An Explanation and Analysis of the Narrative, “I Have Been Given the Book and Its Equivalent With It”

According to the explicit referent of the narrative, “I have been given the Book and its equivalent with it”, an equivalent of the Book (Qur’an) was also given to the Prophet (PBUH), which, like the Book (Qur’an), is called revelation so that it would play a complementary role to the Book. The fundamental and significant question, however, is whether the revelation to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is limited to the verses of the Qur’an or any other revelation has been made to him apart from the Qur’an. The main approach and pillar of the present article are the explication and analysis of the above narrative. According to the meaning of this Hadith, what exists in the Qur’an is “Qur’anic revelation” and what is stated in the form of the irrefutable Prophetic narratives is “non- Qur’anic revelation”. It is noteworthy that Qur’anic and non-Qur’anic revelations have a common element and peculiarity, i.e., being “heavenly” and “Divine”. Yet, a number of scholars have limited the revelation to the Prophet (PBUH) to Qur’anic revelation, while Qur’anic and narrative evidence firmly and explicitly indicates that the Prophet (PBUH) has brought from God not only the Qur’an, but also its equivalent, in his own words, along with it. This “equivalent of the Book” (Qur’an) is the very Prophetic tradition, and these two accompany and complete one another and constitute the religion and Shari’a.