The consequence of following Hadith

Many people may think that following the Hadith is harmless. I mean, it's just man's words, right? How bad can it be? However, the reality is… following Hadith or anything other than the guidance of Allah SWT has serious consequences. Because following the words of man does not just affect your deen; it affects your heart and your soul.

Allah SWT tells us to follow the Quran and to not follow other paths, because if we do, we will be separated from His path.

"And this [Quran] is My path, Straight. So follow it and do not follow other paths. For you will be separated from His path. This He has instructed you so that you may become righteous."

What happens when we get separated from Allah SWT's path?

Well, He said that He sent the Quran down to bring us out of the darkness into the light.

"Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord—to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy…"

So according to this verse, the Book (Quran) is supposed to bring people into the light, which is Allah SWT's path. So when you follow something other than the Quran, when you follow something other than what Allah said would place you on His path, you get placed back in darkness… which is the path to the Hellfire according to:

"…And those who disbelieve… their allies are the Taghut; they bring them out of the light into the darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein."

So that is what happens when you get separated from Allah SWT's path. It affects your deen… heavily.

When you follow anything other than the Quran, you get turned away from the Quran itself. You begin to follow rules Allah did not give. You begin to make unlawful for yourself things that Allah did not make unlawful for you. You begin to believe things Allah did not say, and you will start to make religious decisions based on judgments Allah never gave. And in turn, you are no longer following the light, the path of Allah. But you are following darkness, the path of Satan.

Now, the Quran was not sent to just change our actions; it was sent to change us as a people. It is supposed to purify our souls and transform our hearts into something pure, rather than something tainted and wicked.

Allah SWT said that the Quran was sent down as a healing for the heart.

"And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss."

"O mankind, there has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers."

What does healing mean?

The active process of repairing, restoring, and returning to a state of wholeness, balance, and well-being after experiencing physical injury, emotional trauma, illness, or disease.

Allah SWT wants to heal us from diseases in the hearts…

"Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allah would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?"

So if the Quran is supposed to heal our hearts, then by default, anything else other than the healing, other than the Quran, would taint them… right? Infect our hearts… Make them sick, ill, diseased.

Which is why Allah said before 47:29, in 47:24–28:

"Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? Indeed, those who reverted back [to disbelief] after guidance had become clear to them—Satan enticed them and prolonged hope for them. That is because they said to those who disliked what Allah has revealed, 'We will obey you in part of the matter.' And Allah knows what they conceal. Then how [will it be] when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs? That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds."

This is referring to those who stopped following the Quran. And started following what angered Him, and disliked what earned His pleasure. So when they stopped following the Quran and started following something other than it, Allah recognized them as those who have a disease in their hearts in 47:29.

Following the Quran would earn His pleasure because it is what He ordained upon us in 28:85.

"Indeed, He who imposed upon you the Qur'an will take you back to a place of return. Say, 'My Lord is most knowing of who brings guidance and who is in clear error.'"

Following anything other than it—made-up rules, laws, and regulations that Allah did not give—would anger Him. For He said that He does not share in His legislation in 18:26.

"…and He does not share in His legislation with anyone.' And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge."

Now…how does this disease in the heart show up? What does it look like?

Well, since the Hadith teaches misogyny, racism, oppression, and tyranny… if you follow the Hadith, you begin to become influenced by such things. However, everyone is different, so the disease can show up in different ways.

One could say things that are inhumane, things that go against and contradict the guidance of Allah, evil things, wicked things, disturbing things… things that one would never hear coming out of a Muslim's mouth. Words that are filled with hatred.

For others, the influence could be more subtle, but it's there. They may not come at you with words of hatred, but many would try to justify the wicked things found in their Hadith narrations. And because Allah has placed a covering over their hearts, they are blind to it. So they don't even realize how far they have strayed.

Following anything other than the Quran can turn you into something unrecognizable. The Hadith narrations not only make new laws, rules, and regulations that Allah does not give… but they also teach wickedness. All of which has a huge impact on the heart and the soul.

Following the Quran alone, exactly the way it was revealed, is the only way to keep your deen and your heart pure…and without corruption.

Which is why Allah asked us a rhetorical question that revealed the obvious truth that we should believe in nothing else after the Quran, because it is the truth. And what can be after the truth except error?

"These are the ayat of Allah which We recite to you in truth, then in which Hadith after Allah and His ayat will they believe?"

"That is Allah, your Lord, the truth. And what can be AFTER the truth, except error…."

10:32 is not just referring to Allah as the truth, but Allah is acknowledging that after ALL truth, there is nothing left except falsehood.

Allah does not want us to fall into error or follow falsehood. He wants us to remain in the light, His path. And there is only one way to do that: by following only the guidance He sent down for us—the Quran, the Book that He said explains everything.