Index for the Sunnah

From "Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought" By

Daniel Brown
What is Sunnah? p. 6
What is the origin of Sahih? p. 7
What were the main positions on Sunnah in Shafi'i's time? p. 8
How does the developed usage of "Sunnah" relate to Arabic and Latin
in the 11-13th century? p. 10
What evidence is there that the Sunnah was debatable? p. 10
What Sunnah did Umar change? p. 11
What Sunnah did Uthman change? p. 123
What is an example of how changed circumstances changed the view
of companions on certain hadith? (p. 129)
What is the classical definition of Sunnah (Ulemal Hadith)? p.10
In essence, what did Ash-Shafi do regarding the Sunnah and the
Hadith? p. 11
What is the analogy for the Sunnah and Uswah? p. 11
What is Sunnah's original functional and social meaning? p. 11 (Justice
and equity = Uswah ala WDM)
How is the "Sahih controversy" like the controversy of the making of
the Bible? p. 13, 90, 94 (see Thompson Chain Reference Bible chart);
106 Separating the living Sunnah of faith from the hadith of history; as
the Christians distinguish between the Christ of faith from the Jesus of
history)
What is the subjective nature of the Sahih? p. 14
Who established that the Hadith = Sunnah? p. 14
What are the 3 main groups to the hadith/Sunnah debate? p. 13
What are the core differences between the 3 main groups to the
hadith/Sunnah debate? p. 14
What is the nature of the debate on Sunnah? (p. 139)

Who are the Ahl al-kalam? p. 15

What is Imam Shafi'i's key reasoning? p. 15
Upon what basis was it argued that Qur'an and Sunnah were coextensive? p. 15, 51
How is the "Sunnah" doctrine like the Homo ousias - consubstantiation
doctrine of the trinity? p. 16
What is the origin of hadith indispensable to tafsir doctrine? p. 17
What is the origin of the designations Fard, Haram, Mandub, Mubah
etc.?
What necessitated the establishment of the "Sahih"? p. 19
What was one of the main purpose of Imam Shafi'i's work? p. 20
What is the origin of Ijmae is not revealed but reasoned Ijmae is
doctrine? (see bottom p. 17) p. 20?
[Note: Uswah is the Spirit and Sunnah is the form
Revivalists did not see the 4 schools and the Sunnah as being
synonymous. p. 25]
What is the essential error or taqlid according to the revivalists? p. 25
How do the 4 schools relate Ijmae to Sunnah? p. 27 (They elevate it
above the Sunnah as the sanction for the Sunnah)
Why did the reformers appeal to the superiority of the hadith? p. 27
What is the essential belief of the Ahl al Hadith? p. 28 (The Sunnah is
only found in the Sahih Hadith)
What is the essence of the 18th century reform movement? p. 22
Who are some of the 18th century movements leaders? p.22
What are the key positions of the reformers? p. 24
How does Allah reveal his law and what is its key? p. 24

Who was the leader of the Salafiyah? p. 30

What is the essential Salafiyah belief? p. 31
What are the important differences between the Salafiyah and the Ahlal Hadith? p.31
What are the important differences between the four schools the
Salafiyah and the Ahl-al Hadith? p.32
How is Sunnah/hadith like the Bible? p. 34, 90, 94 (see Thompson
Chain Bible chart); 106 Separating the living Sunnah of faith from the
hadith of history; as the christians distinguish between the christ of
faith from the Jesus of history)
What are the two ways that hadith were transmitted? p. 36 (Bil-Mana
by the sense of it and Bil-lafz - verbatim)
What is the origin of the Ahli -l Quran? p. 39
What is the classical 4 schools view of the Quran and the Sunnah? p.
43
What is the main challenge to that position? p. 43 ( H.Q. 16: 89 The
Quran explains everything; 6: 38 Omits nothing in the Book)
What is the flaw of Hadith based tafsir? P. 44
Should the Quran interpret itself? p. 45
What is the flaw of the Quran only thinking? p. 45
What is Hikma? p. 50, 55-56
Is Sunnah the application of the Quran? p. 50
How did the Sunnah come into existence? p. 52
What are the main criticisms of the Hadith/Sunnah > Quran? p. 52
1. no doubt in one letter
2. Universal and eternal revelation is dealt with in a special
way.
3. Quran is transmitted verbatim.
4. Transmission is external.
5. Recorded and preserved in writing faithfully and without
possibility of corruption. (Bil Mana makes this impossible).

6. There was no concerted or initial effort to preserve the

Hadith/Sunnah by the Prophet or his companions. p. 54
[Note: According Jamal uddin Zaraboza Friday Prayer in Fiqh p.1 p.
21 One must be very suspicious of narrations sound in works of fiqh
that are not well-known in the books of hadith.]
What is the origins of the Sunnah = Quran argument? p. 55
(Essentially, it was a response to a theological crisis which seemed to
threaten the authority of the Prophet in the religion. See also
Sleepers in The Cave. Refer also to the Imams Cleveland comments
on Stoning. Stoning was never the law in Islam
Muslim # 4294; Enemy dont mutilate nor plunder
Narrated by Burayd
When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) appointed anyone as leader of an army or
detachment he would especially exhort him to fear Allah and to be good to the Muslims who were
with him. He would say: Fight in the name of Allah and in the cause of Allah. Fight against those
who do not believe in Allah. Wage a holy war: do not embezzle the spoils, do not break your
pledge, do not mutilate (the dead) bodies and do not kill the children.
Stoning was never the law in Islam stoning is against the spirit and the letter of Islam. In war was
anybody allowed to mutilate the enemy? They were told to have sharp swords to kill swift to make
the death swift, they didnt throw stones at people ____ unless they didnt have a weapon, then they
had to fight with whatever they had. But if they had a weapon they wasnt suppose to brutalize
people, hit them on the side of the head with stones and stuff like that and bust his head until hes
dead with a stone.
So this if forbidden in Islam, you not suppose to slaughter,
when slaughter youre suppose to slaughter with civilized control of what youre doing, yeah .
m. 59 Hadith not supported like the Quran
So in my opinion what this verse gives evidence that the adulterer and fornicator is not put to
death, but flogged. Theres nowhere in the Quran where you read to stone anybody, its not in the
Quran its only in the hadith. And they themselves say that most of the hadith were ruled inaccurate
and unacceptable, they say piles of hadith. They have many more hadith that did not use than those
that were used. So if they had to throw away piles and piles of it, htat was incorrect, shouldnt we
suspect that what they kept that they said ______? Sure we should suspect it.
The hadith cant be supported like the Quran, never meant to be supported like the Quran, we cant
trust those reporters like we trust the people who wrote down what the Prophet (pbuh) said and
the Prophet (pbuh) was right there to see what they wrote and to verify that it was correct. So we
cant accept all those hadith.). See also p. 136 Stoning

What is the Achilles of the Sunnites? p. 57 (Its lack of accuracy its

lack of preservation as was Quran and not being transmitted in
writing).

What is the essence of the controversy? p. 59 (Human intepreters and

the Quran and their Authority) p. 75
The conflicts are between
-Flexibility and Stability
-Past Authority and Present needs
-Scripture and Traditions
-Who qualifies to represent the Prophet and who doesnt
-Conservative vs. Radical interpretations of the hadith
What is a key argument against Static Interpretations of Hadith and
Quran? p. 64
What are the modernists categories of Sunnah? p. 64
1. That which is connected with religion.
2. That which is a product of Muhammads particular situation
and the customs of his era;
3. Personal Habits and preferences
4. Precedents connected with political and civil affairs.
ONLY AUTHENTIC TRADITIONS OF THE FIRST CATEGORY ARE (WAHY)
REVELATORY AND THEREFORE BINDING.
OTHER DIVISIONS OF THE SUNNAH ARE AS FOLLOWS
1. The revelation of the Quran.
2. His decisions as Amir in consultation with his companions.
3. Personal decisions which were subject to error.
(#s 2 and 3 are temporary and non-binding on future generations)
What is a strong analogy for the legal relationship of the Quran and
the Sunnah? p. 69 (Quran = constitution; Sunnah = By-laws)
What Quranic Ayah point to the Prophets human fallibility? p. 70
(8:67; 9: 43; 66: 1)
What is a strong supportive argument for the Imam Mohammeds
guidance in Sunnah matters (e.g., the fingers in tashshahud)? p. 75
Is a Muslims dress a personal matter in the Sunnah? p. 78
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
passed by a man who was chiding his brother about modesty. The
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
"Leave him. Modesty is part of iman." al muwata 47.2.10
What were the 2 basic assumptions of the hadith Scholars? p. 82
(Reliable transmitters = reliable report. Authentic and spurious hadith
can be distinguished by the continuity of the chain of transmitters)

How were the Sahih Chains established? p. 82-83

When was the sahih system completed? p. 83
What are the categories of hadith? p. 83
Sahih (sound) Hasan (fair) Daif (weak) Mawdu (Fabricated)
Are there limits to Sahih? p. 83 (No hadith is the source of Yaqin)
What is the similarity between the hadith and the development of the
Bible?p. 84, 13, 90 (Both were opposed during their formative years);
94 (see thompson chain bible chart); 106 Separating the living Sunnah
of faith from the hadith of history; as the christians distinguish
between the christ of faith from the Jesus of history)
Who is the key european hadith scholar? p. 84 (Ignaz Goldziher)
What are Muslim scholars 3 key concerns regarding the studies of
hadith? p. 85
1. Adala (character) of the companions.
2. Manner of preservation and transmission of the Hadith.
3. The efficacy of isnad criticisim (authentic versus spurious).
Is there evidence of conflict between companions regarding hadith? p.
86
What is one of the reasons for corruption of hadith? p. 88 (riwaya bilmana)
Wherein lies the key problem with received hadith? p. 89, 90 (riwaya
bil-mana which began with the companions - p. 92 - and continued
until the final form of the transmitted hadith was cemented in the 3rd
and 4th century A. H.)
When was the first official compilation of Hadith made? p. 92 Ibn
Shihab al-Zuhri (d. 742 A.H.)
Why did Hadith science begin? p. 93 (The Crisis in the Muslim Mind;
massive forgeries of hadith; Can you separate sugar from salt just by
looking at it?); Why did Bukhari accept only 9,000 out of 70.000
hadith? p. 96;
What are the limitations of the Muwatta? p. 94
According to Muslim scholars which collection of hadith was first? p. 94

What was Imam Shafiis rhetorical victory? p. 94 (Isnad is the key to

authenticity)
What is the weakness of the Isnad doctrine? p. 96-98
(ignoring the matn; forged isnads and good people fabricating matn tadlis - ;and good chains coopted for a bad matn; Its difficult enough
to judge the character of living people let alone dead ones). It is also
traditional to attribute an edifying statement to the Prophet
eventhough the statement was not strictly historical. p. 104
What is the difference between musnad and sahih? p. 94
Which is more valuable Practice or Hadith? p. 101
Why wasnt Sunnah distinguished earlier? p. 101 (Companions were
living models and purveyors of a living tradition; isnad was irrelevant
during the lifetimes of the companions)
What is the significance of the 3rd generation? p. 101
The Companions emulated the Prophet
The Successors followed the example of the companions
The Successors of the Successors represented the strongest of the
Sunnah practices of the prophet.
[Note: by this time it would have become Culture. See also it takes
three generations for a revolution. Also relate that Al-islam
acknowledges blood ties up to the great grand parents.]
What is the role of Uswah, Sharia, Fiqh and Sunnah? p. 103
[Uswah is like a compass; a qiblah; Sunnah is not fixed but dynamic]
What is the relationship between hadith, Sunnah and Quran? p. 136
What iis the modern scholars interpretation of the reality and function
of hadith? p. 104 (The situational interpretation and formulation of
the Prophetic model or spirit).
How do hadith contribute to the crisis in the Muslim mind? p. 104 (It
leads some to promote rigidity)
How are hadith to be used in modern fiqh? p. 105 (Determine their
situational context in order to understand their true functional
signifiance and extract the real moral value).
What is the relationship between Seerah and Hadith? (p. 105)

What is another relationship between Bible and hadith? (p. 106)

Can the Seerah be trusted? (p. 106)
What is Sunnah? (p. 106)
What are the big questions? (p. 109; 133)
What is Sahih? (p. 110)
Is every Sahih a Sunnah? (p. 111)
Does every Sahih have a Sharia consequence? (p. 111; 123)
Why is re-assessment of hadith necessary? (p. 111)
What is the difference between a Faqih and a Muhadithun? (p. 113;
126)
What is the difference between a traditionist and a legist? (p. 114)
How did corruption creep into hadith? (p. 113) See 2: 78-79
What is the main fault of the Muhadith? (p. 115)
What are some key principles for Ijtihad? (p. 117; 125-126; 130)
What role does character play in Ijtihad? (p. 126)
How do you assess hadith? (p. 117)
What is the problem with excessive dependance on hadith? (p. 118)
What is the rebuttal? (p. 118)
What is the significance of the Sunnah? (p. 119)
Is the Sunnah abstract or concrete? (p. 119)
What is the paradigm of the Sunnah? The Uswah? (p. 119; 135)
Is the Quran and Sunnah like the debate @ Creation vs. Evolution
and the Free will vs. Pre-destination debate? (p. 119)
Did the Fuqaha ever reject Sahih? (p. 120; 123-124) see Qardawi p.
86)
What is the basic salafi position? (p. 120; 131)
What is the basic postion of the Ahl I Kalam? (p. 138)

What is the basic postion of the Ahl I Ray? (p. 139)

What are the major revivalist themes? (p. 121)
What is the nature of the problem between revivalists and
traditionalists? (p. 132) [See Authoritative and the Authoritarian on
the need for perpetual dilemma as Allahs Plan]
What are some examples that are critical for understanding the
Hadith? (p. 123)
Can a sahih be a transmission of a misunderstanding? (p. 124)
What was Abu Hanifas criterion? (p. 124)
How does islamic axiology relate to the criticism of sahih? (p. 125)
PAGE 127 IS MOST IMPORTANT AS AN ADVOCACY FOR IMAM WDM?
How do you remove contradictions in the hadith? (Tawil) (p. 129-130)
Are there metaphorical aspects of the Hadith? (p. 129)
What is the stratification of the deviators within Crisis in The
Mujslim Mind worldwide? (p. 133)
Can anyone -common person-interpret the Quran in legal matters? (p.
135)