Quran and Hadith: The Foundations of Islamic Knowledge

The Islamic faith and all its traditions are based on two pillars:

The Holy Quran and the Hadith.

The Quran, which is the revelation of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), sets the basis of the religion and its morality. The Hadith supplements the Quran by practically interpreting and contextualizing its illustrative teachings because it systematically preserves the Prophet's teachings, deeds, and tacit endorsements. These two pillars, in combination, serve as the fundamental basis for the Islamic religion, its legal system, and morality. In the following, the two sources will be described separately, after which their interrelation will be examined to illustrate how they serve as the foundation for the Islamic religion and its practices. 

Surah Al Baqarah, Ayat 2:

"ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ"

Translation: "This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah."

When he described the Prophet’s (ﷺ) way, he emphasized the importance of intention and said the following:

"إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ"

Translation: "Indeed, actions are judged by intentions."

The Quran is, indeed, the primary source around which the doctrinal, ethical, and legal foundations of Islam revolve, setting the various essential axioms.

Unlike the other sources of Islamic tradition, the Hadith takes on the responsibility of interpreting and implementing the Quran and its injunctions by recording the life, practices, and decisions of Muhammad ﷺ. This integrative relationship enables the Hadith not only to explain the Quran but also to resolve situational confusion and offer more complex solutions within specific structures of history and society. The unique functions of these sources create a flexible and interrelated system of knowledge, where the Quran sets the central frameworks and the Hadith provides the contextual and practical touches. This relationship is vital to the ever-evolving aspects of Islamic legal thought, ethical reasoning, and communal practice.  

The Quran: A Divine Revelation Beyond Time

The Quran is a holy scripture like no other. And, throughout the course of the 23 years of its revelation, the Quran addressed themes of a spiritual, moral, and social nature. In terms of its content and style, the Quran is exceptional, and it is a text that has never changed across time.  

Allah guarantees its protection by stating,  

"إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ" (الحجر: 9)  

Translation (Sahih International): Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian (Quran 15:9).  

The Quran is a unique text in the sense that it encompasses laws, guidance, wisdom, and tales. Its language is at once both simple and profound, as well as clear and poetic. Some verses can be described as short yet savagely potent: 

Reflecting on the wonders of creation, some verses narrate the tales of prophets and elucidate laws related to justice. The Quran’s relevance is universal, as it can be understood and appreciated by both an intellectual and an individual with no formal education.

Thematic and Structural Aspects of the Quran  

There are over six thousand Ayahs split into 114 Surahs in the Quran. Some Surahs, like Al-Baqarah, are long and span several pages, while others, such as Al-Kawthar, are relatively brief. Each verse, regardless of length, is dense with meaning.

The Quran covers the following topics:

• The concept of Allah (Tawheed).

• The orders of right and wrong.

• The reflective accounts of Prophets.

• The laws of civilization.

• The reminders of the Afterlife.

One of the stern reminders is found in Surah Al-Kahf:

“وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ” (الكهف: 29)

The translation is: “And say, 'The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills, let him believe and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.'” The verse captures the Quran’s view of the world and its teachings on free will by placing the individual’s choice of having faith (or the absence of it) against the backdrop of having faith in God and being accountable for the choices.

The verse captures the essence of the Quran’s approach toward responsibility and free will by recognizing the agency of accepting and refuting faith. It also emphasizes that the absolute foundation of truth is only God, and therefore, human choice is limited to the scope of what is divinely revealed. Thus, the passage attempts to achieve a nuanced theological stance, that is, while the revelation sets the parameters of what is right to believe in and what is right to do, the person is free, and therefore, capable, and also held to the responsibility to respond. This thesis is developed repeatedly in an array of thematic settings in the Quran.  

The Hadith: Practical Guidance of the Prophet ﷺ  

These central teachings are in the Quran, whereas the Hadith explains how to put them correctly into practice. For instance, the Quran instructs Muslims to pray, while the Hadith elaborates on the modality. This is an example of the synergistic relationship: the Quran explains what to do, while the Hadith elaborates how to do it.  

The Prophet ﷺ said:  

"صَلُّوا كَم رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي"  

Translation: Pray as you have seen me pray.  

There are thousands of stories and sayings in the Hadiths, covering a wide range of subjects such as worship and personal behavior, family life, business, and even leadership.  

Classifications of Hadith include:  

Sahih (Authentic): These are considered very reliable.  

Hasan (Good) – These can be deemed valid and acceptable.  

Da’if (Weak) – These are less reliable and are used with caution.  

One of the most essential hadiths about Ramadan states:  

فَمَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِه.  

One who fasts Ramadan with faith and intending to be rewarded will have his previous sins forgiven.  

These narratives act as a legal basis that continues to guide the behavior of Muslims in modern circumstances. For instance, the Hadith literature provides a detailed framework for the performance of rituals such as prayer and fasting, upholding moral values in social interaction, and offering guidelines on business dealings. This way, the Hadiths keep the teachings of the Prophet relevant and applicable in the day-to-day religious, social, and ethical life of Muslims today.  

The Connections Between Quran and Hadith  

The Quran states the foundational beliefs and legal aspects of Islam, whereas the Hadith offers authentic legal opinions about its practical aspects. In this way, the Quran provides the basic structure of Muslim beliefs and practices, and the Hadith provides the specific details on its practical aspects in the everyday life of Muslims. All of these together form the primary basis of the practices of Islam.

"وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ" (البقرة: 43)

Establish prayer.

How many prayers are prayed a day? When are these prayers scheduled, and what are the correct phrases to be used? The Hadith fills in these gaps. In its absence, the instruction would remain ambiguous.

"أَلَا إِنِّي أُوتِيتُ الْقُرْآن وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ"

Indeed, I have been given the Quran and something similar along with it.

By addressing how they have been appropriated, the interlinked nature of the Hadith and Quran provides for the continued and evolving practice and understanding of Islam in the modern world. In this regard, the foundational Theological, ethical, and legal principles of Islam, along with the hadith, form the basis for addressing new, contemporary, and complex sociocultural issues.