Book of Allah to Be Preferred to All — Essence of Islam Vol. 2

14 Sep, 2026 Essence of Islam 0

Essence of Islam Book Cover by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS)

Introduction

In this discourse from Essence of Islam (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, expounds upon Book of Allah to Be Preferred to All, presenting profound spiritual insights and scriptural verities.

Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 3: Hadith and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (sa)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: Authoritative Books | Next: Authenticity of Ahadith »

Regarding the Book and Sunnah as authorities, I believe that the Book of Allah is to be preferred above all others. If the purport of a Hadith is not opposed to the Book of Allah, it would be accepted as authoritative, but we will not accept an interpretation of a Hadith which is opposed to the clear text of the Holy Qur’an. So far as possible, we shall try to interpret a Hadith so that it should be in accord with the clear text of the Book of Allah, but if we come across a Hadith which is opposed to the text of the Holy Qur’an, and it cannot be interpreted in any other way, we would reject it as spurious, inasmuch as God, the Glorious, has said:

تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتۡلُوهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثِۭ بَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

“These are the Signs of Allah which We rehearse unto thee with truth. In what word, then, after rejecting that of Allah and His Signs will they believe?” (Surah Al-Jathiyah, 45:7)

In what discourse apart from Allah and His commandments will they believe? This means that if the Holy Qur’an is conclusive and positive about a matter and its meaning is clear, a believer should not accept a Hadith which is clearly opposed to it. To the same effect is the verse: 31

According to these verses a believer must accept the Book of Allah without condition and should accept a Hadith conditionally. This is my stand.
[Al-Haq, Mubahatha Ludhiana, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 4, pp. 11-12]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 133]

A person who is bestowed the understanding of the Qur’an by Divine grace, and who finds that a Hadith is opposed to a verse of the Qur’an, should, out of respect, so far as it is possible, so interpret the Hadith as to bring it into accord with the Holy Qur’an, but if this is not possible and cannot by any means be achieved, he should regard the Hadith as spurious. This is better for us. We should seek an interpretation of a Hadith which is not opposed to the Holy Qur’an, but if this should not be possible it would be heresy and disbelief that we should give up the Qur’an for the sake of Ahadith, which have been conveyed to us by human hands and with regard to which it is not only a possibility, but a certainty, that they have got mixed up with human statements.
[Al-Haq, Mubahatha Ludhiana, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 4, p. 21]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 134]

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Introduction