Status and Importance of Hadis-e-Nabawi in Islam

• The Sunnah and Hadees of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) is a form of revelation itself and possess the same authority as the source of Islamic law as the Quran has. In the hierarchy in classification (martaba) Quran comes first, no doubt, but when It comes to the derivation of Shariah, Quran and hadees have similar authoritative status.
• There are two types of revelations,that have lead to different hierarchical status of Quran and Sunnah.
• The Quran says

 

(Najam 4:3,2)" I swear by the star when it goes down.

Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray.

Nor does he speak out of desire

It is naught but revelation that is revealed"

This implies that each and every word that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) spoke was based on revelation.

And these revelations were of two type:

1.  The words of Quran were exactly revealed on the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) through Angel Gabriel. These were the words of the Quran and called" Wahi-e-Matluv" i.e. Revelation that is Recited. The words and the meanings both have been revealed as it is in the form of Ayahs.
2. The second form of Wahi is that which is revealed to the Prophet (S.A.W) in the form of Wisdom and in this case the meaning is put in the heart of the Prophet (S.A.W) by Wahi and the words are those of the Holy Prophet. This is also called "Wahi-e-Ghair-Matluv". Wahi that is not recited.

 

As comes in Surah Nisa

 

(Nisa :113)"And Allah has revealed to you the Book and the wisdom , and He has taught you what you did not know, and Allah's grace on you is very great."

 

Here book refers to Quran and Wisdom refers to Hadis (Imam Shafai)

(Baqarah: 129)

And Lord! Raise up in them an Apostle from among them who shall recite to them Thy communications and teach them The Book and the wisdom, and purify them: Surely thou art the Mighty, The Wise."

(Notes from Shaykh-ul-Islam Tahir-ul-Qadri's lecture on Daura-e-Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)