Important Question

[kassana]

Okay, first off, I don't condemn hadith or people who follow hadith, i just choose to follow the quran as the word of ALlah, everything else that adds to it is not necessary. But I have a problem.

Surah Lahab

Which obviously talks about Abu Lahab and his wife etc. How are we supposed to completely deny hadith and realise in what reference is this hadith about. Without hadith we wouldn't know who abu lahab is!!?? Do you see what I'm saying?

[Arnold Yasin]

Peace,

we were just discussing that on the general discussions/ question part.
We don't need hadith to understand that surah. Because the story that is told in hadith, was just made up using the words of that surah, plus the story is contradicting to everyhting in the Quran. Plus we get even a better understanding without the hadith...
http://www.free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=5675.0

[Stitch]

Without hadith we wouldn't know who abu lahab is!!?? Do you see what I'm saying?

Salaam kassana, 

Your statement makes sense and I can understand why then one would be inclined to refer to the hadith. However, even if you choose to refer to the hadith and try to ascertain a better understanding of "Surah Lahab", that does not mean that the hadith is to be used as a source of law, which is what the traditionalists have done and tainted the religion that is contained in the Quran.
In the bigger picture of our existence and the overall message of the Quran, this small reference to Abu Lahab is unimportant to the "message" we are to take heed to.

Please bear this very important verse in mind -

Quran 3:7 (Yusuf Ali translation)

He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.

The basic message of the Quran is to worship the ONE God that has always been and created everything, establish regular prayer, to live a righteous life, to do good deeds and to give regular charity. These are the qualities we should focus on, for they are essential to our success in this life and the hereafter. The characteristics that I have just stated are derived from the most often repeated verses in the Quran.

Now more so than ever before, I believe it is vitally important that those of us who truly believe in God, who follow the message of the Quran and call ourselves "Muslims", and call our religion "Islam", that we stop defining ourselves by unimportant labels but start defining ourselves by how we live in an exemplary fashion. We should all have exceptional character and a reputation that precedes us by the quality of virtue that our God-consciousness and the message of the Quran has evoked in us.

I hope for a day when the words "Muslim", "Islam", and "Quran" create awe in the hearts of people who hear them, instead of the digust and fear that they now unfortunately carry due to the behaviour of those who have abandoned God's message and have followed the innovations of mere men.

Peace,

Stitch