Why I Follow the Qur'an First

Why I Follow the Qur'an FirstOnce I became more proficient in Arabic and returned to the Qur’an with fresh eyes, I realized something unsettling yet eye-opening:Many Muslims don’t actually read the Qur’an as their primary guide. Most are immersed in books of hadith, schools of thought, and inherited traditions—often without critically comparing them to Allah’s clear words.The more I studied the Qur’an for myself, the more I saw that Allah’s Book is fully detailed (6:114–115), the best ḥadīth (39:23), and the only revelation we are commanded to follow unconditionally (7:3).I also noticed that terms like “sunnah” and “ḥadīth” do appear in the Qur’an—but never in the way Muslims today use them.The Qur’an speaks of the Sunnah of Allah—the unchanging way He deals with nations.It refers to itself as the best hadith—a unique and unmatched discourse.So I began asking:Why would we center our religion around human narrations—collected over 200 years after the Prophet—when we have the direct speech of Allah in our hands?That’s not a rejection of the Prophet ﷺ. Quite the opposite—I believe that if we truly love and honor the Messenger, we must follow the message he was entrusted with. And that message is the Qur’an.I don’t claim perfection. I’m still learning. But I’m committed to what Allah said plainly:“This is a blessed Book We have revealed. So follow it…”(6:155)I choose to follow Allah’s revelation as my foundation—not out of arrogance or rebellion—but out of trust in His words.And I still love and respect all my brothers and sisters, no matter where they are on their journey.