Stranger

From Abu Hurairah RA, he said: Rasulullah SAW said: "Islam was strange when it began and will one day be strange again; Blessed are the ghuraba' (those strange people)". [H.R.Muslim]

I hadn't really thought about the meaning of this hadith, SubhanAllah. I meant to find out what  "ghuraba" meant, but shaytaan got the better of me i suppose. However, in the last year or so, i have been feeling disconnected with my environment; with people i have known for ages - sometimes, i feel i have no one who I can talk to. This is not a constant feeling, it comes and goes. But when I'm focusing and contemplating about intentions, actions and assessing relationships - i feel alone. I'm afraid of expressing my thoughts for I may come off too rigid and I, myself don't fulfill my own standards. Then a couple of nights ago, while feeling this loneliness - it hit me. Its like, to other people, I'm a strange being now - that's what "ghuraba" means! I'm not claiming that I've reached some elevated status in my actions- not in the least because Allah knows my faults and sins. I suppose though, this feeling of being out of place is what the hadith refers to. This strangeness stems from being in an environment so far away from the principles of deen that anyone remotely on it; seems alien. This comforted me in a way, as i don't fear the feeling anymore. Also i recently read that an intelligent person is he who can change his own nature and thinking and through using his skills and perseverance, influence the thinking of others. That's a very high bar for me to reach but I definitely intend to try. 

Hadith 101

We all read and forward hadith all the time, so here is some basic information on what is a hadith. A great deal of work went into reporting and classifying a hadith; which cannot and must not be discounted at any cost! There is actually a science to the study of hadith, this alone should convince one its intricacies and validity.
I am attending a course on the subject and there will Inshallah be a part 2 to this entry. May Allah forgive me if i make any mistakes in typing this information; not because my source is not credible but because i am human and prone to error.
Hadith comes from the root Ha Da Tha; which means coming into a new situation, or something new which has occurred. Hence, it is used for the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad SAW which were something new for the people of the time (changing their current situation). The word muhdith (from the same root)  is used to define Bid'aa for the same reason; as its an innovation which didnt exist.

A hadith can refer to any:
1) saying of the prophet saw (qawl)
2) action of the prophet saw (F'ayl)
3) His agreement in a matter i.e. he didnt do a particular act/ or say a particular thing himself but agreed with it when someone else performed it (taqreer)

What can entail a hadith:
1) Sunnah - the root of which means creating a way so as to make it easy for the followers. According to the fuqaha (scholars of jurisprudence), sunnah is an act that is highly ranked/rated and preferred but not performing the act, is not a sin. On the other hand, a sunnah which becomes a symbol of Islam has a greater weightage and highly recommended for Muslims to adhere to it. For eg, the minarets on a mosque are not an obligatory part of building a mosque but have increasingly become a sign of a Muslim prayer house; hence its a recommended sunnah. Since we believe the Sahaba were the closest people to the prophet also in practice, their acts too are part of Sunnah. eg: 20 rakahs of tarawih prayer initiated by Hazrat Umar RA.

2) Khabr - any narrative of which news is received to be associated with the Prophet SAW. A more general term than hadith.

3) As (th) ar - of which evidence is found to be associated with the Prophet SAW

4) Wahi - that which was revealed to the Prophet through divine intervention. Wahi is further divided into 2: Jalli  and Khafi

Sciences:
There are 2 types of hadith study/sciences. Please dont take these as official terms, rather as english terms.

1) Rivayah - Hadith which is memorised by muhadditheen and related to us
2) Dirayat - Scholarly  deductions of ahkam (commandments)  or lessons from the hadith.

A hadith has 2 parts:
1) Sanad - the chain of revelation. i.e. who heard it from whom all the way to the Prophet SAW
2) Matan - the actual words of the Prophet SAW

Some Extra Info:
1) one who has memorized over 300,000 hadith - Muhaafizh
2) one who knows more than Muhaafiz - Imam al hujjat (h)
3) one who knows even more than that (close to 600,000) - Ameer ul mo'mineen fil hadith

This post is open to your comments. Please feel free to correct me. May Allah guide me and you.

...but is it in the Qur'an?

Has anyone ever asked you "...but is this in the Qur'an?". It is one of the most annoying questions to be asked. I pity those people who ask them, because they don't even know that they are putting their Iman at risk by uttering such words. I'm currently working on a detailed document about hadith and sunnah, so i wont delve in those details right now. I will however Inshallah, prove why the belief in and practice of Hadith and Sunnah is just as important for our iman as is belief in Tawheed (oneness of Allah).... and yes! thats in the Qur'an.

Surah Al-Juma'h, Verse 2
He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur'an, Islamic laws and Islamic jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of Prophet Muhammad  SAW). And verily, they had been before in mainfest error 

All major scholars of Quran agree Al-Hikmah, refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW.

Surah An-Nissa, Verse 59
O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad PBUH)

Surah An-Nissa, Verse 80
He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah

Surah Aal Imran, Verse 31
Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

These are but a few of the commandments from the Quran, which order the ummah to obey the Prophet and in his love and obedience is the love and obedience of Allah.

The purpose of any messenger has been to explain to the people how to obey Allah, that was the whole point of sending a human being to preach rather than an angel or jinn. Prophet Muhammed SAW was a shy man, full of haya (modesty) and yet he laid bare his entire life for the ummah; just so they would learn from it. This was one of his many great sacrifices. Imagine, having a video camera following you for just one entire day. Imagine having no privacy. He did all this so we would learn the deen properly and for us to disregard his great sacrifice; is blasphemous. 

Even if you are unsure of a certain hadith that someone has related, the proper etiquette is to silence yourself. Go back and check the reference to ensure its authenticity - but as a Muslim, you do not have permission to argue over the word of the Prophet SAW. 

Surah Al Hujurat, Verse 2
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.

The scholars agree that today, when the Prophet SAW is not among us, but his Sunnah is (and will be till the end of time bi'iznillah), this applies to disagreeing with his sunnah. Allah clearly warns the believers, that if they speak over the prophet SAW, their good deeds will be in vain and they will not have realized it. Dear brothers and sisters, the consequences are grave and questioning the prophet's word is equal to disbelieving in him. Follow the above ruling. Inshallah, Allah will guide you because your intention was pure.Ya Allah, keep us on hidayah. Ameen ya rabbil Aalimeen.

I will leave you with another verse from the Qur'an. 


Surah An-Nissa, Verse 65
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you judge in all disputes
between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them)with full submission.