NEGATORS OF THE HADITH

PROVISIONS IN THE QUR`AAN FOR SUSTAINING AND PRESERVING THE HADITH
It is the height of temerity that the denial of the Hadith should be based on the Qur`aan itself, in spite of the fact that the Qur`aan explicitly calls the Hadith its exposition, emphasizes its importance, tells us that God Almighty has taken responsibility for it, and described the Prophet of God (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) as the surrogate of the charge which He has.
In short, the science of Hadith cannot be denied on the basis of the Sanad (authority), for in that case, the maximum thing that can be maintained is the denial of a particular authority or subjecting it to criticism, which cannot be called its denial; it is simply its criticism, both of which, denial and criticism, cannot be mixed up; nor can the Hadith be denied under cover of the Qur`aan when the Qur`aan unequivocally calls the Hadith its own exposition and indicates God`s responsibility thereof.
Keeping in view the elaborate arrangements made by the Qur`aan for sustaining and preserving the science of the tradition, to consider it the basis for denial of Hadith, makes little sense. It is sheer impertinence to deny the science of the Tradition because if this fake principle is adopted, then even the Qur`aan cannot be acknowledged inasmuch as it too has reached us through intervening media. Similarly, if it is held that the Hadith is not acceptable as its narrators are not numerically and qualitatively like those of the Qur`aan, that is, not so many and such as those of the Qur`aan, the only conclusion we can reach is that since such and such a Hadith does not possess the degree of testimony enjoyed by the Qur`aan, it is not admissible of as absolute proof as the Qur`aan, not that we do not believe in tradition itself. To say that the narrators are not as numerous and as unimpeachable as they should be, only reflects upon the degree of authenticity, not on the Hadith. In any case, this does not provide a way of escape for the negators of the Hadith. The most that such doubting Thomases can say is, 'We accept that the science of the Hadith is the exposition of the Qur`aan, because the proof thereof is forthcoming in the Qur`aan itself, but it is not obligatory upon us to accept its classification into different kinds and to accord our tacit approval to particular persons mentioned in the transmissional chain, when the Qur`aan has not indicated any particular kinds of Hadith with persons.'
The answer to such a statement would be that, in the first place, this scruple is senseless. If the Qur`aan indicates a general matter, then its particular illustrations and minutae should be searched for in its history and not in the pages of the Qur`aan. if the Qur`aan were to adopt the approach that follows from this assumption, it would not be a basic constitution at all but a compendium of by-laws and polymathia, which is obviously against the dignity of the Qur`aan. The Qur`aan has only laid down the fundamentals of the Shari’ah. To seek for particular applications in the Qur`aan would be to demonstrate our ignorance of the making of fundamental laws; even more, a living proof of our sensitivity to the significance of such laws. Therefore, when the science of Hadith has been agreed upon as being, specifically proven from the Qur`aanic text, then the acts based upon its principles and the different kinds of Ahaadith have also to be acknowledged as proven. There is no scope left whatsoever, consequently, for denying a derivation after the original has been acknowledged.
Negators of Hadith
The second class of persons about whom the holy prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) has spoken is that of the negators who will openly deny the traditions in order to discredit or destroy them and very cunningly taking cover of the Qur`aan, contrive to put an end to its exposition, that is the Hadith, by the Qur`aan itself.
According to a narration by Miqdaad bin Ma`dikarb, the holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Know that the Qur`aan has been revealed to me and its analogue (the Hadith) also. Be alert! There will come a time when you will come across a well-fed and healthy person sitting on his couch and reclining on a pillow saying, 'O people! Hold fast unto the Qur`aan. Whatever is prohibited in it you should accept as prohibited and whatever has been allowed therein, consider permissible;' (the Ahaadith are not at all trustworthy), although it is a fact that the Prophet of God (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) also has prohibited many things in the tradition, just as God has done in the Qur`aan. see that the flesh of the domestic ass is prohibited; so is that of animals with incisors (carnivorous). It is not lawful to pick up even a stray trifle of a non-believing ally from the roadside unless its owner relinquishes his claim upon it after you have informed him, etc. (Abu Dawud)
This Hadith has also disclosed the raison d`etre behind negation of the Hadith also. This would be the result of being well-fed and opulent because freedom from want and poverty would lead to skepticism about religion.
The Qur`aan has said, 'Nay, but verily man is rebellious, that he thinketh himself is independent.' (Qur`aan 96:6-7)
A little of though will show that the fabricators of Ahaadith follow the footsteps of the Raafidhis (Deserters) who fabricated thousands of Ahaadith to show that the Qur`aan has been interpolated while the negators of the Ahaadith are like the Khaarijites who, claiming to profess the Qur`aan, denied the Hadith.
Two Alternatives for the Negators of Hadith
There are only two alternatives for those who negate Hadith: they should deny transmission and narration out and out and openly deny the Qur`aan along with the Hadith, but if they believe in the narration of the Qur`aan, then they must admit the narration of the Hadith as well in view of their having admitted narration as a verity. They cannot accept the Qur`aan and negate the Hadith, otherwise, they would be considered deniers of the narrative itself.
Further consideration would amply show that the proof for continuous narrative does not rest merely upon the fact of continuity of narration of the Qur`aan but it is provided by the proof of the Qur`aan itself. It is not necessary that its proof should be sought in the continuous narration of the Qur`aan alone, since once the Qur`aan is admitted as gospel truth, the question naturally arises, how did we come to know it from the Qur`aan which has not been proved as such, then how can it provide proof for anything else? This is called 'presuming a thing before it comes into existence', a sort of posteriori approach. Thus, we can know it is the self-same Qur`aan through an extraneous source, and what else can this source be but the reports regarding the holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) which were recorded and have reached us intact? This is what is called the Hadith. Therefore, proving that the Qur`aan is verily the Qur`aan depends upon the Hadith.
Considered this way, could it be possible that the acknowledgement of the Qur`aan should be made imperative but not that of the Hadith? If this is so, then it would not be possible to prove and establish the very existence of the Qur`aan