Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 19
19 V the lives of millions of human beings. Prayers were observed, j alms given and pilgrimages performed in accordance with the( requirements of the law, and all distinctions between things allowed and prohibited, had been clearly marked out long before the collection of tradition. All these things therefore, depend upon the Holy Quran and custom not upon tradition. Tradition no doubt occupies the third place in Muslim Law and throws light ^Jpon" many~^rii'storica-l-- problems, adds to the ethical code~~of~Islam and'" assists IrT'the application of the general principles of the Holy Quran to particular circumstances- It is like a ser^nUnJLts. relation to the Holy Quran and the custom. The Ahl-i-hadis confound custom with tradition and include both the sayings and the practice of the Holy Prophet under the name of tradition. But facts do not lend any support to this view. Custom was established under the direct care of the Holy Prophet, and this part of the law without. which thei injunctions of the Holy Quran would not have passed into the domain of the practical was in his own immediate charge, while \ tradition was not collected and classified to serve as a guide on doctrinal points until after the death of the Prophet and even/ his companions. Tradition, therefore, does not supersede or govern the Holy Quran and the custom but serves as an auxiliary to them. All important and essential principles and practices have been established by the Holy Quran and the custom, while tradition casts light upon secondary and minor points. V, The value of these three sources of Muslim Law is/ there-) fore, varying. The Holy Quran is the pure and unaltered Worc( of God and its authority on all points is unquestionable. Custom\ is the practical course of life into which the Holy Prophet guid-\ ed his companions and which has since been followed by all true Muslims. The authority of custom though second to the Holy/