Did Prophet (SAW) at any time stopped Sahaba (RA) to writing the Ahadiths and said that You have the Quran

Compilation of Ahaadith

There were three methods used to preserve the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam);

a) Memory,

b) Practice,

c) Writing

Memory

Almighty Allah Ta’ala bestowed the Arabs with remarkable memories. Consider the following:

Sayyiduna Ja’far ibn Amr al-Dhamari (Radhiallaahu Anhu) states that once he and Sayyiduna Ubaydullah ibn Adi ibn al-Khiyaar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) decided to visit Sayyiduna Wahshiy. Sayyiduna Ubaydullah asked Sayyiduna Wahshi if he recognized him. He said, ‘No’. However, he recalled that once many years ago, Adi ibn Khiyaar had a child. He was told to take the child to the foster mother. The child was completely covered except the feet. Sayyiduna Wahshiy said, “Your feet resemble those feet”. (al-Bukhari vol.2 pg.582 – 583; Qadeemi – Hadith4072)

Sayyiduna Wahshiy was from Abyssinia but he became a Sahaabi.

Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani RA (B.773 D.852) has stated in al-Isabah that once Marwaan wanted to test Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra’s (Radhiallaahu Anhu) memory regarding Hadith. He requested Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) to narrate some Ahaadith. The following year, he requested Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) to narrate those same Ahaadith of the previous year. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) repeated all the Ahaadith exactly as he did the previous year without a single error. (al-Isaabah vol.7 pg.353; Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah; 1st edition)

There are many such incidents to show the power of the memory of the Arabs. Many Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhu) memorized Ahaadith and preserved them through their memories.

Practice

One of the most efficient ways of preserving knowledge is by practicing it. The Almighty Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) emphasized the practicing of knowledge. Thus, practicing on the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) became an effective method of preserving the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).

Writing

One of the most effective methods of preserving knowledge is writing (it down). The same was done with the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). The Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) were preserved through writing by the Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum). In fact, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) permitted and encouraged the Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) to write down his Ahaadith. This is substantiated by the following:

a) One Sahaabi (Radhiallaahu Anhu) complained to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) that he hears the Ahaadith, likes them but cannot remember them. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Seek assistance through your right hand and he indicated to writing with his hands. (al-Tirmidhi vol.2 pg.91; Meer Muhammed, , Hadith2666, edition of Shaikh Ahmed Shaakir)

b) Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Aas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) states, ‘I used to write down everything I used to hear from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). My purpose was to preserve (whatever Ahaadith I hear). The Quraysh stopped me and said, ‘You write everything you hear whereas Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is a human being. He talks in anger and in happiness.’ I stopped writing and mentioned that to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). He (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) indicated with his finger to his mouth and said, ‘(Continue) writing. By Him in whose soul is my life, nothing comes out from it (the mouth) but Haqq.’ (Abu Dawud vol.2 pg.156-7 HM Saeed; Hadith 3641, edition of Shaikh Muhammad Awwaamah)

Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Capture knowledge.’ I said, ‘What is it to capture knowledge?’ Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘It is writing down knowledge.’ (al-Mustadrak Hadith362; Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah)

In view of the above mentioned Ahaadith, many Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) had written down Ahaadith and had their personal compilations. Hereunder are some examples:

Al-Saheefatus Saadiqah

The background of this compilation is as follows: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that none of the companions of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) gathered more Ahaadith than I besides Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas. That is because he used to write and I would not write.’ (al-Bukhari vol.1 pg.22 Qadeemi; Hadith 113)

The exact number of narrations of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) is not known. However, it is certainly more than the narrations of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallaahu Anhu). The narrations of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) are approximately 5374. This compilation was passed over to the grandson of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas whose name is Amr ibn Shu’ayb and it is generally narrated as

‘an amr ibn shu’ayb `an abeehi an jaddihi.’

Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani RA (B.773 D.852) quotes in al-Tahdhib that Yahya ibn Ma’een (B.157 D.223) and Ali ibn al-Madini (B.161/2 D.234/258) states that every narration of ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb …’ is from al-Saheefatus Saadiqah. (al-Tahdhib wal Tahdhib vol.8 pg.53 – 55; Dar al-Kitaab al-Islami – Cairo; 1st Edition 1993)

There may be an objection as to why Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates more Ahaadith than Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas. The reason was that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) was in Shaam (Syria) and he did not have much students as that of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu). It is the narrations of the students of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) that made his narrations more than Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aa (Radhiallaahu Anhu)’s narrations in spite of him preserving more Ahaadith than Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu).

Sahifaat Sayyiduna Aliy (Radhiallaahu Anhu)

Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) was once asked if the Ahlul Bayt had some special knowledge that others did not have. Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) replied that, ‘We (the Ahlul Bayt) did not write anything special from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) but the Qur’aan and whatever is in this compilation.’ (al-Bukhari vol.1 pg.21; Qadeemi, Hadith111)

In this compilation, the laws of Diyat (blood money), Ma’aqil, Fidyah (compensation) and Qisaas (capital punishmnent) were written.

Kitaab al-Sadaqah

This is a compilation of Ahaadith pertaining to Sadaqah and Zakaat dictated by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). This compilation was passed over to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (Radhiallaahu Anhu), then to Sayyiduna Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) then to his two sons, Sayyiduna Abdullah and Sayyiduna Ubaydullah, then to Sayyiduna Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz, then to Salim ibn Abdullah from whom ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri (D.124) narrated those Ahaadith and passed them over to people. (al-Tirmidhi vol.1 pg.79 Meer Muhammed; Hadith 621 edition of Shaikh Ahmed Shakir)

Suhuf Sayyiduna Anas ibn Maalik (RA)

Sa’eed ibn Hilaal says, ‘We used to frequent Sayyiduna Anas ibn Maalik (Radhiallaahu Anhu). He used to take out his compilations and say I heard these from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), and wrote them and presented them to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).’ (al-Mustadrak Hadith6452; Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah)

Sahifa Sayyiduna ibn Abbaas (RA)

Kurayb ibn Abi Muslim was the freed slave of Sayyiduna ibn Abbaas (Radhiallaahu Anhu). He states, ‘I possess compilations of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) equivalent to the weight of a camel.’

Saheefa Abdullah ibn Mas’ood

Ibn Abdul-Barr (D.656) states that Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mas’ood took out a book and said, ‘I take an oath, this is the compilation of Abdullah ibn Mas’ood.’

Saheefa Hammaam ibn Munabbih

Hammaam ibn Munabbih was a student of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu) and he compiled many Ahaadith of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu). That compilation is known as al-Sahifa as-Sahihah which is also a part of al-Musnad of Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (B.164 D.241). This compilation was lost until recently. It was found in a library in Berlin. When the Ahaadith in the Saheefa were compared to the relevant Ahaadith in al-Musnad of Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, they were exactly the same and they were accurate.

The above examples clearly indicate that many Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) had their personal compilations of Ahaadith.

It may be noted here that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) simultaneously prohibited the writing of Ahaadith. He said, ‘Don’t write from me, whosoever wrote from me besides the Qur’aan should delete it.’ (Sahih Muslim vol.2 pg.414 – Qadeemi; Hadith7435 edition of Shaykh Khaleel Ma’moon Sheeha). This prohibition was only in the beginning stages of Islam. It was to avoid confusion between the Qur’aan and Ahadith. According to Imaam al-Nawawiy RA (B.631 D.676), the prohibition was in the case of writing the Ahaadith with the Qur’aan. In such a situation, one would not be able to distinguish between the Qur’aan and Ahaadith. (Ibid)

It is clear from the above that preserving Ahaadith through writing was common during the time of the Sahaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) and the Ahaadith were already preserved in that era. The preservation of Ahaadith during the time of the Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) was done on an individual capacity and not by the Islamic government as the Qur’aan was written and preserved.

The reason for that is, the Qur’aan was just compiled and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhuma) feared that people will pay more attention to Ahaadith than the Qur’aan and neglect the Qur’aan. This is clear from the following narration:

Sayyiduna Umar [radhiallaahu anhu] states, ‘I had intended to compile the Sunnah, but I remembered a nation before you. They had compiled a book and got involved with it, neglecting the book of Allah. Most certainly, I take an oath on Allah, I will never mix the book of Allah with anything.” (ibn Abdul-Barr in Ilm; Kanzul Ummaal Hadith29474; Muassasah al-Risaala, Beirut 1989 Edition)

Initially, Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) was against narrating many Ahaadith but when Abdullah ibn Saba, a Jew, plotted to distort Islam by elevating Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) to the position of Allah and also fabricating Ahaadith, Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) combatted this corruption by spreading the virtues of the other Sahaba (Radhiallaahu Anhu) and by narrating many authentic Ahaadith. In this way, the students of Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) had many compilations of the Ahaadith narrated by Sayyiduna Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu).

It is clear from the above that many Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhu) had their own compilations of Ahaadith. When Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz (B.61 D.101) became the Khalifah, he decided to officially compile Ahaadith. He wrote to Qaadhi Abu Bakr ibn Hazm (RA), a judge, ‘See whatever Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) (you can obtain), write them down as I fear knowledge perishing and the going away (death) of the Ulama.’ (al-Bukhari Chapter 34 vol.1 pg.20; Qadeemi)

In Muatta Imaam Maalik (B.95 D.179), it is recorded that Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz (B.61 D.101) also requested the compilation of Sunnats of the Khulafa-e-Raashideen (the righteous Khalifahs). Abu Nu’aym (D.430) writes in Taareekh Isbahaan that this request was also sent to all the Qaadhis (judges) of the different provinces. (Fathul Baari vol.1 pg.259; Qadeemi).

By the end of the first Islamic century, the following books of Ahaadith were compiled:

1. Kutub Abu Bakr – this was the compilation of Qaadhi Abu Bakr ibn Hazm