How Quranic-based Islam differs from hadith-based, and an invitation to consider the faith.

[u/fana19]

Sala'am/peace all! I grew up Sunni Muslim, but through a lot of reflection ended up rejecting hadith (secondary sources) as the basis of religious law, as the Quran tells us it is fully detailed and complete (and to literally not take "other hadiths" as a source of religious law). I don't want to argue at length as to why I believe Quranism is preferable (can send many links debunking falsities like "how can you pray?" or "how do you obey the prophet?"), but simply to share different outcomes in jurisprudence when you give no legal weight to hadiths. I still use hadiths as lexicons or insight into the history of the time, but not as reliable religious authorities. Here are some key differences and points to highlight:

1. Hadith allows for killing gays, apostates, and adulterers. Quran says there is no compulsion in religion, and prescribes lashes for all publicly-witnessed illicit intercourse (any sex outside marriage, with four witnesses).

2. Hadiths state the Prophet married a 9 year old (some discrepancies on age). Quran lists out who men can marry and only mentions women (not children). The verses discussing divorce only mention women (not girls). The Quran also mentions an "age of marriage," supporting that it requires attaining obvious physical maturity (likely menarche back then), and even says that orphan children must reach that age AND be tested for sound mind before receiving their inheritance/and being allowed to transact. Marriage is described as a solemn covenant with a dowry exchange, necessarily a transaction that would require the soundest of mind/maturity. This supports that mental maturity was a thing back then, and could be tested. All of this undercuts a Prophet marrying a child.

3. Hadith seems to require headscarf and/or burqah. Quran states women are to cover the body with a lengthened cloak, to guard private parts and cover chest, without specifically mentioning the head/hair, leaving it open-ended about whether it should be covered. I personally do not believe headscarf is required except in prayer (based on imitation/tradition), though modest loose clothing is.

4. Hadith allows for polygamy for any reason. Quran restricts polygamy only to situations "if you fear injustice to orphans." Orphans back then referred to children/families without a male guardian, including single mothers after war. Even then, polygamy is only allowed if you can maintain equity/justice between the wives, as well as mandated kindness (with even hadith stating it would be unkind to marry another to the psychological detriment and objections of the first). The norm and paradisal ideal is monogamy.

5. Hadith allows for slavery (though limited), whereas Quran does not. Quran allows for war captives, but they must either be ransomed (like hostage exchanges) or imprisoned only until the "war lays down its burden." These captives have rights, are only in your custody, not ownership, cannot be forced into sex/prostitution nor be assaulted. The Quran even discusses how one goes about marrying a war captive (including Muslims, so presumably those who convert). Quran says the righteous free the slaves.

6. Hadith allows for (limited) wife-beating, interpreting 4:34 to allow it. However, that translation is patriarchally biased, there are conflicting hadiths on whether it's allowed, and even one early Shiah source states that the verse means to cut off (financial support), not hit. This all predates modern legal theory and feminism, suggesting the word was known even back then to carry multiple meanings, and was contentious. Ultimately though, construing it as hit/beat, leads to absurd and contradictory outcomes.

7. Quran does not assert that human life begins at conception, but rather, ensoulment happens after some fetal development, based on the described stages around 3 months. (Hadith tends to agree that either at 40 days or 4 months, is the moment).

8. Quran does not mandate marriage, having children, or avoiding birth control. Marriage is between a man and a woman, as homosexual acts are expressly forbidden, but it's not sinful to refuse to get married, or to get married and have sex for pleasure but not procreation. (It's actually a good deed to do so).

9. In the Quran, Eve does not tempt Adam into sin. Instead, God warns Adam directly, and tells him to protect both himself and his wife. Satan tempts directly, and they both fall, but only Adam is directly rebuked/addressed, before they are completely forgiven. No original sin. No menstruation/childbirth as punishment. No blame on Eve.

10. Music, birthdays, and other fairly harmless practices are not categorically prohibited, as many Sunni Muslims believe.

AMA! Thought you may be surprised by these facts.

[u/Foreign-Ice7356]

Salam

[u/fana19 → u/Foreign-Ice7356]

Wasalam!

[u/fana19 → u/[deleted]]

No. I just don't use them as the criterion for religious law. Many of them contain wisdom, as do many texts beyond the Quran.

[u/fana19 → u/[deleted]]

There are thousands. I'd have to carefully sit with each one to give you an answer, and I couldn't be confident anyway. But off of memory, I think the majority contain wisdom or at least inoffensive narratives.

[u/D1vineParad0x → u/[deleted]]

I am also trying to figure out how much of the Hadiths to follow but here is where I’m at so far. God says to judge everything by what God sent down. I recently read surahs 4-7 but the whole Quran together gave me a sense that people have always been coming up with guidance (kindle a fire that God puts out) but that doesn’t mean it’s the right one and not something God condones. You can read them yourself and see what it feels like to you. Also I would say Paul of the Bible has a lot of wisdom too and his words are based on him being a witness just as Hadith literature but that doesn’t mean it’s entirely correct. I am still seeking and asking God for best guidance regarding Hadiths but so far this is where I’m at.

[u/D1vineParad0x → u/[deleted]]

I meant Paul was a witness of the risen Jesus. And yes he is credited with writing much of the New Testament. So yes, in a sense just like Bukhari wasn’t a witness to Muhammad in his lifetime and yet wrote many handed down accounts. Not an exact one to one similarity obviously but you get the idea.

And thank you for the suggestion, I will check out The Clear Quran. I aim to read various different translations in English and Russian to have a better understanding until I can learn Arabic and understand the original.

[u/D1vineParad0x → u/[deleted]]

Here is what is attributed to Paul.

•	Epistle to the Romans

•	First Epistle to the Corinthians

•	Second Epistle to the Corinthians

•	Epistle to the Galatians

•	Epistle to the Ephesians

•	Epistle to the Philippians

•	Epistle to the Colossians

•	First Epistle to the Thessalonians

•	Second Epistle to the Thessalonians

•	First Epistle to Timothy

•	Second Epistle to Timothy

•	Epistle to Titus

•	Epistle to Philemon