The Perception of Hadith and Sunna of the Eastern Mudarris: Van Province Case

Abstract

Currently, numerous madrasas in Eastern Anatolia Region actively provide traditional education. These madrasas have managed to survive with community support without any state aid and have taken an important mission to guide the eastern community and direct their religious lifestyle. In this sense, Van is one of the provinces that has recently stood out with its madrasas. When the education curriculum of these madrasas in Van is examined, it is seen that the science of hadith is also taught and the teachers have significant accumulation on hadith and sunna. This research aims to examine the perceptions of some teachers on hadith and sunna in these madrasas providing education in Van. The data of the research were collected through semi-structured interview forms consisting of open-ended questions addressed to a sample group of teachers selected from madrasas that actively operate in Van. In light of this data, meaningful findings have been shared about many issues such as the approach of the teachers to hadith and sunna, the position of sunnah in religion, whether sunna is a product of revelation, whether Prophet Mubammad (PBuH) had the power to make things halal or haram, and what comes to their mind first when Prophet Mubammad's sunna is mentioned. An important finding identified in the research is that the teachers see hadith and sunna as the interpretation and explanation of the Qur'an. However, the teachers also exhibited different approaches to some issues related to hadith and sunna. For example, most of the teachers (14 people) think that hadith and sunna have different meanings. Eight of the teachers who adopt this approach stated that there is a general-specific relationship between sunna and hadith. On the other hand, it is revealed that the view that hadith and sunna mean the same thing is embraced by six participants. Some important views of the teachers regarding the relationship of hadith and sunna with revelation have been identified. For example, while 13 of the teachers argue that all of the sunna and hadith are a product of revelation, others stated that only some of them could be a product of revelation. More than half of those who hold this approach (11 people) experienced inconsistency in the thoughts they defended. Indeed, these participants stated that the whole sunna and hadith are the source of revelation while giving an unexpected answer to the question directed to them about medical hadiths, and they claimed that some or all of the medical hadiths are based on experience. Almost all of the teachers argue that sunna is binding like the Qur'an. Three of the participants do not see the whole sunna as binding. According to them, things that Prophet Mubammad did with his human qualities or things he loved or disliked by creation do not have bindingness. Also, while some of the teachers prioritized moral sunan in their minds, others prioritized formal sunan. Almost half of the teachers (8 people) attached great importance to al-kutub al-sitta. The participants stated that they trust the hadiths in these works and that they would accept it if a hadith is transmitted in one of these works. The remaining participants think that the authenticity of the hadiths will be determined after research on the isnad and the text. It is seen that madrasah teachers have an idea about the popular group called Kur'aniyyun today. According to them, the main purpose of this group is to destroy the message of the Qur'an. Suyuti and Ghazali seem to have an important place in the minds of the professors. In particular, Suyuti's competence in Arabic grammar has been extended to the field of hadith.