The difference between Quran and hadith, side by side
The difference between the Quran and hadith is that the Quran is the word of Allah, preserved letter for letter and recited in prayer, while hadith are reports of the Prophet’s ﷺ words and actions, graded by their chains of narrators. Here is a side-by-side comparison, plus hadith qudsi and how the two work together.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
The Quran and the Sunnah together
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ ﴿٣﴾ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ ﴿٤﴾
Quran vs hadith: side by side
| Quran | Hadith | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The word of Allah, revealed to the Prophet ﷺ through Jibril | The words, actions and approvals of the Prophet ﷺ |
| Wording | Word for word from Allah | Meaning from the Prophet ﷺ, wording by narrators |
| Preservation | Mass-transmitted (mutawatir); every letter preserved | Graded by chains: sahih, hasan, da‘if and others |
| Recited in prayer | Yes; salah is not valid without Al-Fatihah | No |
| Reward per letter | Yes (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 2910) | Not in the same way |
| Wudu to touch | Yes, according to most scholars | No |
| Collected in | The mushaf, 114 surahs | Collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim |
How hadith are checked
Each hadith has a chain (isnad) and a text (matn). Scholars examined every narrator’s memory and honesty and whether the chain was connected. That is why our guides give a reference and, where relevant, a grading, and avoid weak reports for virtues; see benefits of memorising the Quran for an example.
Learn more
For what the Quran is and how it was compiled, see what is the Quran and the sciences of the Quran. For children, start with hadith for kids; for the Prophet’s ﷺ life, the seerah.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hadith qudsi?
A saying of the Prophet ﷺ in which he reports words from Allah, for example “I am as My servant thinks of Me” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7405). Its meaning is from Allah, but it is not part of the Quran and is not recited in prayer.
Do Muslims need hadith if they have the Quran?
Yes. The Quran itself tells believers to obey the Messenger (4:59) and the Sunnah explains how to apply it: the Quran commands prayer; the hadith show how many rak‘ahs, what to say and when.
What is the difference between hadith and Sunnah?
Hadith is a report; Sunnah is the Prophet’s ﷺ way that those reports preserve. The terms are often used interchangeably.
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