Satan’s objective is to lead people away from God’s commands, but his methods vary depending on the individual. For the outright disbeliever, he encourages neglect and abandonment of divine laws. However, for those who profess belief, his strategy is more deceptive—he pushes them toward excess, making them go beyond what God has decreed. Just as charity has a balance—neither being miserly nor extravagant—Satan will tempt a believer who resists stinginess into wastefulness. His success lies not just in leading people to abandon God’s commands, but also in making them transgress by adding to them.
One of the most dangerous ways this manifests is in the unlawful addition of religious prohibitions and permissions. According to scripture, God alone has the exclusive right to dictate what is lawful (ḥalāl) and unlawful (ḥarām). The Quran makes it clear that anyone who falsely declares things as lawful or unlawful without divine authority is not merely making a mistake but is fabricating religious laws and attributing them to God—a grave sin.
[16:116] You shall not utter lies with your own tongues stating: “This is lawful, and this is unlawful,” to fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD. Surely, those who fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD will never succeed.
By falsely declaring something halal or haram, one is not merely engaging in a mistake but is committing an act of shirk by setting themselves up as a partner beside God because they are assuming a role that belongs only to God. This is a direct challenge to God’s sovereignty, as it places human reasoning, traditions, or external sources on the same level as divine command.
[10:59] Say, “Did you note how GOD sends down to you all kinds of provisions, then you render some of them unlawful, and some lawful?” Say, “Did GOD give you permission to do this? Or, do you fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD?”
Following Other Authorities in Legislation over God’s Commands is Shirk
The Quran explicitly states that accepting religious laws from any source other than God is an act of associating partners with Him. In Surah Al-An‘ām (6:121), God warns:
[6:121] Do not eat from that upon which the name of GOD has not been mentioned, for it is an abomination. The devils inspire their allies to argue with you; if you obey them, you will be idol worshipers (mushrikūn).
This verse makes it clear: if one follows religious rulings from any authority that contradicts God’s commands, they become an idol worshiper (mushrikūn), as they are effectively setting up that entity as a partner with God. By legislating in contradiction to God’s law, they replace divine law with human law, which is the essence of shirk in legislation (shirk al-ḥākimiyyah).
[3:93] All food used to be lawful for the Children of Israel, until Israel imposed certain prohibitions on themselves before the Torah was sent down. Say, “Bring the Torah and read it, if you are truthful.”
[3:94] Those who fabricate false prohibitions after this, and attribute them to GOD, are truly wicked.
Even the Prophet Was Reprimanded for Prohibiting What God Did Not
Further strengthening this point, even the Prophet himself did not have the authority to declare things haram without God’s permission. In Surah At-Tahrim (66:1), God rebukes the Prophet for doing just that.
[66:1] O you prophet, why do you prohibit (tuḥarrimu) what GOD has made lawful for you, just to please your wives? GOD is Forgiver, Merciful.
This shows that not even God’s prophet had the authority to prohibit something that God did not prohibit. If Muhammad himself was not allowed to introduce prohibitions, then how can any scholar, cleric, or secondary source claim this right?
Hadith as a Secondary Source of Law is Unauthorized by God
Despite these clear Quranic commands, many Muslims today take the Hadith as a binding source of legislation, often overriding the Quranic rulings. Yet, the Quran never grants hadith any legislative authority. God repeatedly emphasizes that the Quran is complete, detailed, and the only legitimate source of divine law:
[6:114] Shall I seek other than GOD as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed? Those who received the scripture recognize that it has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully. You shall not harbor any doubt.
[6:115] The word of your Lord is complete, in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.
The Hadith collections that people rely on today were compiled more than 200 years after the Prophet’s death, with no divine authorization for their use as law. By accepting Hadith as a secondary source of legislation, people have effectively set them up the compilers of Hadith as partners with God, contradicting the principle of pure monotheism (tawḥīd).
[61:8] They wish to put out GOD’s light with their mouths. But GOD insists upon perfecting His light, in spite of the disbelievers.
Hadith are riddled with random prohibitions not found anywhere in the Quran. This includes drawing pictures, having dogs, certain musical instruments, bells, music as a whole, wearing one shoe, tattoos, women removing facial hair or having hair extensions, and men wearing gold or silk. These prohibitions are not from the prophet and have no authority in the religion. Those who claim that these are prohibited (haram) are thus attributing lies to God.
[7:32] Say, “Who prohibited the nice things GOD has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?” Say, “Such provisions are to be enjoyed in this life by those who believe. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection.” We thus explain the revelations for people who know.
Examples of Hadith Overriding the Quran
To understand the severity of this issue, we need only to look at a few examples of how Hadith contradicts the Quran’s direct rulings:
Dietary Prohibitions
The Quran clearly states that only four types of food are forbidden:
[6:145] Say, “I do not find in the revelations given to me any food that is prohibited for any eater except: (1) carrion, (2) running blood, (3) the meat of pigs, for it is contaminated, and (4) the meat of animals blasphemously dedicated to other than GOD.” If one is forced (to eat these), without being deliberate or malicious, then your Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
However, Hadith introduced additional prohibitions, such as the forbidding of donkeys and certain birds, which are not found in the Quran. Accepting these hadith-based prohibitions adds laws that God never decreed, making it an act of shirk.
Marriage Prohibitions
The Quran gives a specific list of whom one is prohibited from marrying (4:23).
[4:23] Prohibited for you (in marriage) are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, the sisters of your fathers, the sisters of your mothers, the daughters of your brother, the daughters of your sister, your nursing mothers, the girls who nursed from the same woman as you, the mothers of your wives, the daughters of your wives with whom you have consummated the marriage – if the marriage has not been consummated, you may marry the daughter. Also prohibited for you are the women who were married to your genetic sons. Also, you shall not be married to two sisters at the same time – but do not break up existing marriages. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
However, Hadith additionally prohibits a husband from being married to both a woman and her aunt at the same time, which is not found in the Quran. While this may sound trivial, it nevertheless adds to divine law, which violates God’s exclusive right to legislate. Consider that God had the Prophet marry the divorced wife of his adopted son to set the precedent that such culturally taboo acts are not to be taken as religious law (33:37). This demonstrates that tradition and religion are to be kept separate and that just because something is culturally taboo does not mean that it is sinful to conduct.
Ablution (Wudu’)
The Quranic method of wudu’ (ablution) is clearly outlined in 5:6, which consists of four simple steps: washing the face, hands up to the elbows, wiping over the head, and washing the feet.
[5:6] O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall: (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (3) wipe your heads, and (4) wash your feet to the ankles. If you were unclean due to sexual orgasm, you shall bathe. If you are ill, or traveling, or had any digestive excretion (urinary, fecal, or gas), or had (sexual) contact with the women, and you cannot find water, you shall observe the dry ablution (Tayammum) by touching clean dry soil, then rubbing your faces and hands. GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.
Hadith, however, modified this ritual, altering and adding additional steps, such as starting with washing the hands and then washing the mouth, nose, and ears three times, which are not commanded by God. If God had intended these extra steps, they would have been in the Quran.
Conclusion: Setting Up Another Source Beside the Quran is Shirk
From the arguments above, it is evident that only God alone has the right to legislate what is halal and haram. The Quran warns that:
- Attributing false laws to God is fabricating lies against Him (16:116).
- Following other sources of law that contradict God’s commands is shirk (6:121).
- Even the Prophet was not allowed to prohibit what God had not prohibited (66:1).
- Seeking any authority other than God in legislation is an act of associating partners with Him (6:112-116).
Despite these warnings, Muslims today follow hadith as a secondary source of law, even when they contradict the Quran. This is no different from what past communities did when they took their scholars and religious leaders as lords beside God.
[9:31] They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to worship only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.
By giving Hadith equal or greater weight than the Quran, many have unknowingly fallen into shirk by setting up another source of law alongside God’s revelation.
Thus, true monotheism (tawḥīd) requires returning to the Quran alone for religious legislation and rejecting all unauthorized sources that add to or override God’s laws. The Quran is clear, complete, and sufficient. Accepting any rival source of law is an act of shirk, as it places human interpretation on par with divine command.
[6:150] Say, “Bring your witnesses who would testify that GOD has prohibited this or that.” If they testify, do not testify with them. Nor shall you follow the opinions of those who reject our revelations, and those who disbelieve in the Hereafter, and those who stray away from their Lord.
Ironically, when presented with this information, most traditionalists become argumentative, challenging the Quran’s claim. Yet, God, in all His knowledge, already foresaw this and provided the following verse to rebuke them in advance.
[18:54] We have cited in this Quran every kind of example, but the human being is the most argumentative creature.
وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ أَكْثَرَ شَىْءٍ جَدَلًا
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