It’s no big surprise that I’ve been asked that by my fellow Muslims many times over the years. I see their logic but I challenge the foundations of that logic. Lets analyse their logic together:

1. The Hadith literature represents the sayings, doings and abstentions of the Prophet.

2. The Prophet lived and breathed Quran

Therefore, by studying the Hadith, you will attain a deeper insight into Quran.

Sounds logical, doesn’t it?

I would respond by asking if  statement ’1′ is correct? Does the Hadith really represent the sayings, doings and abstentions of the Prophet? Have you actually looked at the Hadith literature and really seen this for yourself?

Did you know that the Hadith was compiled two hundred years after the death of the Prophet? While there are claims about ’Hadith leaflets’ before that, they are admittedly non-existent. While Quran was compiled during the time of the Prophet himself - we know this because Quran tells us - the Hadith literature was never subjected to such a treatment. I wonder why.

Did you also know that there is no universal agreement about the content of Hadith literature? Can you imagine such a thing? The constituent information about the religion from God having no agreement at all? What if Al-Bukhari didn’t compile his collection? Much of what we know now as ‘Islamic’ would not be there at all! Can this be the religion of God? Something which according to legend, a man had to travel far and wide in order to find the indispensible minute details?

Did you know, lastly, that much of hadith literature contradicts the Quran in letter and spirit? Lets take the punishment for apostacy in Islam which the world thinks is death for the apostate. Quran is the total opposite of this in its letter and spirit. It associates such behaviour with the archenemy of God, the Pharoah. How is it possible then the Hadith is telling us to copy Pharoah?

So why on earth did I abandon the Hadith? Because I do not believe it came from the Prophet. The Prophet’s legacy was  Quran. He came, he brought  Quran and ensured that it would remain passed down to us in the manner it dictates for us itself…