What does it mean to follow the Quran alone?
Following the Quran alone means taking the Quran as the only source of religious law and belief. No other book, saying or scholar’s ruling is placed beside God’s words.
The Submitters follow the Quran alone because the Quran itself tells us to. It describes itself as complete, fully detailed and sufficient. It warns against following any other source in religion.
This page explains what the Quran says about itself, why we do not use Hadith as a source of religion, and how we practice our worship from the Quran alone.
What the Quran says about itself
The Quran states that nothing was left out of it, that it is fully detailed, and that we need no other source.
Nothing was left out:
“We did not leave anything out of this book.” (6:38)
It is fully detailed, and God is the only source of law:
“Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?” (6:114)
“The word of your Lord is complete, in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words.” (6:115)
It explains everything:
“We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations for everything, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.” (16:89)
“This is not fabricated Hadith; this (Quran) confirms all previous scriptures, provides the details of everything, and is a beacon and mercy for those who believe.” (12:111)
There is no other source:
“You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord’s scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it.” (18:27)
“You shall all follow what is revealed to you from your Lord; do not follow any idols besides Him.” (7:3)
The Quran even describes how people react when God is preached through the Quran alone:
“And when you preach your Lord, using the Quran alone, they run away in aversion.” (17:46)
What about Hadith and Sunna?
The Submitters do not accept Hadith as a source of religion. We believe the Hadiths were written for historical purposes and were not meant to be used for religious purposes.
The Quran itself asks which Hadith people will follow besides God’s own words:
“Which Hadith, other than this, do they uphold?” (77:50)
“These are God’s revelations that we recite to you truthfully. In which Hadith other than God and His revelations do they believe?” (45:6)
It calls the Quran itself the best Hadith:
“God has revealed herein the best Hadith; a book that is consistent, and points out both ways (to Heaven and Hell).” (39:23)
And it warns against religious laws that God never authorized:
“They follow idols who decree for them religious laws never authorized by God.” (42:21)
“Among the people, there are those who uphold baseless Hadith, and thus divert others from the path of God without knowledge.” (31:6)
The Quran also records the messenger’s complaint:
“The messenger said, ‘My Lord, my people have deserted this Quran.’” (25:30)
Following the Quran alone does not mean disrespecting the prophet Muhammad. It means following the message he delivered: the Quran, and nothing else, as the source of religion.
How do we pray without Hadith?
This is the most common question about following the Quran alone. The answer is that the religious rituals came to us through Abraham, not through Hadith.
The Quran tells the prophet Muhammad to follow the religion of Abraham:
“Then we inspired you (Muhammad) to follow the religion of Abraham, the monotheist; he never was an idol worshiper.” (16:123)
It also connects our prayers and charity directly to Abraham’s religion:
“…the religion of your father Abraham. He is the one who named you ‘Submitters’ originally… Therefore, you shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and hold fast to God.” (22:78)
The Submitters believe that the religious rituals (the Contact Prayers, the Obligatory Charity, Fasting and Pilgrimage) were passed down through Abraham as a practical tradition, from generation to generation until today. They came to us independently of the Quran and independently of the Hadith.
At the same time, all the details of these rituals can be found in the Quran. That is why practicing them keeps us within the Quran alone.
You can find the prayer times for your location on our website.
Is following the Quran alone a new religion?
No. Following the Quran alone is a return to the oldest religion revealed by God. That religion is called Submission:
“The only religion approved by God is ‘Submission.’” (3:19)
Submission was originally revealed through the prophet Abraham. The same religion was followed by all the other prophets, like Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
If you are a Sunni, a Shia, a Christian or a Jew, you do not need to abandon your faith in God. Following the Quran alone means worshiping God alone, and making some small but important changes to how you practice your religion.
How to begin following the Quran alone
- Read the Quran for yourself. Start with Quran: The Authorized English Translation, which you can read and search online for free.
- Verify that the Quran is from God. Examine the Mathematical Miracle of the Quran.
- Learn the practices. Read about the Contact Prayers and the Obligatory Charity.
- Join us. Attend the Live Friday Gatherings and ask your questions in our Group Chat or by email.
To become a Submitter, attend the Live Friday Gatherings and fill out the Public Zakat Pledge Form.