The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 363
The Holy Qur'an 363 Therefore, the idea that reason alone is sufficient for un- ravelling all the intricate mysteries of the True Creator, is wholly unsupportable. The second group has discarded reason altogether and has also left aside the Holy Qur'an which is the fountain- head of all knowledge of things Divine and has taken firm hold of stories and meaningless sayings. We desire to draw the attention of both these groups to the Holy Qur'an and to urge them to value its greatness and its light, and to make use of reason in receiving the guidance of its light. They should leave aside the sayings of other people, and even if they should find a Hadith which con- tradicts the Holy Qur'an, they should discard it immediately, as God Almighty has said in the Holy Qur'an: فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَةً يُؤْمِنُونَ 196 In what discourse, leaving aside the Holy Qur'an, will they believe? It is obvious that, for us Muslims, the Holy Qur'an is an authority of the highest grade which is absolute and cer- tain. Most Ahādīth, even when authentic, are at best useful probabilities. لان الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا 197 Study the following verses carefully and then consider whether it is proper to leave aside the Word of God and to set up some other guide or arbiter. These verses are: إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ 198 196 al-A'raf, 7:186 [Publisher] 197 'Surely conjecture avails nothing against truth. ' Yūnus, 10:37 [Publisher]