Al-Quraniyun

Al-Quraniyun: Who They Are and How to Confront Them

In recent years there has been a resurgence of a group that are famously known as “Quraniyun” or the “Quranites”, i.e., those who claim to follow the Qur’an ONLY, and they do not want ANYTHING to do with the “Walking Qur’an” – the Prophet (SAW) and what he said, did, or approved – the Sunnah. Unfortunately, the group seems to be gaining momentum, and sooner or later (Allah forbid) you may come across such a believer. Such people should not come as a shock to us because the Prophet (SAW) spoke about them during his lifetime. He said,

Narrated Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Beware! I have been given the Qur'an and something like it, yet the time is coming when a man replete on his couch will say: Keep to the Qur'an; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited. [Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 3, Kitab al-Sunnah, Hadeeth 4587, Pg. 1293]

And in another hadeeth, he said:

Narrated AbuRafi': The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Let me not find one of you reclining on his couch when he hears something regarding me which I have commanded or forbidden and saying: We do not know. What we found in Allah's Book we have followed. [Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 3, Kitab al-Sunnah, Hadeeth 4588, Pg. 1294]

So as we can see from the above narrations, this was bound to happen. And over the centuries, decades, and years, it may have taken other forms, but one thing must have remained clear – their hatred of the Sunnah and its deliverer - one who exemplified a beautiful pattern of conduct! For indeed Allah says about Prophet Muhammad,

“Verily in the messenger of Allah you have a good example for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.” [33:21].

Ironically, while they do not want to follow the Sunnah of Muhammad bin Abdullah (SAW) in spite of being urged by Allah to do so in the above verse, they have formulated their own Sunnah, i.e., their own tradition and methodology of “understanding” the Qur’an! They have taken the liberty of being the “good example” that the rest of us should emulate!

Below is how we were able to confront one “Quranite” with a set of questions (we have added a few more questions since then). Needless to say, the person was unable to come up with any response. And there is only one reason for that – such people do NOT have responses! They cannot even defend their own belief, that’s how shaky and misguided it is. Anyway, this is what we came up with, which any of you can use to confront such people when you do come across them. Of course, you have a choice to either ignore them or to confront them intellectually:

Thank you for your e-mail and for articulating so very well your position. I must admit that I was a bit surprised, but then I thought we are all on a journey on this planet. And as long as we are on a journey there is always a possibility of bumping into new things and new ways of looking at things. Whether those new ways are correct, it’s another matter. A curious person as I am, and one who is not intimidated by new knowledge, I thought we would put the Qur’an on the carpet as it were, and see if you can assist me in answering a few questions by using the Qur’an, which after all you quoted so very well, among them the following verses, “Shall I seek other than GOD as a judge when He has sent down to you this book fully detailed?. Those whom We have given the book know it is sent down from your Lord with truth; so do not be of those who have doubt.” [6:114]. Also, you quoted, “In their stories is a lesson for the people of intelligence. It was not a saying that was invented, but an authentication of what is already present and a detailing of all things, and a guidance and mercy to a people who have faith.” [12:111]

1. You said,

“And the day We send in every nation a witness against them from themselves, and We have brought you as a witness against these. And We have sent down to you the Book as a clarification for all things, and a guide and mercy and good tidings to the Submitters.” [16:89]

Incidentally in another verse Allah says,

“It is He Who sent down to thee the Book; in it are verses basic or fundamental; they are the foundation of the Book; others are NOT of well-established meaning” (NOT clear) [3:7]

(a) How can Allah in one verse say that the Book is a “clarification for all things” and in another verse say that the Book contains verses that are not of well-established meaning?
(b) What is Allah attempting to say in this verse?
(c) Why would He reveal such verses in a book that is supposed to have such “clarity?”

2. Allah says “He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah” [4:80].

(a) What does Allah mean?
(b) Is Allah suggesting that we should obey the Messenger? If so, why would He say so instead of just saying we should obey Him, i.e., obey Allah in accordance with what is written in the Qur’an?
(c) Was this verse meant for us until the day of judgment, or was it just meant for those who lived with the Prophet?

3. Allah says, “If anyone contends with the Messenger even after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell – what an evil refuge!” [4:115]

(a) What does Allah mean in this verse?
(b) Why is Allah putting the Messenger in the middle of this discussion?
(c) The Qur’an is so clear, does it really matter whether one contends with the Messenger or not, provided we follow the Qur’an?
(d) On the other hand, Allah is talking about a path of the believers. Well there are believers who do not want anything with what the Messenger said, are these the believers that Allah is talking about?
(e) Would it not have been more clear for Allah to just tell us to follow His path, rather than the path of the “Believers”?

4. Allah says, “O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end…. Have you not seen those who assert that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They desire to summon one another to the judgment of the Shaitan, though they were commanded to deny him, and the Shaitan desires to lead them astray into a remote error…. And when it is said to them: Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger, you will see the hypocrites turning away from you with (utter) aversion.” [4:59-61]

(a) Can you please explain what it means by “obeying the Messenger?” Isn’t it just enough to obey Allah?
(b) What does it mean by “those in authority?” Is Allah talking about those who have begun translating the Qur’an in their own way, and start compiling their own narrations? Because probably if one cannot understand some verses of the Qur’an and they start to explain it using their OWN words, wouldn’t this be a form of compiling their own sayings or hadeeth – which may mean their own tradition or Sunnah? Are we supposed to obey such people or should we as individuals come up with our own unique understanding of Qur’anic verses and have our own unique and individual hadeeth?
(c) What is the significance of Allah mentioning the Messenger in relation to “hypocrites turning away?”

5. Allah says, “Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful… Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn back, then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers.” [3:31-32]

(a) Who is Allah talking about when He says “then follow me?”
(b) If one “obeys Allah” BUT does NOT obey the “Messenger”, will he or she be an unbeliever?

6. Allah says, “We have indeed revealed this in the Night of Power.” [97:1]

(a) Does Allah mean the Qur’an was revealed in the night of power or is He talking about something else?
(b) If it is the Qur’an, do we know what night of the year this is?
(c) And does He mean that the ENTIRE Qur’an as we know it today was revealed on this ONE night, or was it revealed during the entire period that Muhammad bin Abdullah (SAW) was a Prophet? Which is the truth according to the Qur’an?
(d) And if He revealed it in one night, who did He reveal it to, and what was the purpose of the Prophet living for the period that he lived?

7. Allah says, “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is best for you if you but knew!” [62:9]

(a) This call that Allah is talking about, what call is it? Do we know how to proclaim this call?
(b) Where is He asking us to hasten to?
(c) And when we get to where he is asking us to hasten earnestly, how should we conduct ourselves in His remembrance?
(d) While the Qur’an has such “clarity”, I am still trying to find evidence in the Qur’an itself as to why Allah has chosen Friday compared to other days of the week?
(e) Is this a commandment or a recommendation?

8. Allah says, “And we have sent down unto you the Message; that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.” [16:44]

(a) Who is Allah talking about when he says, “that YOU may explain clearly to men?”
(b) Is Allah asking somebody else to explain the message to us, a message that is supposed to be so “clear” to us?

9. Allah says, “And complete the Hajj and Umrah in the service of Allah.” [2:196]

(a) What is the difference between Hajj and Umrah
(b) When do we do Hajj and for how long should we do it for?
(c) Are we to do it annually or once in a lifetime?
(d) How do we do it in order for it to be “complete?”
(e) How do we perform Umrah, and how often should we perform it?
(f) Is it mandatory for every believer to perform Hajj and Umrah? If so, how often?

10. Allah says, “As to the thief Male or female, cut off his or her hands.” [5:38]

(a) Is there a minimum amount of money that constitutes the cutting of the hand, or it really does not matter whether it’s a penny or a million, we cut off the hands as long as the thief does not repent?
(b) If the thief does not repent, do we cut off both hands or just one hand?

11. Allah says, “And perform Salat and give Zakat” [2:43]

(a) How do we perform Salat?
(b) And is it mandatory to give Zakat? If so, how much are we expected to give?

12. Allah says, “O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles….” [5:6]

(a) Is this a special prayer that we need to wash ourselves for?
(b) How do we conduct such a prayer?
(c) How often do we perform this prayer?

13. Allah says, “With clear arguments and scriptures; and We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them, and that haply they may reflect.” [16:44]

(a) Who is Allah talking about when he says, “that YOU may make CLEAR to men what has been revealed to them?”
(b) With such “clarity” of the Qura’n, do we really need somebody else to make things “clear” to us?

14. Allah says, “And We have not revealed to you the Book except that you may make clear to them that about which they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.” [16:64]

(a) If you and I “differ” on the understanding of some verses of the Qur’an, who should we go to for clarification?

15. Allah says, “But no! by your Lord! they do not believe (in reality) until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decision, an accept with full submission.” [4:65]

(a) Now this is a bit confusing for me, who do we make as our “judge” if there is disagreement amongst us?”
(b) Is this reference to a “judge” as in a criminal proceeding, or in spiritual matters?

16. Allah says, “Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error.” [3:164]

(a) I thought the responsibility of the Messenger was just to deliver Allah’s message to us as we have it today, then it’s upon us to read and understand it because it is “detailed” and has “clarity.” But Allah is now talking about “Wisdom” too that we need to be taught. Who is supposed to teach us that “Wisdom” today? Are we supposed to learn it from the Messenger mentioned in the verse, or from the Internet, certain books, certain individuals, or from where exactly?

17. You and I know that one reality on this planet is death. Does Allah give us the steps of how we should prepare a dead body and how we should bury it?

I trust that all your responses will be from the Qur’an. Thank you.

Your brother in Islam

Ps. This paper could not have been possible without my wife. And also without a friend of mine, Fayyadh. Both came across such people in recent weeks, on separate occasions and in different parts of the world. And it is from my discussion with Fayyadh, that we thought such an issue needs to be addressed and such people need to be confronted and challenged intellectually. I would like to thank them both, and others who may have contributed a verse or hadeeth.

[21st October, 2004]