Quranists (Quran-Only)

Deviant

القرآنيون

Overview

A modern movement rejecting the authority of the Hadith and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, claiming the Quran alone is sufficient. Known by various names including Ahl al-Quran, Quraniyoon, and Submitters. Despite modern framing, this is a revival of the classical heresy of rejecting the Sunnah, which was addressed by Imam al-Shafi'i in his al-Risalah (c. 820 CE). Emerged in South Asian reformist movements in the late 19th century and has spread through the internet in the 20th–21st centuries.

Key Beliefs

  • Rejection of the Hadith and Sunnah as a source of Islamic law
  • The Quran alone is the complete and sufficient guide
  • Salah, Zakat, Hajj methods not derived from Hadith but from 'Quranic principles'
  • Many Quranic commands (like the details of prayer) reinterpreted entirely

Scholarly Evaluation

Condemned unanimously by Ahl us-Sunnah. Allah commands obedience to the Messenger ﷺ alongside obedience to Himself in more than 30 Quranic verses (e.g., al-Nisa 4:59, al-Hashr 59:7). The Hadith are the primary explanation of the Quran. Rejection of the Sunnah destroys the foundations of Islamic practice — prayer timings, rak'ahs, zakat thresholds, and hajj rites are not detailed in the Quran but in the Sunnah. Imam al-Shafi'i's al-Risalah explicitly refutes this position in the 9th century.

Key Figures

  • Ghulam Ahmad Pervez (1903–1985 CE) — prominent South Asian Quranist
  • Rashad Khalifa (1935–1990 CE) — founded the 'Submitters' movement

Sources

  • Al-Risalah (al-Shafi'i) — refutation of rejecting the Sunnah
  • Al-Quran 4:59, 59:7 — commands to obey the Messenger

Founded

1900 CE