Difference Between Quran, Hadith Qudsi, and Sunnah
Definitions
Quran
The Quran is the holy book of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God (Allah) as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. It is written in Arabic and consists of 114 chapters (Surahs) that cover various aspects of life such as law, morality, spirituality and others.
Hadith Qudsi
Hadith Qudsi refers to a category of sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad that convey divine messages or meanings but are not part of the Quran. These hadiths express God’s words as conveyed through Muhammad but are phrased in the Prophet’s own language. They often deal with spiritual and ethical matters.
Sunnah
Hadith (or simply Sunnah) are reports about the sayings, actions, or approvals of the Prophet Muhammad. Unlike Hadith Qudsi which came directly from Allah and they express God’s words phrased in the Prophet’s own language. The Sunnah are from the Prophet himself but they are inspirations from Allah as nothing the Prophet spoke, did or approved came from himself alone but from the creator and these provide guidance on various aspects of life based on the Prophet’s example.
Key Differences
Source:
The Quran is considered the direct words of God. Pophet Mohamad presented it word by word as revealed from Allah.
Hadith Qudsi are divine messages conveyed through Muhammad and presented in the Prophet’s own language
Hadiths or Sunnah are reports about Muhammad’s sayings, actions and approvals. These are teachings From the Prophet who whatever he spoke, did or approved was an inspiration from Allah.
Authority:
The Quran holds the highest authority in Islam.
Hadith or Sunnah came to clarify the translation of the Quran and also to answer various questions. These vary in authenticity and authority based on their chain of transmission (Isnad). Sunnah is very important and it is a completion to the Quran. Therefore The Quran and Sunnah are the main sources of the teachings of Islam. Jurisprudence and all important subjects derive their laws from these two sources.
Hadith Qudsi has significant authority but is secondary to the Quran and can vary in authenticity and authority based on their chain of transmission (Isnad).
Content:
The Quran contains laws, guidance, and narratives.
Hadith Qudsi focuses on spiritual themes and moral lessons.
Hadith or Sunnah cover a wide range of topics including jurisprudence, ethics, personal conduct and others.
Preservation Methodology (Protection Mechanisms) for Hadith Qudsi and Sunnah (Traditions of Prophet Mohamad)
The preservation of Hadith Qudsi and Sunnah involved several methodologies:
Oral Transmission: Initially, hadiths were transmitted orally among companions of the Prophet Muhammad. This method relied heavily on memory.
Written Compilation: As Islam spread and more people converted, scholars began compiling hadiths into written collections to prevent misinterpretation or loss. Notable early compilations include those by Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri in the 8th century.
Chain of Narration (Isnad): Scholars developed rigorous criteria for evaluating hadiths based on their chains of narrators. Each narrator’s reliability was assessed to ensure authenticity.
Classification: Scholars classified hadiths into categories such as Sahih (authentic), Hasan (good), Da’if (weak), etc., which helped preserve only those deemed reliable.
Key Scholars and Their Contributions
Several prominent scholars contributed significantly to preserving both normal hadiths and Hadith Qudsi:
1/Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri was born around AH 58 (approximately 677/678 CE) and died in AH 124 (741-742 CE):In addition to his work on hadith, Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri is known for his writings on sīra and maghazi. He may have been the first scholar to combine multiple reports into coherent narratives about the life of Muhammad and early Islamic history5. Although none of his original works have survived intact, fragments can be found in later writings by scholars such as Ibn Ishaq and Ma’mar ibn Rashid
2/Imam Bukhari (810-870 CE): Compiled “Sahih al-Bukhari,” one of the most authentic collections of hadith which includes some Hadith Qudsi.
3/Imam Muslim (821-875 CE): Authored “Sahih Muslim,” another highly regarded collection that also features some Hadith Qudsi.
4/Ibn Majah (824-887 CE): Compiled “Sunan Ibn Majah,” which includes both normal hadiths and some categorized as Qudsi.
5/Al-Nasa’i (829-915 CE): Known for his work “Sunan al-Nasa’i,” which also contains authentic narrations including those classified under Hadith Qudsi.
6/Al-Tirmidhi (824-892 CE): His collection includes a variety of hadith types along with commentary on their authenticity levels.
These scholars utilized meticulous methods involving verification processes that included cross-referencing narrators’ backgrounds and ensuring consistency across different reports.
Conclusion
In summary, while both Quran and hadith serve as foundational texts in Islam, they differ significantly in source, authority, content, and preservation methodology. The protection of Sunnah and Hadith Qudsi involved oral transmission followed by rigorous written compilation practices led by esteemed scholars who established criteria for authenticity that continue to influence Islamic scholarship today.
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