The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 131
Hadith and Sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa 131 Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had passed some of their successors thought of compiling the Ahadith and they were compiled. There is no doubt that most of the compilers of Hadith were very pious and righteous. They tested the accuracy of Ahādīth as far as it was possible and tried to steer clear of those which, in their opinion, were manufactured. They rejected every Hadith any narrator of which was of doubtful veracity. As all this activity was ex post factum, it was no more than conjecture. Yet, it would be most unfair to say that all Ahādīth are vain and useless and false. So much care was taken in compiling the Ahādīth, and such research and criticism were employed in the task, that they cannot be matched in any other religion. The Jews also had compilations of Hadith and Jesus was opposed by that sect of the Jews who followed the Ahādīth, but it is not proved that the Jewish compilers of Hadith had exercised that care in compiling their collec- tions as the Muslim compilers of Hadith did. Neverthe- less, it would be a mistake to imagine that until the Ahādīth were compiled, the Muslims were unaware of the details of Prayer services or did not know the proper way of performing the pilgrimage. The practical illustrations of the Sunnah had taught them all the limits and obliga- tions laid down by Islām. It is true, therefore, that even if the Ahadith, which were collected after a long time, had not been compiled this would not have affected the real teaching of Islam for the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah had fulfilled this need. The Ahadith only added to that light and Islām became light upon light and the Ahadith became testimonies for the Qur'an and Sunnah. Of the many sects that subsequently appeared in Islām, the true one derived great benefit from the true Ahadith.