The Importance of Mentioning Verse and Hadith Numbers in Speeches

Why Mentioning Verse and Hadith Numbers Enhances Religious Understanding

The Qur’an and Hadith are the sources and evidence of the religion. If we need religious guidance on any issue, we must seek evidence in these two books. Or we can say that when we explain any issue in the light of the Qur’an or Hadith, we mention the verse and the hadith.

Merely mentioning a verse and hadith as a reference is enough. In the time of the Sahabah, religious issues were presented in this manner: “Allah said this in the Qur’an” and “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this in the Hadith.” As time passed, new issues began to be introduced into religion, and we could even say that as misguided sects emerged under the name of Islam, new ideas started to spread under the guise of religion. For the common person, it became difficult to distinguish between right and wrong.

Allah has promised to protect the Qur’an, which is why, Alhamdulillah, the Qur’an has remained completely preserved. However, the Hadith was initially compiled in a scattered form, which led to the fabrication of false stories falsely attributed to Islam. In this context, Allah granted righteous individuals the ability to compile the Hadith, and thus the Hadiths were codified. However, apart from Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, most Hadith scholars did not ensure the strictness of authenticity and weakness while compiling their collections, instead collecting any narrations that were referred to as Hadith. This is why, apart from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, all other books of Hadith contain both authentic and weak narrations. Despite the sincere intentions of these scholars, misguided people, including innovators and Sufis, used the weak Hadiths from these collections to serve their own interests. The scholars, by Allah’s grace, identified and explained the authenticity and weakness of these Hadiths, but wishful thinkers will continue to mislead the simple-minded public by narrating weak and fabricated Hadiths, claiming, “Look, this is in a Hadith.”

While these misguided individuals used weak and fabricated Hadiths to distort the clear face of Islam, they also misinterpreted and distorted the Qur’anic verses. They incorrectly explained the authentic Hadiths, leading the public into misguidance.

The scholars of truth are fully aware of the deceitful tactics of the Sufis, innovators, misled individuals, and those who follow falsehood. They have always strived to uphold the truth and refute falsehood, but due to the lack of efforts compared to the efforts of the people of falsehood, the majority of the public has been led astray.

In such circumstances, when the Ummah is being misled by false arguments or by distorting the correct meanings of authentic texts, it is better for us to present references from the Qur’an and Hadith. It is not wrong to mention references, nor is it a form of following doctors or engineers. Rather, since the time the books were compiled, references have been mentioned so that the original source can be compared.

As for the issue of mentioning the verse number and Hadith number, I have explained that this practice has been passed down from the early scholars, and now it has become easier to reference.

A saying of the Prophet ﷺ, which is found in Sahih Bukhari, illustrates this practice. It is obvious that whenever a scholar speaks or writes, when they mention a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari, they will certainly provide the reference. In this book, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The Umm al-Qur’an (i.e., Surah Al-Fatiha) is the seven oft-repeated verses and the great Qur’an.” (Sahih Bukhari: 4704)

In this Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ referred to Surah Al-Fatiha as “the seven oft-repeated verses” meaning Surah Al-Fatiha is a chapter with seven verses. The Prophet ﷺ mentioning the number of verses points to the fact that he ﷺ also counted the verses. When a speaker mentions a verse and its number to make it easier for the audience to reach the source quickly, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is very beneficial.

After the compilation of the sources, we now find the full reference of Hadith in books, articles, and fatwas—meaning the name of the book, the volume number, and the specific chapter where it is found. In the narration of Hadith, the same attention to detail is maintained. Since Hadiths now have numbers attached to them (which was not the case before), it suffices to mention the number rather than mentioning the book and chapter. Essentially, the purpose of mentioning the book and chapter was the same as providing the Hadith number today.

Sometimes even a Hafiz of the Qur’an may take time to locate a verse, and a scholar may also spend time searching for a verse or a Hadith. Now, imagine how difficult this task must be for the common person.

Therefore, I believe that providing the verse number and Hadith number is an ease not only for scholars but also for the general public. The benefit of this ease is that an ordinary person can easily find the original reference in the Qur’an and Hadith using the numbers, allowing them to feel content in their hearts. In fact, this has been a guiding light for many who were misguided, and I have personally witnessed this. If references were given in the old way, i.e., by mentioning the book name, volume number, and chapter, it would be difficult for the general public, but with the numbers provided, the reference becomes easily accessible and useful for everyone.

In light of all these facts, if an educated person mocks the mentioning of verse and Hadith numbers in a speech, it means either they are unaware of the needs of the public or are envious of the work being done.

In any case, the work of adding numbers to the Qur’anic verses and Hadiths was done by scholars for the benefit and betterment of the Ummah. It is not the work of a doctor or engineer. Therefore, those who criticize the practice of mentioning verse and Hadith numbers in speeches as “imitating doctors” should correct their understanding and approach.