provides guidance in principle, it still requires interpretation, and without the Sunnah this process becomes open to individual opinion and misreading and it is inevitable that this would happen.

This creates a serious risk of taking verses out of context. For example, Qur’an 9:5 includes the phrase “kill the polytheists wherever you find them,” which, if read in isolation, can be misunderstood. Its proper meaning depends on the historical and situational context explained through the Sunnah and in the context of the character of the Prophet (saw) during times when the ummah were being oppressed.

Without that framework, such verses can be misapplied, whereas the Prophetic explanation ensures they are understood correctly, within their limits, and without leading to harm.

Last Note – reflect

Whatever you decide, make sure your decision is based on solid knowledge from qualified sources and scholars, not just persuasive voices online.

• Gain knowledge about the compilation of hadith and how they are used.

• Gain knowledge about differences of opinion in Islam.

A Summary.

The idea of rejecting hadith is a modern development that differs from the approach of classical Islamic scholarship. Early scholars developed detailed sciences to preserve and verify hadith over hundreds of years, right from the companions and early generations of Muslims.

Later reformers called for more scrutiny, not rejection of Hadiths.

The complete dismissal of Hadiths has come from individuals outside traditional Islamic scholarly training and has been amplified in modern times through simplified messaging and taking advantage of people’s lack of deep knowledge.

The Qur’ān itself repeatedly directs believers to follow and learn from the Prophet ﷺ, making it clear that its guidance is essential to be understood and practiced alongside his example.

Jazakum Allah Kheir for reading.

Ustadha Ameena Blake.