format_quote Originally Posted by
Ahl al-Dhikr
I'm not entirely sure what I mean, in this context! :)
Authoritativeness, in the sense of Jewish religious literature, stems from the fact that the Tanakh - Tora, the books of the prophets, and the books of Writings (kethuvim) - was compiled by our national representative body (the Great Congress / Kenesseth ha-Gedhola), formally published and promulgated among our people, and officially "closed" by the same body (at a later point in history). If something is written in the Tanakh, it is "authoritative" - it is meant to be interpreted, but it is not open for dispute. In contrast to this we have books (like the books of Maccabees and Ecclesiasticus) that were not officially included in the Tanakh and were not formally promulgated among our people; these books are not considered "authoritative" - they are open to dispute (like any written opinion) and are not meant to be interpreted.
I think this is the difference in historical background that caused the confusion. In Islam the Qur'an is revelation and there was revelation to the Prophet too, sala Allahu alayhi wa salam. It was not a body of people later in time, but rather the Prophet himself which made it clear. Maybe that is why I was confused by your request.
format_quote Originally Posted by
Ahl al-Dhikr
How were the Sunna compiled and published, at first? Was it a process similar to that described above?
I don't think it was the same, the Sunnah is the way of the Prophet, so this was there from the starrt and was then passed down to later generation like the Qur'an was passed down.
format_quote Originally Posted by
Ahl al-Dhikr
Also - what are examples of those works which someone must master, but aren't considered on the same level as the Qur'an or the Sunna?
There are no works which a student
must master. Because there are no authoritative works, so the works (i.e. the books) may differ in different areas, depending on what the scholars there studied. But generally now days you have works which students are encouraged to study in different fields, like for example, some are encouraged to master first short conise works and then move on to bigger ones, for example, Usool ath thalaatha or/and Qawaaid Al Arbaa by Ibn Abdul Wahhab, or Aqeedah Wasitiyyah later on, and then move on to bigger and more specific works.
format_quote Originally Posted by
Ahl al-Dhikr
And I didn't know that the Sunna are considered to be revealed texts, in the same sense as the Qur'an! :) Can you elaborate more on this? It's very interesting!
:w:
I don't know how much you'd like me to elaborate. But to put it simply, the Qur'an was revealed, and the Prophet had various Jobs, one of which was to explain the Qur'an, but the explanation came from Almighty God to the Prophet. So examples, Qur'an states estalish prayer, the Prophet shows how to establish prayer, the Qur'an states cut the hand of the thief the prophet shows how to execute that command, or he may explain by mouth and not actions, the Qur'an says that everyone will pass over hell, the Prophet explained the scene on the day of Judgement and the bridge extended over hell that man will have to pass over.
And Allah truly Knows Best.