Just a Muslim?

All praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness. And we seek refure in Allaah the Most High from the evils of our ownselves and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides none can misguide him and whomsoever Allaah misguides there is none to guide such an individual. I bear witness that there is no true god worthy of being worshipped except Allaah alone, without partner or associate. I further bear witness that Muhammad (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) is His slave and Messenger. May Allaah the Exalted bestow his peace and blessings on the final messenger Muhammad, upon his family, his noble companions and all those who follow them.

What is meant by Hadith ?

The literal meaning of Hadeeth is saying.But,the istehlah of the majority of muhaddiseen is that it refers to what The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) said and that which he (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) did and that Amr that was done in his presence which he allowed by remain silent about it is known as Hadeeth. [Abdul Haq Dehelwi-Muqaddama Miskaat Masabih Pg 3]

Al-Quran is also a hadeeth

Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), while delivering the sermon' to the people, praised Allah, and lauded Him for what He deserves, and would then say: He whom Allah guides aright, there is none to mislead him, and he who is led astray, there is none to guide him (aright), and the best of the talk is embodied in the book of Allah. And the rest of the hadith is the same. (Sahih Muslim.Book #004, Hadith #1887)

In the above narration,one can clearly find Fa inna khayral Hadithi Kitabullah..,meaning the best of hadith is Allahs Book,which is the Quran.Alhumdulillah.In various places,Allah has referred this Book to be Hadith (narration/saying).

Allah rabbul izzat says in Surah Zumar Ayaah 23:

Allah has sent down the Best Statement, a Book (this Qur'an), its parts resembling each other (in goodness and truth) (and) oft-repeated. Allah azzawajal says in Surah Nisa Ayaah 87:

And who is truer in statement than Allah? Also,Allah says in Surah Kahf Ayaah 6:

Perhaps, you, would kill yourself (O Muhammad ) in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you), because they believe not in this narration (the Qur'an).

Hence,it is proved that Al Quran is the Hadith of Allah subhanu wa taala and also,as we know,the saying of Messenger of Allah ( ) and whatever he did and whatever amaal which was done in his presence is also hadith.

And the literal meaning of Ahl is People.So Ahlal Hadith means People of Hadith,that is,those who follow both Quran(Allahs Hadith) and Sunnah (in strict relation to their literal meaning),which is RasulAllah sallalahu alayhi wasallams hadith.They are not imitators(muqallid) of any zaat be it any imam or faqih.They are those who look into evidence from Quran and Hadith on every ruling,they forbid even the taqlid of Companions (May Allah be pleased with them).

The evidence of the label Ahle Hadith from Quran

There is not even a drop of doubt that Allah subhanu wa taala labeled us Muslim in the Quran.As Allah says in Surah Al Hajj Ayaah 78:

It is He (Allah) Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (the Qur'an)

In the same way ,Allah has named even the People of the Book as Muslim and the proof of this is in Surah Al Maida Ayaah 111 :

And when I (Allah) revealed to Al-Hawariyyun (the disciples) [of 'sa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.

But,even after Allah referred them with the same label of Muslim,He subhanu wa taala says in Surah Al Maida Ayaah 47:

Let the people of the Injeel judge by what Allah has revealed therein. Hence,we are enlightened by the fact that a muslim can also be attributed with the name of the Book which Allah sent to him.It is so because even after Allah named the followers of Isaa alayhis salaam as muslims,He referred them as Ahlul Injeel since the name of the revelation which was revealed for them was Injeel. The Book,Quran e Kareem,is referred to as Hadith by Allah in The Glorious Quran itself and that the traditions and narrations from the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam is also known as Hadith as was explained above.Hence,the word hadith refers to both the Quran and Hadith.So,calling ourself Ahlul Hadith is not opposed to as calling ourself Muslim.We are both muslim and ahlul hadith similar to the followers of Isa alayhi salaam who were called both muslim and ahle injeel in the Noble Quran.Therefore,there is nothing wrong or evil in being called and attributed as ahle hadith which has now been established by proofs from the Quran itself.Alhumdulillah.

Glad tidings of paradise for the Ahlul Hadith by the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam

Anas radhiallahu anhu narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wassalam saying,On the Day of Resurrection,the Ahlul Hadith will be resurrected in a state that they will be possessing pens (which they used to write hadith with) and ink vessels so Allah would say to them,You are the ahlul hadith who have been writing darood on the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam for a long time,so set yourself on the path to Jannah. [At Tibrani Al Qawlul Badi pg.251]