Is Following the Ahadith Part of Islam?
Ahadith (sing. hadith) are the second main source of Islam after the Qur'an. They also contain revelation (wahy) sent from Allah. The following are three reasons why ahadith are an integral part of Islam that must be followed:
1. The religious teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are revelation. Allah said,
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ
Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.
It is only a Revelation revealed. [53:3-4]
and
وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦ
And remember Allâh’s Favours on you, and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e. the Qur’ân) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet’s teachings) whereby He instructs you. [2:231]
2. Part of Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ duty as Allah's Messenger was to teach and explain the meanings of the Qur'an. The Prophet's mission of conveying the Qur'an was not only transferring it to the people, but it also included teaching it in more precise detail.
وَٱلزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad ﷺ) the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’ân)], that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. [16:44]
and
وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۙ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةًۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ
And We have not sent down the Book (the Qur’an) to you (O Muhammad ﷺ), except that you may explain clearly unto them those things in which they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. [16:64]
There are many things in the Qur'an that require the Prophet's explanation, such as the specific details of how to perform the five daily prayers. Allah tells us in the Qur'an:
إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبًۭا مَّوْقُوتًۭا
Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours.[4:108]
So we are commanded in the Qur'an to establish the prayer, but the only way to properly do that is to follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad where he explains such information.
3. Allah explicitly commands us in the Qur'an to follow His Messenger ﷺ and likens following His Messenger to following Him. He said,
وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَٱحْذَرُوا۟
فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ And obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ), and beware and fear Allâh. Then if you turn away, you should know that it is Our Messenger’s duty to convey (the Message) in the clearest way. [5:92]
and
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًۭا
He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allāh; but those who turn away - We have not sent you over them as a guardian. [4:80]
and
وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟
And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it). [59:7]
Clearly when we just consider the aforementioned verses from the Qur'an, it's blatantly obvious that the ahadith must be followed as the Qur’an itself instructs us to do so.
