Executive Summary
The Great Betrayal
Muslims on the Footsteps of Jews & Christians
The Great Betrayal - Executive Summary
Islam stands firmly upon two foundations: the divinely protected Quran and the authentic, mass-transmitted Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. While the Quran's preservation is guaranteed by Allah (15:9), Hadith narrations require careful scrutiny due to their varied authenticity levels. The Prophet ﷺ explicitly prohibited writing his sayings, commanding: "Do not write anything from me except the Quran" (Sahih Muslim 3004), a prohibition maintained until his death and followed by the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. There were few exceptions (around fifty) but many refusals including Abu Hurara (RA) and many scholarly companions, who followed ban till death, which confirms the permanent nature of ban.
Two primary theories explain this prohibition. First, early Muslims feared mixing Hadith with Quranic revelation, though historical evidence shows this concern was secondary. The more critical reason was preventing the creation of rival scriptures, as happened with Jews (Talmud) and Christians (New Testament). Despite this, later generations compiled over 100 Hadith books, mirroring the very deviation the Prophet ﷺ warned against. The Companions, including scribes of revelation like Zaid bin Thabit, strictly adhered to writing only the Quran, understanding the danger of elevating other texts to near-scriptural status.
The post-prophetic era saw a gradual shift. Political and theological conflicts in the 2nd-3rd centuries Hijri led to mass Hadith compilation, with scholars later controversially classifying them as "unrecited revelation." This development paralleled Jewish and Christian practices of supplementing divine scripture with human writings. Notably, Imam Abu Hanifa, despite his mastery of Hadith, abstained from compiling them, honoring the Prophetic prohibition.
Today, the Muslim ummah faces a critical choice: continue following unauthorized Hadith collections that have fueled sectarianism or return to the Quran-centric approach of the Salaf. Reform requires reevaluating Hadith through Quranic criteria, utilizing modern verification tools, and abandoning the false narrative that the writing prohibition was temporary. As the Prophet ﷺ warned, attributing false sayings to him carries severe consequences. The path forward lies in upholding the Quran as the sole mandatory scripture and treating Hadith with appropriate caution, ensuring Islam's preservation as the Prophet ﷺ intended.
Brigadier Aftab Khan (R) has carried out thorough research on subject, read his articles on following websites:
https://Quran1book.blogspot.com (Urdu)
https://Quran1book.wordpress.com (English). Read more>>>>
The Great Betrayal
Muslims on the Footsteps of Jews & Christians
Islam stands firmly upon two foundations: the Noble Quran and the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Quran is divinely protected from any form of alteration or distortion - whether in wording or meaning. The Sunnah comprises those sayings and actions of the Prophet ﷺ that were witnessed by so many companions that no doubt remains about their authenticity. These carry the same obligatory status as the Quran itself.
As for Hadith, these are narrations reported by limited individuals. While they constitute precious gems of our tradition, but mere attribution to the Prophet ﷺ is insufficient. This is why scholars established rigorous grading systems. Imam al-Suyuti compiled 113 mutawatir (mass-transmitted) hadith, while other collections contain thousands. We must carefully distinguish between authentic Prophetic sayings and possible fabrications by hypocrites seeking to exploit Muslim devotion and love of Prophet ﷺ . The Quran is only a book—the Book of Allah—and there is no other book in Islam that is obligatory to believe in as a part of Faith (Ayman). This is a fundamental point which must always be kept in view.
There are two theories which needs to be analysed in the prohibition of Hadith writing:
1.Fear of Mixing Hadith with Quran
2.Writing A Book rival to Quran (like Jews & Christiana)
Theory of Prohibition of Hadith Writing for Mixing with Quran
In the early days of Islam, the hypocrites (Munafiqeen) and polytheists (Mushrikeen) tried to cast doubt on the authenticity of the Quran. They spread various propaganda, that Quran is no more word of God, it is mixed up with Hadith, but the collective preservation by the Muslim Ummah (through consensus-based transmission) thwarted their efforts. A false narrative was fabricated by Hadith book enthusiasts later, claiming that “in the early period, there was restriction of Hadith writing due to a risk of the Quran and Hadith getting mixed up, which later disappeared with the passage of time due to various steps taken including writing of Quran alone. It must be remembered that while Quran writing, reciting , memorization was allowed, Hadiths could only be memorized and transmitted. Hadith muslim 3004 has been twisted, whereas there is no mention of mixing up. This claim is neither supported by any authentic Hadith nor by historical evidence and is against (Quran 15:9). Although it's logical to keep the Quran separated. The dictum: “not writing Hadith except Quran” by Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri (who accepted Islam in 5 AH) and Abu Hurairah (who accepted Islam in 7/8 AH) clearly indicate that the prohibition (of writing Hadith) remained in place until the final phase of Quranic revelation (Prophet ﷺ died in 10 Hijra) once Quran had been revealing since 18 to 20 years.
During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, there was a large number of scribes of revelation (Kutab al-Wahy), who would immediately write down the verses of the Quran. Some of the most prominent among them were: - Zaid bin Thabit, Ali bin Abi Talib, Uthman bin Affan, Ubai bin Ka'b, Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan, Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Khalid bin Sa'id bin Al-As, Thabit bin Qais, Hanzalah bin Ar-Rabi', Sharhabil bin Hasana, Aban bin Sa'id bin Al-As, Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (رضی اللہ عنہم) and many more.
All these noble Companions wrote the Quran under the direct command of the Prophet ﷺ, and he himself supervised the accuracy of every word. The preservation of the Quran was not limited to writing alone; thousands of Companions had also memorized it. Allah Himself took the responsibility of protecting the Quran:
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran, and indeed, We will be its guardian." (Quran 15:9)
Thus, no alteration has ever occurred in it. The Prophet ﷺ would recite the entire Quran with Jibreel (علیہ السلام) every year in what is known as "Ardah Akhirah" (Final Review), ensuring its complete compilation and arrangement. Given all these meticulous measures, the idea of the Quran and Hadith getting mixed up can only be termed as a delusion. Imam Hanifah (رحمة اللہ علیہ) stands as a notable exception. Despite having memorized countless Hadith, he did not compile any book. Why? It's food for thought!
Hence this myth of initial Prohibition of Hadith Writing for Mixing with Quran is devoid of any authenticity and historic evidence so debunked.
Writing Rival Books to Quran Like Jews & Christians
The Prophet's ﷺ Commamd , Historic Actions & Defiance
Allah's Messenger ﷺ foresaw with certainty that his Ummah would follow the path of earlier nations."You will follow the ways of those before you, span by span, until if they entered a lizard’s hole, you would too." The Jews supplemented the Torah with the 38-volume Talmud (called Oral Torah, Muslims invented Wahi Ghair Matloo in 2/3 Centuries Hijra), while Christians added 23 books to form the New Testament alongside the 4 Gospel. Today, Muslims possess over 100 Hadith collections - living proof of the Prophet's ﷺ justified concern.
This explains why the Prophet ﷺ explicitly prohibited writing his sayings: "Do not write anything from me except the Quran. Whoever has written anything from me other than the Quran should erase it." (Sahih Muslim 3004, after 5 Hijrah, date of narrator's conversion). No authentic Hadith/proof exists to abrogate this prohibition.
Just on the year 3 or 4 Hijra before his death (10 Hijra); To Abu Huraira (RA) and other companions he said that previous communities were misguided and lost their way due to writing extra books with the book of Allah (Tora & Injeel) you do not write my Hadiths. Hence Abu Huraira (RA) burnt all Hadith material and never wrote in his life. Here the Prophet ﷺ gives reason for the Hadith writing restriction. This reason has been ignored by scholars though Caliph Umer (RA) emphasized the same: "I wanted to write the Sunnah, but I remembered that a people before you wrote books and then devoted themselves to them while neglecting the Book of Allah. By Allah, I will never let anything overshadow the Book of Allah!" (Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat). The history of 1st century Hijra proves it.
Jews and Christians still follow extra books, and Muslims wrote more that 100 Hadith books in clear defiance. In Islam, only the Quran qualifies as Allah's Book requiring mandatory belief—no other text shares this status. This principle is absolutely foundational. If Prophet ﷺ expected more books he should have mentioned it.
The language of Quran is different, distinct and meticulous in eloquence (I'jaz al-Qur'an) – Unique linguistic perfection which no human can replicate. The Prophet (ﷺ) spoke in everyday Arabic, not in the Qur'an’s style.
Companions, even those who served as official scribes of Quranic revelation respected this prohibition, recognizing the crucial distinction between divine scripture and human transmission. The early Muslim community primarily relied on the rigorous Arabic oral transmission system, with its sophisticated chains of memorization and verification. While rare exceptions were granted - perhaps no more than fifty estimated cases - these were strictly limited to individuals with verifiable needs like weak memory, mirroring Islam's balanced approach to religious obligations where the standard prayer method remains standing, but the sick are accommodated with sitting as an exception. There are many Sahaba who want to write but are not permitted. Why? It is only known to the Prophet ﷺ .This careful, principle-based approach of the Salaf stands in stark contrast to the later proliferation of written Hadith collections, inviting us to reconsider whether we have strayed from the Prophetic mandate in our enthusiasm to preserve the tradition.
If this prohibition had indeed been abrogated, there would necessarily exist a clear and explicit Hadith granting general permission - yet no such authentic narration exists. The alleged 'permission' is in reality nothing more than later scholarly interpretations and deductions (ta'weelāt and istinbāt), which carry no weight when measured against: 1). the Quran's clear directives (as in 3:7), 2). the Prophet's ﷺ explicit commands, 3). the established practice of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and Companions (RA), and 4).documented historical facts." Why did Imam Abu Hanifa (RH) - whose mastery of Hadith was unparalleled, with thousands of narrations committed to memory - consciously abstain from compiling a Hadith collection? This deliberate choice by the Great Imam (RH) stands as a silent testimony to the Prophet's ﷺ prohibition against writing Hadith. The Hadith writing ban was permanent to avoid a rival scripture to Quran like Talmud & books of New Testament. What was done in the past is done, but should we continue with defiance or correct our way now?
The Unchanged Divine Command
The Rashidun Caliphs maintained this prohibition even after compiling the Quran. Allah declares: "Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah." (Quran 4:80)
The Prophet's ﷺ command cannot be altered. The prohibition of the Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (RA) and others remains clear and unambiguous. Even if for sake of discussion the “theory of mixing is believed ” it would have been temporary, the permanent orders are “No book or books besides book of Allah, the Quran”. The actions by four Khlufa Rashdun, Umer (RA) and sahaba in 1st century Hijra are well known. Had general permission been granted, an equally explicit Hadith would exist - but none does. Later scholarly interpretations cannot override instruction of Prophet ﷺ or Divine commandments (Quran3:7) clear divine commands and the practice of the righteous predecessors. This incident from the Farewell Pilgrimage—where Abu Shah (al-Yamani) specifically requested written documentation of qisas rulings—paradoxically reinforces the general prohibition, as exceptions only prove rules that already exist.
The Historical Deviation from Prophetic Command
For nearly a century after the Prophet's ﷺ passing, the Muslim community maintained strict adherence to the prohibition against writing Hadith. Why Did Later Scholars Ignore This Prohibition? After the Sahaba passed away, political and theological conflicts led to the fabrication and compilation of Hadith: i)Umayyad & Abbasid rulers needed religious justification for their policies. ii) Sectarian groups (Shi’a, Khawarij, Mu’tazila) fabricated Hadith, forcing Sunni scholars to respond with their own collections. III). Later scholars theorized that Hadith were "Wahi Ghayr Matlu" (unrecited revelation), despite no evidence from the Prophet (ﷺ) or Sahaba they interpreted Quran53:3-4 against 3:7. Because after the 2nd century Hijri, scholars needed to: i) Counter Mu’tazila rationalists who rejected Hadith. II) Justify Hadith-based laws that had no Qur'anic basis. III) Strengthen political authority by giving Hadith divine status.
This was a gradual but decisive shift as theological divisions emerged: first crystallizing into two clear factions - those advocating for the preservation of Hadith through writing versus those maintaining the original prohibition. By the second and third Islamic centuries, the pro-writing faction had gained decisive dominance, resulting in an unprecedented flood of Hadith collections entering Islamic scholarly markets. Tragically, as these written compilations proliferated, the authentic narrations containing the Prophet's ﷺ clear prohibition mysteriously faded from prominence, replaced by increasingly elaborate interpretive justifications that sought to circumvent the original injunction. This development reached its theological climax when certain scholars began classifying Hadith as "unrecited revelation" (wahy ghayer matlu), establishing a dangerous parallel to how Jewish rabbinic tradition had elevated the Talmud to near-scriptural status alongside the Torah calling it Oral Torah.. This conceptual shift created a backdoor mechanism through which later interpretations could effectively amend and modify Quranic teachings under the guise of "exegesis," fundamentally altering the relationship between divine revelation and human transmission that the Prophet ﷺ had so carefully established. The consequences of this deviation continue to reverberate through Islamic thought to this day.
The Case for Hadith Reforms
Alhamdulillah, the pristine essence of Islam remains preserved through the divine protection of the Quran and the diligent efforts of righteous scholars across generations. Yet we cannot ignore how sectarian divisions stemming from questionable interpolations have tragically fractured the unity of the Ummah. This crisis demands urgent reformation through a fourfold approach:
First, we must undertake a comprehensive reevaluation of Hadith literature using strict Quranic criteria as the ultimate standard. (Proposed principles are outlined at website)
Second,the debunked myth of "mixing up Hadith in early periods” is discarded without any proof / historic evidence. The writing of extra books like Jews and Christians be avoided as ordered by Prophet ﷺ and followed by latter generations till 1st century Hijra.
Third, we should establish expert committees comprising both religious scholars and contemporary specialists to ensure balanced, multidisciplinary scrutiny.
Fourth, we ought to harness cutting-edge AI and digital verification tools to analyze transmission chains and content with unprecedented precision.
Finally, we need to transition from traditional print-based preservation to secure digital archiving systems that prevent unauthorized alterations and also follow the line given by Prophet ﷺ .
This reformative work must be undertaken with utmost caution, for the Prophet ﷺ issued a grave warning that should give every Muslim pause: "Whoever intentionally lies about me, let him prepare his seat in Hellfire" (Sahih Muslim). It stands as an eternal reminder of the sacred responsibility we bear when attributing any saying to Allah's Messenger ﷺ. May this solemn warning guide us as we seek to purify and preserve the authentic legacy of our noble Prophet ﷺ.
Brigadier Aftab Khan (R)
Complete references available at website below. Please study thoroughly before commenting.
https://Quran1book.blogspot.com (Urdu)
https://Quran1book.wordpress.com (English) Read more>>>>
