Re: Sunna
Assertion:-
We can follow the Quran, but how can we follow the Prophet. He is long dead. Following of the Prophet was for the life of the Prophet. It ended with the life of the Priophet. There is no requirement in Islam to follow Buchari or AbuHaneefa etc. Of course we can study history and use it for what it is worth, but not make history as an argument for how we should view our future.
Comment:-
We could be partly in agreement, but you appear not to have understood the case for following the Prophet. A Muslim is one who judges all things by the Word of God in the Quran. This requires us to obey Allah and the Messenger He sent to explain, demonstrate and apply the Quran.
We are certainly required to learn from History. When you go to school and college you learn from text books containing knowledge accumulated by past researchers and thinkers who are also long dead. These, though written by human beings, are not meant to to make us follow the authors, but to learn and apply the truth contained in it or use them as examples and guidance. Even if there are mistakes in these books one does not reject them, but tries to discover and rectifies them. One builds on the lessons from the past.
One cannot ignore the teachings of those who have the knowledge and expertise in favour of one's own whims, desires, interests, prejudices, fantasies and partial knowledge. As the Prophet was sent to explain and demonstrate the Quran, one cannot, of course, accept anything attributed to the Prophet that contradicts the Quran. But even here it is necessary to ensure that one has understood both Quran and Hadith correctly.
Certainly times have changed since the time of the Prophet. So one ignores what has become obsolete, but one uses and adapts by using Intelligence, Aql and Analogical Reasoning, Insight and Meditation just as the Prophet himself demonstrated.
Blind unintelligent imitation is not being advocated. But the idea of rejecting the Hadith wholly is certainly utter folly.
What you are saying is that as soon as the Prophet died it became unnecessary for Muslims to follow the instructions of the Quran. Where did you get this idea from. Is it your own unfounded invention or do you have a verse in the Quran or even the Hadith that confirms what you say? It is nonsense that no Muslim can accept. You want to abrogate the verses that instruct you to obey the Messenger? You either accept the Quran or you do not. Accepting part and rejecting part according to your whim is not allowed.
"Do you then believe in part of the Book and reject the rest? But the reward of such among you as do that shall be naught else but disgrace in this worldly life, and on the day of Judgement shall they be driven to the most grievous torment, for Allah is not unmindful of what you do." 2:85
"Mohammed is but a Messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before his time; what if he die or is killed, will you retreat upon your heels? He who retreats does no harm to Allah at all; but Allah will recompense the thankful." 3:144
As for following Buchari etc., are the quotation from the Quran I have just given you invalid because I wrote them here? I am sure you can understand very well, if you wish, that Muslim do not follow the recorders but it is what they have reported the Prophet said and did, that is what they follow. It is not the Hadith, the record, but the Sunna of the Prophet that is of interest.
What you are saying is equivalent to saying that if a teacher in a school or college tells you what the Quran teaches then you must reject it. But you are also implying that if we read the Quran published by a publishing company, we must reject it because it it is not the Word of God as heard by the Prophet. Or are you saying the Quran is obsolete also?
I think those who are not guided by the Prophet are indulging in their own whims. There can be no development that way. It traps a person in a groove of his own making. You seem to be making up your own religion. The Quran is quite clear: We are required to obey Allah and the Messenger. To obey the Messenger is to obey Allah and vice versa.
But ultimately:- to you your religion and to us ours.
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