The Qur’an is the ultimate guidance from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ, but are you sure you’re understanding it the way He intended?
There is a growing and dangerous trend: people interpreting the Qur’an while neglecting the Sunnah. It’s a silent crisis that has led many down the path of misguidance, fueling confusion, extremism, and even distortion of Islam itself.
This isn’t just a scholarly debate—it’s a matter of truth and falsehood.
- Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr (رحمه الله) warned:
"Every deviant group, every misguided sect, and every innovator in Islam—what led them astray? They interpreted the Qur’an in a way that the Sunnah does not support. As a result, they went astray and led others astray." (Jāmiʿ Bayān al-ʿIlm wa Faḍlih: 2/1199)
If even the misguided use the Qur’an to justify their errors, how can we ensure our understanding is correct? What happens when people impose their own meanings on Allah’s words, ignoring the way the Prophet ﷺ explained them?
This issue is too serious to ignore. Let’s dive deep into why separating the Sunnah from the Qur’an is one of the greatest disasters facing our Ummah today.
The Messenger ﷺ Was Sent to Explain the Qur’an
Allah ﷻ did not just reveal the Qur’an and leave people to interpret it as they wished. He sent a living explanation—the Messenger ﷺ—whose Sunnah clarifies the Qur’an’s meanings.
- Allah ﷻ says:
وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
“And We have sent down the Reminder (Qur’an) to you so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them, and that they may reflect.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:44)
The role of the Prophet ﷺ was not just to deliver the Qur’an but also to explain, clarify, and demonstrate how to practice it. His Sunnah is the key to unlocking the Qur’an’s meaning.
The Prophet’s Explicit Warning Against Wrong Interpretation
- The Prophet ﷺ himself warned against misinterpreting the Qur’an. He ﷺ said:
هَلَاكُ أُمَّتِي فِي الْكِتَابِ وَاللَّبَنِ
"The destruction of my Ummah will come from two sources: the Qur’an and milk."
- When the companions asked him to explain, he said:
يَتَعَلَّمُونَ الْقُرْآنَ فَيَتَأَوَّلُونَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ
“They will learn the Qur’an but interpret it in ways that Allah did not intend.” (Musnad Ahmad: 17415)
This is precisely what we see today—people quoting verses out of context, distorting their meanings, and using them to justify actions Islam never permitted.
The Consequences of Ignoring the Sunnah
1. Misguidance and Deviance
When someone interprets the Qur’an without the Sunnah, they invent meanings that were never part of Islam. Look at any misguided group in history, and you’ll find this pattern:
- The Khawarij – The first deviant sect in Islam. They used Qur’anic verses to justify rebelling against rulers and declaring Muslims as disbelievers, completely ignoring the Prophet’s Sunnah on patience with leaders.
- The Mu’tazilah – They claimed that reason alone was enough to interpret the Qur’an, rejecting authentic hadith that contradicted their views.
- Modern Extremists – Many groups today justify violence, terrorism, and rebellion by misinterpreting Qur’anic verses while ignoring how the Prophet ﷺ and his companions understood them.
2. Misunderstanding Islamic Rulings
Without the Sunnah, many Islamic rulings become unclear.
- For example, Allah ﷻ commands:
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ
"Establish the prayer." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:43)
But how do we pray?
- How many rak’ahs is Fajr?
- Where do we place our hands?
- What should be recited in Salah?
The Qur’an doesn’t specify this. These details come only from the Sunnah.
- The Messenger ﷺ demonstrated the prayer and said:
صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي
"Pray as you have seen me praying." (Sahih al-Bukhari: 631)
So if one rejects the Sunnah, they cannot even perform the most fundamental act of worship—Salah—correctly.
The Sunnah is the Qur’an in Action
- Aisha رضي الله عنها was asked about the Prophet’s character. She replied:
إِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ الْقُرْآن
"Indeed the character of the Prophet ﷺ was the Qur’an." (Sahih Muslim: 746)
This statement is profound. The life of the Prophet ﷺ was the practical implementation of the Qur’an. He did not just recite it; he lived it, a few examples of which are:
- The Qur’an says: "Be patient." The Sunnah shows how the Prophet endured hardships with unwavering perseverance.
- The Qur’an commands: "Give charity." The Sunnah demonstrates how the Prophet gave generously, even when he had little.
- The Qur’an instructs: "Establish justice." The Sunnah provides real-life examples of how the Prophet ruled with fairness and wisdom.
To separate the Qur’an from the Sunnah is to remove the very guide that shows us how to follow Allah’s commands.
Final Warning: Do Not Speak Without Knowledge
- Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه said:
"If I hear something beneficial, I will not write it down unless I find two witnesses for it—the Qur’an and the Sunnah."
This is a crucial principle: No statement, no fatwa, no religious ruling should be accepted unless it aligns with both the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
- Imam Ibn Abd al-Hadi (رحمه الله) warns:
"It is impermissible to introduce a new interpretation of a verse unless the Salaf knew it, recognized it, and conveyed it to the Ummah."
This is a direct refutation of those who claim new meanings in Islam, whether to justify innovation, change rulings, or push personal agendas.
Conclusion: There is no Tafsir Without The Sunnah
Islam is not based on personal opinions. It is based on divine revelation—both the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The Prophet ﷺ spent 23 years teaching, explaining, and demonstrating the Qur’an. He clarified its meaning so that no one after him would misinterpret it.
The most dangerous path a person can take is to interpret Allah’s words without His Messenger’s explanation. If we want to understand the Qur’an, we must go back to how the Prophet ﷺ and his companions understood it.
- Allah says in the Qur'an:
وَاتَّبِع سَبيلَ مَن أَنابَ إِلَيَّ
"Follow the way of those who turn to Me in devotion." (Surah Luqman 31:15)
May Allah protect us from misguidance and grant us a correct understanding of His Book through the guidance of His Prophet ﷺ.
For those who want to take the next step and deepen their understanding of the Qur’an with clarity and precision, the Student of Knowledge Program at AMAU Academy offers structured learning that builds on these very foundations—Qur’an, Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf.
