A Review of the Debate between Batalavi and Chakrhalavi — Page 9
9 9 HADRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD and false. For such immense caution has been exercised in record- ing the hadith and such a phenomenal effort has been expended in critiquing and evaluating this corpus as is unparalleled in the history of religion. The Jews also had their own anecdotal records, and the Jewish sect that opposed Jesus was particularly known for adhering to them, but there is no evidence to suggest that Jewish scholars exercised the same diligence in collecting them as their Muslim counterparts. It would be incorrect to think that until the hadith were com- piled, people were unaware of the [number of ] rak‘ a t in the oblig- atory Prayers or the rites of hajj. For the sunnah, which had taken root in them through a method of practice, had to all intents and purposes, taught every obligation and injunction laid down by Islam. Therefore, it is absolutely correct to state that if the hadith which were collected well after [the Holy Prophet saw ] had never even surfaced, there would be no deficiency in the fundamental teachings of Islam, for they had already been fully established by the Holy Quran and through a system of practice. The hadith served only to enhance this light, illuminating Islam as though it were ٌرْوُن ىٰلَع ٍرْوُن [light upon light]. Further, the hadith came forth and testified to the truth of the Holy Quran and sunnah. After Islam split into numerous sects, those among them who were truthful derived great benefit from authentic hadith. Hence, a most appropriate view is that while one should abstain from the belief that where narratives of hadith clearly con- tradict those of the Holy Quran such narratives should be given preference and the Holy Quran should be abandoned, as is held by the Ahl-e-Hadith of the age, by the same token one should