Hadith Qudsi
Sacred Hadith Compared to Prophetic Hadith and the Qur'an
Mar 6, 2009 Christine Benlafquih
Muslims believe the Qur'an is the divine Word of God (Allah) as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) more than 1400 years ago.
The Qur'an's divine messages and teachings are absolute, and in it Allah says: "It is not for any believer, man or woman, when God and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have the choice in the affair. Whosoever disobeys God and His Messenger has gone astray into manifest error." (al-Ahzab, 33.36)
Qur'an and Hadith as Guidance
Guidance, then, is found first by obeying what Allah enjoins in the Qur'an, and then by following the teachings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
These traditions, or Sunnah, are recorded in numerous Hadith, which are narrations of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) sayings and actions. Hadith were transmitted orally from one narrator to another before being recorded in writing.
Prophetic Hadith
Most hadith are Prophetic Hadith, so-named because the chain of narration stops with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). An example of a Prophetic Hadith is:
"Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr: The Prophet said, 'A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up (abandons) all what Allah has forbidden.'" (Bukhari)
Sacred Hadith (Hadith Qudsi)
A Sacred Hadith, also called Hadith Qudsi, has a chain of narration in which the final attribution is given to Allah. The emphasis of a Hadith Qudsi is not on what the the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said or did, but rather on revelation from Allah. An example of a Sacred Hadith is:
"On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that Allah the Almighty said: 'There are three whose adversary I shall be on the Day of Resurrection: a man who has given his word by Me and has broken it; a man who has sold a free man nd has consumed the price; and a man who has hired a workman, has exacted his due in full from him and has not given him his wage." (Bukhari)
Difference between Hadith Qudsi and the Qur'an
Both the Qur'an and Sacred Hadith contain revelation from Allah. While the entire Qur'an comprises verses which are the exact words of Allah as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel, Hadith Qudsi, in contrast, are the Prophet's own wording of other revelations he received.
Themes of Hadith Qudsi
Islamic belief, worship, religious conduct, morality, and virtuous behavior are all addressed in various Hadith Qudsi. In addition, there is a recurring emphasis on Allah's Divine Oneness and on His Attributes, as shown in the following Hadith Qudsi:
"On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Allah the Almighty said: 'I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.'" (Bukhari and Muslim)
Hadith Qudsi support and supplement the Divine messages in the Qur'an. Like the Prophetic Hadith, they provide guidance to Muslims in various aspects of their spiritual and earthly life.
Source:
- Forty Hadith Qudsi, Selected and Translated by Ezzeddin Ibrahim and Denys Johnson-Davies.
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