A Review of the Debate between Batalavi and Chakrhalavi — Page 10
10 10 A REVIEW OF THE DEBATE BETWEEN BAT A LAV I AND CHAKRH A LAV I not consider the hadith worthless and of no value as is held by Maulav i ‘Abdull a h C hakrh a lav i. Rather, the Holy Quran and sunnah should be considered to possess authority over the hadith. However, it is also true that those hadith which do not contradict the Holy Quran ought to be followed with heart and soul, for this is the right path. Blessed are those who follow this way, and most unfortunate 1 and ignorant is the one who does not follow this principle and denies the hadith. It is incumbent on my Jam a ‘at to follow any hadith which does not oppose and contradict the Holy Quran and sunnah, regardless of its authenticity and give preference to it over man- made jurisprudence. And if they are unable to find [elaboration on] a certain matter from the hadith, the sunnah or from the 1. Note: Last night I saw in a dream a fruit-bearing tree laden with delicious and beautiful fruits, and that some people were trying to train a creeper onto the tree. The creeper had no root and simply appeared to be attached to the tree, like a parasite. As the creeper spread on the tree, it damaged its fruits and the tree was losing its beauty and becoming unattractive. Some of its expected fruits were likely to be lost and some had even been ruined. My heart was greatly moved and troubled by this and I asked a good and holy man who was standing near: What tree is this and what kind of a creeper has taken such a nice tree into its grip. He answered: This tree is the Quran, the Word of God, and this creeper is symbolic for those hadith and commentaries which are opposed to the Quran or are believed to contradict it. The largeness of their number has the tree in its grip and is damaging it. Then I woke up. I have been writing this treatise since that moment, which was the night just gone, and I am nearing the end. It is now late into the small hours of Saturday night and the clock has just struck forty minutes past one. [And all praise belongs to Allah for this]. M. G. A. [Author]