Some Basic Principles in the Qur’an

Now a very important question arises. Most people do not have sufficient knowledge of the Qur’an, so how can they test a hadith according to it? The answer is made simple by the fact that the Qur’an establishes some fundamental rules. Keeping these rules in mind can empower us to assess the authenticity of our history and hadith. Briefly, the principles are:
􀂙 􀂙 The Law of Requital (Qur’an 99:7): As you sow, so shall you reap. Hence, reward and punishment are natural consequences of our own actions. Any contrary statement will be non-Qur’anic. God
is not emotional. Therefore he does not reward and punish if happy or angry.
􀂙 􀂙 No person can be held responsible for, or share the burden of another (53:38).
􀂙 􀂙 On the authority of the Qur’an (33:21), Prophet Mohammad, the Exalted, was a model human being with the best character and conduct. No action of his was contrary to the Qur’an.
􀂙 􀂙 About the companions of the Holy Prophet, the Qur’an (8:74, 9:100) tells us that Allah was pleased with them and they were pleased with Him. They were staunch and practical believers.
􀂙 􀂙 The Qur’an repeatedly impresses upon us that the Laws of God never change (48:23). Hence, people do not fly in the air or walk on water.
􀂙 􀂙 The Qur’an is the last Message of God and Mohammad (SA) is his final Messenger. Religion has been perfected (5:3, 6:34, 15:9, 75:17) and therefore anyone claiming Revelation after him, in any form, will be either insane or an impostor.
Exercising Common Sense
Dear Reader, we have underscored the six Qur’anic principles which should always stand as our guide. In addition, exercise of common sense can easily tell us that a certain narrative should not be ascribed to the most knowledgeable man who ever walked this earth. In fact, according to the Qur’an, people who do not use their faculties of hearing, sight and thinking cannot be Muslims and are living the life of cattle (7:179). The Holy Prophet said, “All goodness is linked to wisdom. One who has lost wisdom will not retain religion.” Therefore, any narrative that falls into one of the following categories cannot be considered authentic:
1. 1. Any hadith that insults the Holy Prophet.
2. 2. Any hadith that disrespects the holy companions because they were chosen by the best judge of people.
3. 3. The Holy Messenger was the most revolutionary personality in history. He changed the future of mankind. Therefore any ahadith portraying him as a storyteller, soothsayer, a man preoccupied with women, excessive prayers, spending half his life on the prayer rug and the other half in bed, these traditions must be considered false.
4. 4. Any narrative based upon outright ignorance and against common observation cannot be a saying of the Holy Prophet. For example, “No animal is born with deformities” or “Looking at a beautiful face sharpens the eye.”
Now we have reached the point where we can present with great respect a sample of those ahadith that are in accordance with the Qur’an. Each of these ahadith can be checked in the light of the basic Qur’anic rules that we have outlined.