What is the meaning of the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “I have been given the Qur’aan and something like it along with it”?
Question

                What is the meaning of the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “I have been given the Qur’aan and something like it along with it”?.
Praise be to Allah.
    This hadeeth is one of the sound hadeeths that are proven to 
    be from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 
    What is meant by the words “ and something like it along with it” is that 
    Allah has given him another revelation, which is the Sunnah which explains 
    the Qur’aan and clarifies its meanings, as Allah, may He be glorified and 
    exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad 
    صلىالله عليه وسلم) 
    the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’aan)], that you may explain 
    clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought”

    [al-Nahl 16:44]

    So Allah revealed the Qur’aan to him and also the Sunnah, 
    which is the hadeeth which are proven to be from him (blessings and peace of 
    Allah be upon him), which have to do with prayer, zakaah, fasting, Hajj and 
    other religious and worldly matters. The Sunnah is a second revelation which 
    Allah revealed to him to complete the message, and he (blessings and peace 
    of Allah be upon him) expressed that in the hadeeths which he explained to 
    the ummah in word and in deed and by means of his approval, such as his 
    saying: “Deeds are but by intentions, and each man will have but that which 
    he intended”; and “The prayer of one of you will not be accepted if he 
    breaks wind until he does wudoo’”; and “No prayer is accepted without 
    purification, and no charity is excepted from wealth acquired by treacherous 
    means”; and “The five daily prayers, one Ramadan to another, and one Jumu’ah 
    to another, are expiation for the sins that come in between them, so long as 
    you do not commit major sins.” And there are many other saheeh hadeeths 
    which speak of everything that a person needs to know and which have to do 
    with explanation of the Book of Allah. This revelation is a revelation that 
    Allah revealed to him, of which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him) spoke and explained to the ummah. The meanings are revelation from 
    Allah, and the words are from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him), like the words quoted above: “Actions are but by intention...” 
    and like his words: “The two parties to a transaction have the option (of 
    cancelling it) so long as they have not yet parted...” 

    The second revelation which was given to the Prophet 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also includes the sacred hadeeth 
    (hadeeth qudsi) which the Messenger transmitted from his Lord, may He be 
    glorified and exalted. They are revelation from Allah and are His words, but 
    they do not come under the same ruling as the Qur’aan, such as what the 
    Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, narrating it from 
    his Lord: “O My slaves, I have forbidden injustice to Myself, and I have 
    made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another. O My slaves, all 
    of you are misguided except those whom I guide, so ask Me for guidance, I 
    will guide you...” this is a lengthy hadeeth, which was narrated by Muslim 
    in his Saheeh from Abu Dharr al-Ghifaari (may Allah be pleased with 
    him). All of that is included in the words of Allah (interpretation of the 
    meaning):

    “By the star when it goes down (or vanishes).

    2. Your companion (Muhammad 
    صلى الله عليه وسلم) 
    has neither gone astray nor has erred.

    3. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.

    4. It is only a Revelation revealed”

    [al-Najm 53:1-4]