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Quranism: Difference between revisions
→Challenges for the Quranist View of Islam
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This verse asks Muslims to follow everything Mohammad gives them, and abstain from everything he forbids. That means they are commanded by Allah to follow the Sunnah. | This verse asks Muslims to follow everything Mohammad gives them, and abstain from everything he forbids. That means they are commanded by Allah to follow the Sunnah. | ||
The following verse also describes him as “a good exemplar (uswatun ḥasanatun) for those who place their hope on God and the Last Day and invoke God often”, suggesting followers emulate him in general,<ref>Sinai, Nicolai. “''[https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:34ef078e-0bb9-422e-8fd7-a42c8d1bdf1b/files/m73f645bb4eda180c5d419565b2b19ce0 Muhammad as an Episcopal Figure.]''” Arabica, vol. 65, no. 1-2, Brill Academic Publishers, 2018, pp. 1–30. ''PP13.'' | The following verse also describes him as “a good exemplar" (uswatun ḥasanatun) for those who place their hope on God and the Last Day and invoke God often”, suggesting followers emulate him in general,<ref>Sinai, Nicolai. “''[https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:34ef078e-0bb9-422e-8fd7-a42c8d1bdf1b/files/m73f645bb4eda180c5d419565b2b19ce0 Muhammad as an Episcopal Figure.]''” Arabica, vol. 65, no. 1-2, Brill Academic Publishers, 2018, pp. 1–30. ''PP13.'' | ||
https://doi.org/10.1163/15700585-12341480</ref> which is of course impossible to do without his personal traits and actions (which rarely alluded to in the Qur'an alone) being recorded as extra-Qur'anic traditions. | https://doi.org/10.1163/15700585-12341480</ref> which is of course impossible to do without his personal traits and actions (which rarely alluded to in the Qur'an alone) being recorded as extra-Qur'anic traditions. | ||
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==== The Sahabah / Companions of the prophet ==== | ==== The Sahabah / Companions of the prophet ==== | ||
Alongside instructions to obey Muhammad, | Alongside instructions to obey Muhammad, his followers are also to function as an exemplary beacon for the rest of humanity<ref>''al-ʿālamūn pl. | the world-dwellers Entry.'' Sinai, Nicolai. Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary (p. 526). Princeton University Press. | ||
''Instead, it is preferable to understand the assumed universal role of Muhammad and his followers in line with Q 2:143, 22:78, and 3:110: the Qur’anic believers are to function as an exemplary beacon for the rest of humanity, as “the best community ever brought forth for people, enjoining right and dissuading from wrong” (Q 3:110: kuntum khayra ummatin ukhrijat li-l-nāsi taʾmurūna bi-l-maʿrūfi wa-tanhawna ʿani l-munkari), and as a “middle” or “intermediate” community (ummah wasaṭ) who will be “witnesses” over the remainder of humankind, just as the Qur’anic Messenger functions as a “witness” (shahīd) over the Qur’anic believers (Q 2:143, similarly 22:78).'' </ref> in the Qur'an, giving way to mawqūf hadith, i.e. hadith from the companions of Muhammad / aṣ-ṣaḥābah,<ref>[https://muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/irsyad-al-hadith/1114-irsyad-al-hadith-series-76-mawquf-hadith ''IRSYAD AL-HADITH SERIES 76: MAWQUF(الموقوف) HADITH'']''.'' MUHAMMAD MUSHFIQUE BIN AHMAD AYOUP. 2016. Mufti of Federal Territories Office.</ref> often referred to as 'The Sahabah' (where the isnad does not go all the way to Muhammad directly). As recordings of this are needed for future generations to know what the community was doing at the time. | ''Instead, it is preferable to understand the assumed universal role of Muhammad and his followers in line with Q 2:143, 22:78, and 3:110: the Qur’anic believers are to function as an exemplary beacon for the rest of humanity, as “the best community ever brought forth for people, enjoining right and dissuading from wrong” (Q 3:110: kuntum khayra ummatin ukhrijat li-l-nāsi taʾmurūna bi-l-maʿrūfi wa-tanhawna ʿani l-munkari), and as a “middle” or “intermediate” community (ummah wasaṭ) who will be “witnesses” over the remainder of humankind, just as the Qur’anic Messenger functions as a “witness” (shahīd) over the Qur’anic believers (Q 2:143, similarly 22:78).'' </ref> in the Qur'an, giving way to mawqūf hadith, i.e. hadith from the companions of Muhammad / aṣ-ṣaḥābah,<ref>[https://muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/irsyad-al-hadith/1114-irsyad-al-hadith-series-76-mawquf-hadith ''IRSYAD AL-HADITH SERIES 76: MAWQUF(الموقوف) HADITH'']''.'' MUHAMMAD MUSHFIQUE BIN AHMAD AYOUP. 2016. Mufti of Federal Territories Office.</ref> often referred to as 'The Sahabah' (where the isnad does not go all the way to Muhammad directly). As recordings of this are needed for future generations to know what the community was doing at the time. | ||
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==Five Pillars of Islam== | ==Five Pillars of Islam== | ||
The concept "[[Five Pillars of Islam|5 pillars in Islam]]" is practiced and preached widely in the Muslim world and is a crucial part of the Muslim way of life. Yet this concept is not described or defined in the Qur'an in any way. It is only found in the hadith. Looking at the pillars individually, four out of five of Islam’s | The concept "[[Five Pillars of Islam|5 pillars in Islam]]" is practiced and preached widely in the Muslim world and is a crucial part of the Muslim way of life. Yet this concept is not described or defined in the Qur'an in any way. It is only found in the hadith. Looking at the pillars individually, four out of five of Islam’s Pillarsfind their basis in the Hadith, and do not come (explicitly) from the Quran. | ||
===Shahadah=== | ===Shahadah=== | ||
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<BR>1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle.”}} | <BR>1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle.”}} | ||
These are Muhammad's words and are not found within the Qur'an | These are Muhammad's words and are not found within the Qur'an, being found in the works of Muslim historians Ibn Ishaq (704-770 AD) and al-Tabari (838-923 AD). Without these sources, the [[Shahadah]] as it is commonly known does not exist. Due to this there are at-least three different shahadahs used by various Qur'anist sects. | ||
===Salah=== | ===Salah=== | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|||8|darussalam}}|“2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly.”}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|||8|darussalam}}|“2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly.”}} | ||
The Qur'an does not provide the guidance for the well-known 5 prayers practiced by Muslims today. The “compulsory congregational [[Salah|prayer]]” is not described in the Qur’an at all. In fact, the Qur’an number of prayers could be interpreted several ways (Qur'anists do not even agree upon the number of daily prayers that should be offered. The various number of prayers should be offered are 0, 2, 3 or 5),<ref>''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quranism#:~:text=Some%20Quranists%20pray%20five%20times,Isra'%20and%20Mi'raj. Quranism.]'' Wikipedia. Accessed 02/02/24.</ref>, with no clarification on how to pray. The hadith, meanwhile, specify five daily prayers. The only explanation of the obligatory prostration is found in the Sunnah, i.e. Muslims are performing a ritual without Qur’anic precedence. Also in the prayer itself, certain Arabic recitations and verses are recited. The Qur'an does not give specifications for these recitations so again this is only found in the Hadith. | |||
===Zakat=== | ===Zakat=== | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|||8|darussalam}}|“4. To perform Hajj.”}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|||8|darussalam}}|“4. To perform Hajj.”}} | ||
The instructions for and purpose of this ritual are not found in the Qur'an.<ref>''Muhammad'' (Past Masters) Michael Cook. 1996 (Revision of 1983 original) 9780192876058 (ISBN10: 0192876058). (Kindle Locations 469-487). Kindle Edition. </ref> The only full explanations of the [[Hajj]] are found in the Sunnah. No aspect of the pilgrimage can be performed without referencing the Hadith. Muslims would not have this ritual without the Sunnah. | |||
===Sawm=== | ===Sawm=== | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|||8|darussalam}}|“5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.”}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|||8|darussalam}}|“5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.”}} | ||
[[Sawm]], the final pillar of Islam is also not described in the Qur'an | [[Sawm]], the final pillar of Islam is also not described in detail in the Qur'an. Though the Qur'an describes and commands fasting, without the Hadith, the reason for the Ramadan fast would not be known. The accounts of the meaning of Ramadan are in the Sunnah, initially chronicled by Ibn Ishaq and then copied by the hadith compliers such as Bukhari, Muslim etc. and historians/exegetes like Al-Tabari. | ||
Interestingly, the one pillar that is actually described in the most detail in the Qur'an, was known in pre-Islamic [[Pagan Origins of Islam|pagan]] tradition. Ramadan was also a month of fasting for the pre-Islamic Arabs. | |||
== Islamic Law == | == Islamic Law == | ||