Why Hadith is Necessary

A common argument is: If the Qur’an is a complete book, why does it not include details of everything, such as the method of prayer or prophecies like the Mahdi’s arrival? If hadith contains these details, does that mean the Qur’an is incomplete? The answer lies in understanding how the Qur’an presents future events and religious obligations in a way that remains valid for all generations without leading to confusion or contradictions.

1. Why the Qur’an Does Not Include Ritual Details Like Prayer

Some people question why the Qur’an does not contain step-by-step instructions for prayer if it is the most important act of worship.

The reason is simple:

• The Qur’an is not an instruction manual, but a book of divine guidance.
• If it included every minor detail, it would become too large and complex, distracting from its core message.
• The Qur’an commands prayer, but leaves the method to the Prophet’s practice (Sunnah), which is more practical and effective for learning.

Logical Example

Imagine a book teaching people how to swim, but only through written instructions, without a coach demonstrating it. Wouldn’t people struggle to learn it properly? Similarly, if the Qur’an only had written descriptions of prayer, people might misinterpret it, making errors. Instead, the Prophet demonstrated how to pray, ensuring it was passed down correctly.

The Qur’an’s command + Prophet’s demonstration = A complete system of religious practice.

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2 . The Qur’an Provides Principles, Not Ritual Details

The Qur’an is primarily a book of guidance and principles, not a manual of rituals.

🔹 It commands Muslims to pray:

🔹 Fajr (Dawn Prayer)
📖 “Establish prayer at the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and the Qur’an at dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an at dawn is witnessed.” (Qur’an 17:78)

🔹 Dhuhr & Asr (Noon & Afternoon Prayers)
📖 “Be ever mindful of prayers, and of the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in devotion.” (Qur’an 2:238)
🔹 (The “middle prayer” is often interpreted as Asr.)

🔹 Maghrib (Sunset Prayer)
📖 “So glorify Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.” (Qur’an 30:17)
🔹 (Evening = Maghrib, Morning = Fajr.)

🔹 Isha (Night Prayer)
📖 “And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud (an extra prayer) as an offering for you…” ((Qur’an 17:79)

🔹 (Though this refers to Tahajjud, it confirms the existence of a night prayer.)

📖 “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds remove bad deeds.” (Qur’an 11:114)
🔹 (Two ends of the day = Fajr & Maghrib, approach of the night = Isha.)

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2. The Prophet’s Role as a Teacher & Living Example

If everything, including prayer details, was written in the Qur’an, there would be no need for a Prophet to demonstrate Islam in action.

🔹 The Qur’an itself says:

📖 “And We have sent down to you the Reminder (Qur’an) so that you may explain to the people what was revealed to them.” (Qur’an 16:44)

This shows that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was given the responsibility to explain and demonstrate what was revealed in the Qur’an.

1. Oral & Practical Teaching is More Effective than Written Instruction

   Human beings learn rituals better through demonstration rather than text.
   Example: Learning to Pray from a Book vs. Watching Someone Pray
   Imagine a book containing only written instructions on how to ride a bicycle. Would that be as effective as watching someone ride it and following their example? Similarly:

   • If the Qur’an only gave text-based instructions for prayer, people would struggle to learn it correctly.
   • Watching the Prophet pray allowed his companions to learn and pass it down practically.

   Islam was revealed in an oral culture where actions and practical demonstrations were more effective than written rules.

   Thus, prayer was taught through the Prophet’s actions rather than written instructions to ensure that:
   ✅ It remained easy to learn.
   ✅ It was preserved accurately through generations.
   ✅ It prevented confusion that could arise from interpreting written text differently.

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3. The Difference Between Divine Decree and Human Choice

A major difference between the Qur’an and some hadith narrations is how future events are described.

• Some events happen because God has decreed them (e.g., Jesus’ return, Judgment Day, Byzantine victory).
• Other events depend on human actions and choices (e.g., wars, political leaders, innovations).

If the Qur’an directly mentioned human decisions, it would raise the question:
Did humans choose it, or did God force it to happen?

For example:

• If the Qur’an had named a specific ruler 1400 years ago, it would suggest that humans have no free will.
• But if humans truly have free will, then such a prophecy could be proven false if they acted differently.

How the Qur’an Avoids This Issue

Instead of naming exact people and years, the Qur’an describes patterns of history, such as:

• The rise and fall of powerful nations.
• The moral corruption of societies before their decline.
• The return of Jesus as a major sign of the end times.

These remain true no matter when they happen, ensuring that the Qur’an does not become outdated or limited to one era.

1. The Qur’an Describes Patterns, Not Just One-Time Events

   The Qur’an does not just describe one-time historical events. Instead, it highlights patterns that repeat throughout history, ensuring its lessons remain useful.

   Example 3: The Fall of Corrupt Nations

   📖 “And We never destroy a town unless its people are wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 28:59)

   • This is not just about one nation, but a universal rule that applies to all civilizations.
   • The Qur’an does not name specific nations that will fall in the future – it instead describes why nations fall, so the lesson applies in every era.

   Hadith, on the other hand, may give more specific details about individual past or future events, such as signs of the end times.

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Example: The Mahdi and Future Events

If the Qur’an had explicitly mentioned the Mahdi’s arrival, rule, and passing away, people in future generations would continue reading it as if it was still about to happen, even after it had already occurred.

• The Qur’an avoids such confusion by focusing on general principles, leaving specifics to hadith or interpretation.
• This is why the Qur’an avoids fixed dates, names, and overly detailed prophecies—to prevent it from becoming an outdated or misinterpreted book over time.

1. Why the Qur’an Mentions Jesus but Not the Mahdi

• The Qur’an does mention Jesus’ return, but it does not go into complete detail. This is because:
• Jesus is the end of the story – his return is directly connected to the final events of history.
• However, if the Qur’an had included all details of his return, it would have made the book feel like a storybook of prophecies, similar to the Bible.
• If the Qur’an was structured this way, it would make the entire text seem like a collection of human-made predictions, rather than a divine book of guidance.
• Including too many past and future events would make the Qur’an hard to understand as a universal guide, reducing its impact on moral, legal, and spiritual teachings.
  
  2.The Same Approach is Used for the Mahdi

• The Qur’an does not explicitly mention the Mahdi, because his role is not part of the final divine story like Jesus, but rather a major historical event before the end times.
• If the Qur’an had listed every prophecy in full detail, it would turn into a human-like historical record rather than a divine message.
• Hadith explains the Mahdi’s role, just as it clarifies the return of Jesus, ensuring that the Qur’an remains a book of divine guidance rather than a timeline of events.

Thus, the Qur’an provides the foundation, while hadith explains the details, keeping the message timeless and preserving the Qur’an’s unique structure as divine revelation.

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Jesus’ Prophecy of Ahmad – A Timeless Message

Another example of how the Qur’an ensures its statements remain valid across time is how it quotes Jesus foretelling the coming of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:

📖Qur’an 61:6 – “And [remember] when Jesus, son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! Indeed, I am the messenger of Allah sent to you, confirming the Torah before me and giving good news of a messenger to come after me, whose name will be Ahmad.’”

• This prophecy remains valid and useful for all time because:

✔ It is an argument against Christians  – They continue to debate whether Jesus foretold another messenger.
✔ It was applicable both before and after Prophet Muhammad’s arrival – Before his time, it was a future prophecy, and after, it serves as evidence of his prophethood.
✔ It proves the Qur’an’s method is not time-bound – If it had mentioned a fixed date or location, it would be limited to that era.

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The Qur’an’s Message is Always in a Timeless Form

One of the key features of the Qur’an is that it always speaks in a way that remains relevant, whether referring to the past, present, or future.

1️⃣ When speaking about past events, the Qur’an does not just narrate history but presents it as an ongoing lesson that applies to all times.
2️⃣ When speaking about future events, it avoids fixed dates and presents them as part of divine patterns, so they remain relevant even after they happen.
3️⃣ When something is truly timeless, the Qur’an declares it as a decree from God, ensuring it remains unchanged while also embedding flexibility within its wording.

Final Thoughts:

In this article, we have simply explained why hadith is necessary to avoid confusion in direct words of God. The Qur’an, being divine revelation, keeps its message universal and timeless, while hadith provides specific details, many of which are related to historical events, practices of the Arabs, and daily life, Even if someone does not understand hadith, it does not affect the core of Islam, because hadith is not the direct word of God. Instead, hadith contains:

• Reports of past events, such as how Arabs lived, ate, and interacted.
• Historical records of Islamic society, including practices like trade, governance, and slavery at that time.
• Guidance for those who seek it, allowing people to take wisdom from hadith based on their personal circumstances.

Another key reason why prophecies are found in hadith but not directly in the Qur’an is because prophecies are not divine decrees (Qadr) that must happen as God’s set plan. Instead, they are things shown to the Prophet ﷺ about what will happen based on human actions.

For example:

• A hadith may state: “You will fight against a group.”
• But why does this fight happen? Because that group will do wrong, and the Muslims will resist them.
• This means the fight is not pre-planned by God-rather, it is foreseen and confirmed through the Prophet ﷺ.

God does not force the opposing group to fight, nor does He take away their free will. Instead:

• The enemy can change their plans on how they will attack.
• But the fight will still happen because their actions naturally lead to that outcome.
• This type of event cannot be included in the Qur’an because it depends on human choices, not a fixed divine decree.

Unlike hadith, the Qur’an’s message applies to all people, in the same way, without exception. This is why prayer details are left in hadith, the Qur’an commands prayer, but hadith explains the method without turning the Qur’an into a ritual manual.