A Review of Compilation and Authenticity of Hadith (Part Four)
Teaching Wisdom
The Holy Quran, along with teaching the Book, also states that teaching wisdom is one of the duties of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). What is this wisdom? To understand and comprehend it, correct and sound thinking are needed. To grasp the meaning and concept of wisdom, one must first refer to the Holy Quran itself, which contains numerous verses that make it clear: Wisdom is something that God Almighty has revealed.
In Surah An-Nisa, it says: «وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيْماً» Meaning: “And Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom, and taught you that which you did not know, and Allah’s bounty to you is great.”
In Surah Al-Baqarah, it is stated: «وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَا أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ يَعِظُكُمْ بِه» Translation: “And remember the favor of Allah upon you and what He has sent down to you of the Book and wisdom, by which He admonishes you.”
It is clear from a verse in Surah Al-Ahzab that wisdom, like the verses of the Quran, was recited in the homes of Azwaj-Mutaharat (wives of the prophet): «وَاذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُن فِي بُيُوتِكُن مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ» Meaning: “And remember what is recited to you in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom.”
The question arises: What else was recited in the homes of the pure wives besides the verses of the Quran? What else did they hear from the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) besides the Quran?
The answer to this question can only be that it was the hadith and sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—his advice, general teachings, statements, and guidance. Since this verse commands the remembering and recounting of wisdom, it follows that the obligation of remembering and adhering to hadith and sunnah is implied. It is almost evident and clear that “knowledge,” “remembrance,” and “memorization” are not ends in themselves, but rather the prerequisites for action. Thus, from this verse, the obligation of acting on hadith and sunnah is established and clear. When wisdom is another name for the Sunnah, the previous verses (which also mention wisdom as a book sent down from Allah) provide evidence that the Sunnah was also revealed by Allah and is a form of divine revelation.
After the Quran, when we refer to the teacher of the Quran, we see (as is clear from the Quran) that Allah, apart from the Quran, revealed something else called “wisdom” to His Prophet. This is further emphasized in the teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he states: “I have been given the Quran and something like it.”
Based on these texts from the Quran and Sunnah, all scholars of the Salaf and Imams agree that what is meant by “He teaches them the Book and wisdom” and similar verses in which “wisdom” is mentioned refers to the Sunnah, which is also considered a divine revelation. As Allamah Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in his book Al-Ruh: «إن الله سبحانه وتعالی أنزل على رسوله وحيين واوجب على عباده الايمان بهما والعمل بما فيهما، وهما الكتاب والحكمة، وقال تعالى: «وأنزل الله عليك الكتاب والحكمة» وقال تعالى: «وهو الذي بعث في الأميين رسولاً منهم يتلو عليهم آياته ويزكيهم ويعلمهم الكتاب والحكمة» وقال تعالى: «واذكرن ما يتلى عليكن في بيوتكن من آيات الله والحكمة» والكتاب هو القرآن، والحكمة هي السنة باتفاق السلف وما أخبر الرسول عن الله فهو في وجوب تصديقه والایمان به كما أخبر به الرب تعالى على لسان رسوله. هذا اصل متفق عليه بين أهل الاسلام، لا ينكره إلا من ليس منهم. وقد قال النبي صلیاللهعلیهوسلم: «إني أوتيت الكتاب ومثله معه.» Translation: “Allah Almighty revealed two types of revelation to His Messenger, both of which require belief and action, and they are the Quran and wisdom.” In support of this claim, Allama Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentions the same verses that were previously cited, in which the teaching and revelation of the Book and wisdom are discussed. Therefore, the Book refers to the Quran, and wisdom, according to the consensus of the predecessors, refers to the Sunnah. What the Messenger communicates on behalf of Allah and what Allah reveals through the Messenger are both mandatory for belief, and faith in both is obligatory. This is the fundamental belief of Muslims, and anyone who denies it is not a Muslim. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself stated: “I have been given the Book and something else like it, namely: the Sunnah.”
