This color text represents site comments regarding the passages that follow.

Hadith & Sunna Examples:

Volume 1, Book 8, Number 402: Narrated Abd Huraira and Abu Said: Allah's Apostle saw some expectoration on the wall of the mosque; he took gravel and scraped it off and said, "If anyone of you wanted to spit he should neither spit in front of him nor on his right but he could spit either on his left or under his left foot."

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 513: Narrated Abu Qatada: The Prophet said, "A good dream is from Allah, and a bad or evil dream is from Satan; so if anyone of you has a bad dream of which he gets afraid, he should spit on his left side and should seek Refuge with Allah from its evil, for then it will not harm him."

What logical basis could there possibly be for making people spit in a particular direction?

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 482: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The (Hell) Fire complained to its Lord saying, 'O my Lord! My different parts eat up each other.' So, He allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in summer, and this is the reason for the severe heat and the bitter cold you find (in weather)."

This is scientifically wrong. The reason for the seasons is the tilt of the Earth and the fact that it's revolving around the sun.

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 748: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "If any one of you says, "Amin" and the angels in the heavens say "Amin" and the former coincides with the latter, all his past sins will be forgiven."

This allows for the unjust possibility that one murderer that said "Amin" will be forgiven while the next, who said "Amin" but at a different time, will be sent to Hell. A further problem is the absurdness of having all your past sins forgiven merely by uttering some word.

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 762: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "When the Imam says, "Sami' a-l-lahu Liman hamida," you should say, "Allahumma Rabbana laka-l-hamd." And if the saying of any one of you coincides with that of the angels, all his past sins will be forgiven."

See previous comment.

Volume 8, Book 82, Number 794: Narrated Anas: Some people from the tribe of 'Ukl came to the Prophet and embraced Islam. The climate of Medina did not suit them, so the Prophet ordered them to go to the (herd of milch) camels of charity and to drink, their milk and urine (as a medicine). They did so, and after they had recovered from their ailment (became healthy) they turned renegades (reverted from Islam) and killed the shepherd of the camels and took the camels away. The Prophet sent (some people) in their pursuit and so they were (caught and) brought, and the Prophets ordered that their hands and legs should be cut off and that their eyes should be branded with heated pieces of iron, and that their cut hands and legs should not be cauterized, till they die.

Would any sane person really prescribe urine as medicine? Is it not cruel to torture and then kill someone as described in this Hadith when the culprit is "merely" guilty of murder and theft?

Narrated by Abdullah bin Yazid Al Ansari (Radhiallaho anho): The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) forbade robbery (taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies. Bukhari Vol. 3 : No. 654

See the previous Hadith. It clearly condones the mutilation or maiming of bodies, while the currrent Hadith claims that the prophet forbade such acts.

Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 83, Number 17: Narrated 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."

You can kill apostates according to this, even though the Quran says there's "no compulsion in religion" (2:256).

Volume 1, Book 4, Number 159: Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet performed ablution by washing the body parts only once.

Once...

Volume 1, Book 4, Number 160: Narrated 'Abdullah bin Zaid: The Prophet performed ablution by washing the body parts twice.

...or twice?

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 435: Narrated Al Bara: The Prophet said to Hassan, "Lampoon them (i.e. the pagans) and Gabriel is with you."

But the Quran says not to lampoon anyone (49:11).

Volume 8, Book 73, Number 120: Narrated Tariq: 'Abdullah said, "The best talk is Allah's Book (Qur'an), and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad."

According to the Quran, the best guidance is the guidance of Allah (2:120).

Volume 7, Book 65, Number 297: Narrated Qatada: We were in the company of Anas whose baker was with him. Anas said, The Prophet did not eat thin bread, or a roasted sheep till he met Allah (died).

The "scholars" argue that since Muhammad was the most perfect example, we ought to imitate him in every way possible. It follows that we should not eat the things mentioned in this Hadith. However, the Quran states that you may eat anything that is lawful and good. What is not lawful is described exhaustively (2:173), and bread and sheep are not mentioned.

Book 028, Number 5610: Sa'd reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: It is better for the belly of any one of you to be stuffed with pus rather than to stuff (one's mind) with poetry.

Shakespeare beware.

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 445: Narrated Abu Dhar: The Prophet said, "Gabriel said to me, 'Whoever amongst your followers die without having worshipped others besides Allah, will enter Paradise (or will not enter the (Hell) Fire)." The Prophet asked. "Even if he has committed illegal sexual intercourse or theft?" He replied, "Even then."

This doesn't seem right at all. What kind of society will this ruling produce?

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 526: Narrated Um Sharik: That the Prophet ordered her to kill Salamanders.

What is the salamander's crime?

"Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself."

"A good deed done to a beast is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being."

Salamanders excluded?

Hadith - Mishkat, Transmitted by Abu Dawud and Darimi The Prophet said, "Were dogs not a species of creature I should command that they all be killed; but kill every pure black one." [Muslim, Narrated AbuDharr: "...The black dog is a devil."]

No comment needed.

Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 010, Number 3811: Abdullah (b. Umar) (Allah be pleased with them) reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) ordered the killing of dogs and we would send (men) in Medina and its corners and we did not spare any dog that we did not kill, so much so that we killed the dog that accompanied the wet she-camel belonging to the people of the desert.

The previous Hadith said to kill only black dogs, whereas this one says to kill them all. So which is it?

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 120: Narrated Sahl: The Prophet said, "There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who used to observe fasts?' They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it.

This Hadith amounts to saying, "If you fast, you will go to Heaven". It gives the go-ahead to murderers, oppressors, and the generally wicked to live as they please so long as they remember to fast.

Book 028, Number 5612: Buraida reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine.

This is unacceptable since there is nothing inherently wrong with playing chess.

Book 001, Number 0381: Anas b. Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I would be the first among people to intercede in the Paradise and amongst the apostles I would have the largest following (on the Day of Resurrection).

There's no intercession according to the Quran (2:254).

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 739: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Qur'an is recited in every prayer and in those prayers in which Allah's Apostle recited aloud for us, we recite aloud in the same prayers for you; and the prayers in which the Prophet recited quietly, we recite quietly. If you recite "Al-Fatiha" only it is sufficient but if you recite something else in addition, it is better.

The Quran ordered the prophet to keep a moderate tone in all prayers (17:110).

Volume 1, Book 8, Number 387: Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah." Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik, "O Abu Hamza! What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have."

This clearly shows the intolerance of Hadith literature. It is basically saying that all who's customs and culture differ from yours deserve to be fought against.

Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallaho anho): Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, "A man who never did any good deed, said that if he died, his family should burn him and throw half the ashes of his burnt body in the earth and the other half in the sea, for by Allah, if Allah should get hold of him, He would inflict such punishment on him as He would not inflict on anybody among the people. But Allah ordered the sea to collect what was in it (of his ashes) and similarly ordered the earth to collect what was in it (of his ashes). Then Allah said (to the recreated man ), 'Why did you do so?' The man replied, 'For being afraid of You, and You know it (very well).' So Allah forgave him." Bukhari Vol. 9 : No. 597

This is saying God forgave someone who never did any good deed. What message does this send out?

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 439: Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard the Prophet saying, "Who ever spends a couple (of objects) in Allah's cause, will be called by the Gatekeepers of Paradise who will say, "O so-and-so, come on!" Abu Bakr said, "Such a person will never perish or be miserable' The Prophet said, "I hope you will be among such person."

Spending just a couple of objects guarantees one's salvation? Surely just about everyone will be saved then.

Book 042, Number 7147: Abu Sa'id Khudri reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Do not take down anything from me, and he who took down anything from me except the Qur'an, he should efface that and narrate from me, for there is no harm in it and he who attributed any falsehood to me-and Hammam said: I think he also said:" deliberately" -he should in fact find his abode in the Hell-Fire.

Here's a Hadith saying don't write any Hadiths!

Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallaho anho): Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, "Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise." Bukhari Vol. 3 : No. 894

To unconditionally secure a seat in Heaven, all you have to do is memorize 99 names. Once you've memorized them, you can safely celebrate by killing some people if you want.

Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallaho anha): The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) entered upon me while there was a curtain having pictures (of animals) in the house. His (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) face got red with anger, and then he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) got hold of the curtain and tore it into pieces. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, "Such people as paint these pictures will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection ." Bukhari Vol. 8 : No. 130

It doesn't make sense that a painter should receive a harsher punishment than the murderers and tyrants of the world.

Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallaho anho): Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, "Five are regarded as martyrs: They are those who die because of plague, abdominal disease, drowning or a falling building etc., and the martyrs in Allah's cause." Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 82

According to this, killing yourself by jumping in a river makes you a martyr.

Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri (Radhiallaho anho): Somebody asked, "O Allah's Apostle (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)! Who is the best among the people?" Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) replied "A believer who strives his utmost in Allah's cause with his life and property." They asked, "Who is next?" He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) replied, "A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allah and leaving the people secure from his mischief." Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 45

A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths (i.e. away from society) is going against the Quran (57:27).

Book 023, Number 5007: Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said: Do not eat with your left hand, for the Satan eats with his left hand.

Someone should also find out whether Satan prefers a spoon or fork, so we can adjust our habits accordingly. :-)

Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 7010: Hudhalfa reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Dajjal is blind of left eye with thick hair and there would be a garden and fire with him and his fire would be a garden and his garden would be fire.

Blind of the left eye ...

Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 7005: Ibn Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). made a mention of Dajjal in the presence of the people and said: Allah is not one-eyed and behold that Dajjal is blind of the right eye and his eye would be like a floating grape.

... or of the right eye?

Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallaho anho): ... "The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, 'But for my fear that it would be hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwak on every performance of ablution.' " The same is narrated by Jabir and Zaid bin Khalid from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) who did not differentiate between a fasting and a nonfasting person in this respect (using Siwak).

When God decrees something, it is not the prophet's choice whether or not to implement it. His concern is only to deliver the message. See Quran 5:92.

Narrated by Anas (Radhiallaho anho): A man came to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) on a Friday while he (the Prophet) was delivering a sermon at Medina, and said, "There is lack of rain, so please invoke your Lord to bless us with the rain." The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) looked at the sky when no cloud could be detected. Then he invoked Allah for rain. Clouds started gathering together and it rained till the Medina valleys started flowing with water. It continued raining till the next Friday. Then that man (or some other man) stood up while the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) was delivering the Friday sermon, and said, "We are drowned; Please invoke your Lord to withhold it (rain) from us." The Prophet smiled and said twice or thrice, "O Allah! Please let it rain round about us and not upon us." The clouds started dispersing over Medina to the right and to the left, and it rained round about Medina and not upon Medina. Allah showed them (the people) the miracle of His Prophet and His response to his invocation. Bukhari Vol. 8 : No. 115

The prophet did not possess such a miracle according to the Quran (17:59), which says that the sending of miracles ended with a previous messenger.

Volume 1, Book 8, Number 388: Narrated Abu Aiyub Al-Ansari: The Prophet said, "While defecating, neither face nor turn your back to the Qibla but face either east or west." Abu Aiyub added. "When we arrived in Sham we came across some lavatories facing the Qibla; therefore we turned ourselves while using them and asked for Allah's forgiveness."

It is therefore necessary for every believer to carry a compass upon going out so as not to become befuddled in a public restroom.

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 541: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "If somebody keeps a dog, he loses one Qirat (of the reward) of his good deeds everyday, except if he keeps it for the purpose of agriculture or for the protection of livestock. "

So you can't have a dog as a simple old pet. Why? What is the evil in this?

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 527: Narrated 'Aisha: The Prophet said, "Kill the snake with two white lines on its back, for it blinds the on-looker and causes abortion."

Somehow, this is not believable.

Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallaho anha): The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome person." Bukhari Vol. 3 : No. 637

Why is the one who quarrels more hated than, say, the one who runs around killing children?

Narrated by Ikrima (Radhiallaho anho): Ibn 'Abbas (Radhiallaho anho) said, "How can you ask the people of the Scriptures about their Books while you have Allah's Book (the Qur'an) which is the most recent of the Books revealed by Allah, and you read it in its pure undistorted form?" Bukhari Vol. 9 : No. 613

Verse 10:94 of the Quran tells the prophet he can ask the People of the Scriptures when in doubt about the Quran.

Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71, Number 592: Narrated Abu Huraira: "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, ‘There is healing in black cumin for all diseases except death.’"

If this is true, then we need to get the word out. People are dying from AIDS, cancer, and heart disease by the millions.

Narrated by Zainab bint Abi Salama (Radhiallaho anha): I went to Um Habiba (Radhiallaho anha), the wife of Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam), who said, "I heard the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) saying, 'It is not legal for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for any dead person for more than three days except for her husband, (for whom she should mourn) for four months and ten days'." Later I went to Zainab bint Jahsh when her brother died; she asked for some scent, and after using it she said, "I am not in need of scent but I heard Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) saying, 'It is not legal for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days for any dead person except her husband, (for whom she should mourn) for four months and ten days.' " Bukhari Vol. 2 : No. 371

What an arbitrary commandment...Thou shalt mourn for thy dead husband for 4 months and 10 days.

Book 37, Number 6691: Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: Allah's Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who climbed this hill, the hill of Murar, his sins would be obliterated as were obliterated the sins of Banu Isra'il. So the first to take their horses were the people of Banu Khazraj. Then there was a ceaseless flow of persons and Allah's Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) said to them: All of you are those who have been pardoned except the owner of a red camel. We came to him and said to him: You also come on, so that Allah's Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) may seek forgiveness for you. But he said: By Allah, so far as I am concerned, the finding of something lost is dearer to me than seeking of forgiveness for me by your companion (the Prophet), and he remained busy in finding out his lost thing.

Go and spend your lives doing evil, then climb the designated hill, for you will be saved.

Narrated Ibn 'Umar (Radhiallaho anho): Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform all that, then they save their lives an property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah." Bukhari Vol. 1 : No. 24