Qur’anic context in Qur’an and Hadith

The Qur’an is the most important book of Islam. According to traditional Muslims, it is the book of divine guidance for human life. They also assume that it are the precise words of Allah and the last edition of God’s Scriptures. The Hadith is a collection of Islamic documents about the words, activities, and decisions of Muhammad. For traditional Muslims, the Hadith has authority for religious and moral guidance, but it has a second position after the Qur’an.

Qur’an

Preferred holy book

This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah; Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them; And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper. (Qur’an 2:2-5) And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. (Qur’an 2:41) There came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them. (Qur’an 2:89) He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. (Qur’an 3:3) This Qur´an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book - wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the worlds. (Qur’an 10:37)

Without errors

Do they not consider the Qur´an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy. (Qur’an 4:82)

Qur’an download

Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - it is [none but] he who has brought the Qur’an down upon your heart (Qur’an 2:97) Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur´an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. (Qur’an 2:185) He sends down the angels, with the inspiration of His command (Qur’an 16:2) The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord (Qur’an 16:102) Day, this is a Glorious Qur´an, (Inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved! (Qur’an 85:21-22)

Allah sent the Qur’an in parts to Muhammad

(It is) a Qur’an which We have divided (into parts from time to time), in order that thou mightest recite it to men at intervals: We have revealed it by stages. (Qur’an 17:106) Those who reject Faith say: "Why is not the Qur´an revealed to him all at once? Thus (is it revealed), that We may strengthen thy heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually. (Qur’an 25:32)

Words of Allah do not change

Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers. (Qur’an 6:34) There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. (Qur’an 6:38) None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (Qur’an 6:115) No change is there in the words of Allah. (Qur’an 10:64) And recite (and teach) what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord: none can change His Words, and none wilt thou find as a refuge other than Him. (Qur’an 18:27)

Qur’an is not complete

Say: "If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid." (Qur’an 18:109) High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur´an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (Qur’an 20:114)

Muhammad changed the Qur’an

And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse - and Allah is most knowing of what He sends down - they say, ‘You, [O Muhammad], are but an inventor [of lies].’ (Qur’an 16:101) We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is over all things competent? (Qur’an 2:106)

Unbelievers must come up with evidence to deny the Qur’an

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful. (Qur’an 2:23) Or do they say [about the Prophet], "He invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a surah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful." (Qur’an 10:38) Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten surahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful." (Qur’an 11:13). Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten surahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful." (Qur’an 28:49).

Qur’an is only for Arabs

We have revealed the Qur’an in the Arabic tongue so that you may grow in understanding. (Qur’an 12:1). And We certainly know that they say, "It is only a human being who teaches the Prophet." The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this Qur’an is [in] a clear Arabic language. (Qur’an 16:103) Thus have We sent this down - an arabic Qur´an - and explained therein in detail some of the warnings, in order that they may fear Allah, or that it may cause their remembrance (of Him). (Qur’an 20:113) (It is) a Qur´an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against Evil. (Qur’an 39:28) A Book, whereof the verses are explained in detail;- a Qur´an in Arabic, for people who understand;- (Qur’an 41:3)

Qur’an invites to test the truth

To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute; (Qur’an 5:48) If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt. (Qur’an 10:94)

Hadith

Collecting the Qur’an

Narated By Qatada: Anas said, “The Quran was collected in the lifetime of the Prophet by four (men), all of whom were from the Ansar: Ubai, Muadh bin Jabal, Abu Zaid and Zaid bin Thabit.” I asked Anas, “Who is Abu Zaid?” He said, “One of my uncles.” (Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Hadith Number 155) Narrated By Zaid bin Thabit Al-Ansari: Who was one of those who used to write the Divine Revelation: Abu Bakr sent for me after the (heavy) casualties among the warriors (of the battle) of Yamama (where a great number of Qurra’ were killed). ‘Umar was present with Abu Bakr who said, ‘Umar has come to me and said, The people have suffered heavy casualties on the day of (the battle of) Yamama, and I am afraid that there will be more casualties among the Qurra’ (those who know the Qur’an by heart) at other battle-fields, whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost, unless you collect it. And I am of the opinion that you should collect the Qur’an.” Abu Bakr added, “I said to ‘Umar, ‘How can I do something which Allah’s Apostle has not done?’ ‘Umar said (to me), ‘By Allah, it is (really) a good thing.’ So ‘Umar kept on pressing, trying to persuade me to accept his proposal, till Allah opened my bosom for it and I had the same opinion as ‘Umar.” (Zaid bin Thabit added:) Umar was sitting with him (Abu Bakr) and was not speaking. me). “You are a wise young man and we do not suspect you (of telling lies or of forgetfulness): and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Apostle. Therefore, look for the Qur’an and collect it (in one manuscript). ” By Allah, if he (Abu Bakr) had ordered me to shift one of the mountains (from its place) it would not have been harder for me than what he had ordered me concerning the collection of the Qur’an. I said to both of them, “How dare you do a thing which the Prophet has not done?” Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, it is (really) a good thing. So I kept on arguing with him about it till Allah opened my bosom for that which He had opened the bosoms of Abu Bakr and Umar. So I started locating Quranic material and collecting it from parchments, scapula, leaf-stalks of date palms and from the memories of men (who knew it by heart). I found with Khuzaima two Verses of Surat-at-Tauba which I had not found with anybody else, (and they were): “Verily there has come to you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty He (Muhammad) is ardently anxious over you (to be rightly guided)” (9.128) The manuscript on which the Quran was collected, remained with Abu Bakr till Allah took him unto Him, and then with ‘Umar till Allah took him unto Him, and finally it remained with Hafsa, Umar’s daughter. (Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Hadith Number 201) Narrated By Anas bin Malik : (The Caliph ‘Uthman ordered Zaid bin Thabit, Said bin Al-As, ‘Abdullah bin Az-Zubair and ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith bin Hisham to write the Quran in the form of a book (Mushafs) and said to them. “In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit (Al-Ansari) regarding any dialectic Arabic utterance of the Quran, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, for the Quran was revealed in this dialect.” So they did it. (Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 61, Hadith Number 507)

Different versions of the Qur'an

Narrated By Anas bin Malik: Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman came to Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were Waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan. Hudhaifa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur’an, so he said to ‘Uthman, “O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Quran) as Jews and the Christians did before.” So ‘Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, “Send us the manuscripts of the Qur’an so that we may compile the Qur’anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you.” Hafsa sent it to ‘Uthman. ‘Uthman then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, ‘Abdullah bin AzZubair, Said bin Al-As and ‘AbdurRahman bin Harith bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. ‘Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, “In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit on any point in the Qur’an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur’an was revealed in their tongue.” They did so, and when they had written many copies, ‘Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. ‘Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. Said bin Thabit added, “A Verse from Surat Ahzab was missed by me when we copied the Qur’an and I used to hear Allah’s Apostle reciting it. So we searched for it and found it with Khuzaima bin Thabit Al-Ansari. (That Verse was): ‘Among the Believers are men who have been true in their covenant with Allah.’ (33.23) (Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 61, Hadith Number 510)

Interpretations of the Qur’an

Narrated By Jundub: The Prophet said, “Recite (and study) the Quran as long as you agree about its interpretation, but when you have any difference of opinion (as regards its interpretation and meaning) then you should stop reciting it (for the time being).” (Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 61, Hadith Number 581)