Satan’s single objective is to lead as many people astray as he can. A major blessing that God has given mankind to aid in their guidance is the Quran (2:2). God promised that He would preserve the Quran (15:9), and as shown in a previous article, there have been four known mechanisms that God utilized in preserving the Quran, in addition to His invisible forces:
Manuscripts
Mass-Transmission & Memorization
Arabic Grammar
Code 19
41:41 Those who have rejected the Quran’s proof when it came to them, have also rejected an Honorable book.
No falsehood could enter it, in the past or in the future; a revelation from a Most Wise, Praiseworthy.
Since the Quran’s contents are locked in, the devil does not have a vector of attack against its text. Instead, he has to devise other methods to deter people from it.
22:52 We did not send before you any messenger, nor a prophet, without having the devil interfere in his wishes. GOD then nullifies what the devil has done. GOD perfects His revelations. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
The Devil’s TACTIC AGAINST TRADITIONALIST:
ABANDON THE QURAN
With the traditionalists, like the Sunnis and Shias, he had them follow other sources besides the Quran, such as Hadith books and their scholars and leaders.
6:112 We have permitted the enemies of every prophet—human and jinn devils—to inspire in each other fancy words, in order to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. You shall disregard them and their fabrications.
6:113 This is to let the minds of those who do not believe in the Hereafter listen to such fabrications, and accept them, and thus expose their real convictions.
4:60 Have you noted those who claim that they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, then uphold the unjust laws of their idols? They were commanded to reject such laws. Indeed, it is the devil’s wish to lead them far astray.
42:21 They follow idols who decree for them religious laws never authorized by GOD. If it were not for the predetermined decision, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, the transgressors have incurred a painful retribution.
9:31 They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to worship only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.
The Devil’s TACTIC AGAINST Quran followers:
distort THE meaning of the QURAN
Yet, others choose to follow the Quran alone and denounce setting up other sources of religious law besides the Quran. For these, the devil needs to take another approach. As the devil cannot alter the text of the Quran, he only has one other tactic to lead these people astray, which is by distorting the meaning of the words for such people.
17:64 “You may entice them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and children, and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an illusion.
Today, the biggest pitfall for those who choose to follow the Quran alone is being duped by the devil into misunderstanding the meaning of the words and verses of the Quran. Many Quran-alone followers have all kinds of misunderstandings regarding the verses of the Quran. These vary from the mild to the extreme, but here is a sample of some of their flawed understandings.
Salat is not a ritual prayer
Zakat is not an obligatory charity
Sayam (fasting) is not abstaining from food or drink
Ramadan is not the month for fasting but the month of scorching heat
Hajj is a congregation of arguing
Pork is not prohibited
Adultery is not prohibited
Intoxicants are not prohibited
Homosexuality is not prohibited
To arrive at these understandings, they simply redefine the meanings of words and verses, which allows them to push the envelope of whatever they want the Quran to say, making it into a sort of mad lib of their liking. But how is this to be resolved? If each person is free to define the words of the Quran to whatever they deem suitable, then there is no common source by which we can conduct our religion.
The fact is that the only humans who are authorized to legitimately rule regarding these matters are commissioned messengers of God. They are to serve as an arbitrator for these disputes and, by God’s leave, provide the verdict on these matters of dispute regarding the understandings of the religion.
God’s Referee on Earth: A Clarifying Messenger
Imagine individuals wanting to play a soccer game but disagreeing on the rules. Without a common understanding, constant arguments about what is allowed would ensue, making a productive game impossible. However, having a referee who arbitrates the rules eliminates these disputes. The referee ensures that the rules are consistently understood and applied, allowing the players to focus on the game rather than the rules. This enables the game to proceed smoothly and fairly.
This is similar to God’s system. God sent us the Quran as a rule book. When it was revealed 1400 years ago, it was clear and understandable to the people of that time. However, over the centuries, the meanings of some words have drifted from their original usage, leading to confusion and misunderstandings, similar to what we see among Quranists. To resolve these issues, God sends messengers to guide believers from darkness into light.
65:11 a messenger who recites to you GOD’s revelations, clearly, to lead those who believe and work righteousness out of the darkness into the light. Anyone who believes in GOD and leads a righteous life, He will admit him into gardens with flowing streams; they abide therein forever. GOD will generously reward him.
Messengers are the ambassadors of God. Just as an ambassador wouldn’t communicate in a language unfamiliar to the people they are sent to, God’s messengers convey their message in the language of their audience.
14:4 We did not send any messenger except (to preach) in the tongue of his people, in order to clarify things for them. GOD then sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. He is the Almighty, the Most Wise.
5:92 You shall obey GOD, and you shall obey the messenger, and beware. If you turn away, then know that the sole duty of our messenger is to deliver the message efficiently (clearly).
One of the functions of a messenger is to judge and settle disputes.
4:59 O you who believe, you shall obey GOD, and you shall obey the messenger, and those in charge among you. If you dispute in any matter, you shall refer it to GOD and the messenger, if you do believe in GOD and the Last Day. This is better for you, and provides you with the best solution.
24:47 They say, “We believe in GOD and in the messenger, and we obey,” but then some of them slide back afterwards. These are not believers.
24:48 When they are invited to GOD and His messenger to judge among them, some of them get upset.
24:49 However, if the judgment is in their favor, they readily accept it!
24:50 Is there a disease in their hearts? Are they doubtful? Are they afraid that GOD and His messenger may treat them unfairly? In fact, it is they who are unjust.
24:51 The only utterance of the believers, whenever invited to GOD and His messenger to judge in their affairs, is to say, “We hear and we obey.” These are the winners.
The messengers judge by God’s revelations given to them, and not their personal opinion or any other source.
38:26 O David, we have made you a ruler on earth. Therefore, you shall judge among the people equitably, and do not follow your personal opinion, lest it diverts you from the way of GOD. Surely, those who stray off the way of GOD incur severe retribution for forgetting the Day of Reckoning.
The source by which God’s messenger judge is the Quran alone.
4:105 We have sent down to you the scripture, truthfully, in order to judge among the people in accordance with what GOD has shown you. You shall not side with the betrayers.
The latest messenger to come for our generation was Dr. Rashad Khalifa. God commissioned him to translate the Quran into a language we can understand. God authorized him to do so and gave him divine revelation to clarify these matters for the believers.
2:151 (Blessings) such as the sending of a messenger from among you to recite our revelations to you, purify you, teach you the scripture and wisdom, and to teach you what you never knew.
5:19 O people of the scripture, our messenger has come to you, to explain things to you, after a period of time without messengers, lest you say, “We did not receive any preacher or warner.” A preacher and warner has now come to you. GOD is Omnipotent.
When the believers are faced with a problem, they develop a number of possible solutions, and this invariably leads to considerable bickering, disunity, and disarray. We learn from 2:151, 3:164, and 21:107 that it is but mercy from God that He sends to us messengers to provide the final solutions to our problems. We learn from 42:51 that God sends His messengers to communicate with us, and to disseminate new information. Hence the strong injunction in 4:65, 80 to accept, without the slightest hesitation, the teachings delivered to us through God’s messengers.
4:65 Never indeed, by your Lord; they are not believers unless they come to you to judge in their disputes, then find no hesitation in their hearts whatsoever in accepting your judgment. They must submit a total submission.
Translations serve as a bridge between languages and cultures, preserving the original work’s content and intent. Translating a book does not result in a different book; rather, it provides an accessible version of the original text for speakers of another language. The primary purpose of translation is to convey the same ideas, stories, and messages found in the original text. The content remains intact, though the language changes. Good translations stay true to the author’s original intent and tone, ensuring that the essence of the book is maintained across different languages.
While translations may adapt certain cultural references or idiomatic expressions to make them understandable to their intended audience, the core narrative and informational content remain unchanged. The goal of translation is to bridge language barriers, allowing a wider audience to experience the original work. This inclusivity broadens the impact of the original text without altering its fundamental nature. Thus, a translation remains fundamentally the same book, just in a different linguistic form.
Additionally, the Quran infers itself as either Arabic or non-Arabic, which implies that it was always meant to be translated.
41:44 If we made it a non-Arabic Quran they would have said, “Why did it come down in that language?” Whether it is Arabic or non-Arabic, say, “For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve, they will be deaf and blind to it, as if they are being addressed from faraway.”
Note the reason for an authorized English translation of the Quran done by one of God’s messengers.
A Translation is Not the Same as The Hadith Attributed to the Prophet
When Quranists are informed that God sent a messenger to clarify matters and settle disputes, they typically respond by equating these clarifications to Hadith. This comes from a misunderstanding of what Hadith is. Hadith, in the broadest sense, can apply to any statement, but in the context of the prophet, it is words, actions, or inactions attributed to the prophet that traditionalists use for religious and legal rulings. Hadith attributed to the Quran do not explain the Quran; they are legal rulings that supplement and often override the verses of the Quran.
One thing that is very clear for anyone who studies Hadith is that Hadith is not a tafsir (exegesis) of the Quran. This isn’t a personal opinion but spelled out very clearly in the Hadith itself.
For example, one will not find any Hadith that provides a detailed explanation of three consecutive verses of the Quran. Even the contextual Hadith (Asbab al-Nuzul) is generally considered weak by Hadith scholars. It is full of contradictions even by its own standards and covers only ~10% of the Quran.
Additionally, even if one goes through the Hadith corpus, it rarely even attempts to explain the verses of the Quran, minus some possible definitions of words, which are often riddled with contradictions or, in other instances, terrible backstories regarding some of the verses. Some examples of the latter are Solomon refusing to say God willing in association with 38:34, Job promising to beat his wife in association with 38:44, or Moses being accused of having a scrotal hernia in association with 33:69.
Even according to Hadith, the companions were not allowed to ask the prophet about the meaning of the verses.
It is narrated on the authority of Thabit that Anas said: We were forbidden in the Holy Qur’an that we should ask about anything from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and then Anas reported the hadith in similar words.
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ الْعَبْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ كُنَّا نُهِينَا فِي الْقُرْآنِ أَنْ نَسْأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ شَىْءٍ . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِمِثْلِهِ .
Sahih Muslim 12b
https://sunnah.com/muslim:12b
The Hadith states that believers were to read the Quran as long as their hearts were in agreement with its meaning and that if they disagreed, they were to take a break.
Narrated Jundab bin `Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Recite (and study) the Qur’an as long as you are in agreement as to its interpretation and meanings, but when you have differences regarding its interpretation and meanings, then you should stop reciting it (for the time being.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 7364
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7364
That said, comparing the Hadith corpus, which the enemies of God falsely attributed to the Prophet, with the translation of the Quran that we have from God’s messenger is completely inappropriate and misleading.
RASHAD DID NOT BRING NEW LAWS
As mentioned, the duty of the messenger is to deliver God’s message and clarify matters, either to resolve disputes in the religion or to highlight unknown facts within the scriptures. This has always been God’s system and was no different for Rashad. Rashad clarified disputed matters and revealed previously unknown details of the Quran by God’s leave, and he did not introduce any new laws like what is found in the Hadith corpus. All his religious instructions were taken directly from the Quran.