Abu Rafi‘ reported God’s messenger as saying, “Let me not find one of you reclining on his couch when he hears something regard which I have commanded or forbidden and saying, ‘I do not know, we found in God’s Book we have followed.’ ” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, A Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Baihaqi (in Dala’il an-nubuwa) transmitted it.
Commentary on the Hadith of Abu Rafi'
This noble hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) addresses a grave matter concerning the authority of the Sunnah and the obligation to follow both the Quran and the Prophetic guidance. The Messenger of Allah warns against the attitude of those who, when confronted with his commands or prohibitions, recline in comfort and claim to follow only what they find in the Quran.
The Authority of the Sunnah
The hadith establishes that the Sunnah is a primary source of legislation alongside the Quran. Allah says in the Quran: "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it" (59:7). The Prophet's commands and prohibitions are divinely inspired and constitute revelation (wahy) just as the Quran does.
To reject the Sunnah under the pretext of following only the Quran is a dangerous innovation that contradicts numerous Quranic verses that command obedience to the Messenger. Such an attitude leads to the fragmentation of the Muslim community and the abandonment of essential Islamic practices established through the Sunnah.
The Spiritual State of the Recliner
The imagery of "reclining on his couch" indicates a state of spiritual laziness, arrogance, and complacency. The true believer should approach the teachings of the Prophet with eagerness, humility, and readiness to implement them immediately. The reclining posture symbolizes one who considers himself above the need for Prophetic guidance or who gives preference to his own understanding over the divinely revealed wisdom.
Practical Implications
This hadith condemns the selective approach to Islamic teachings. Many essential aspects of worship - such as the details of prayer, fasting, zakah, and hajj - are known primarily through the Sunnah. To follow the Quran while neglecting the Sunnah is impossible, as the Quran itself commands following the Prophet. The complete Muslim is one who submits to both revelations: the Quran and the Sunnah, recognizing they are complementary sources of divine guidance.