Question on Hadith, Sunnah and the Quran

Just being a Curious George here so bear with me. 

If in the last address by the prophet, he closes the Quran and perfects the religion, then why are the Hadiths needed or should they even be considered?

It is been said to me that the Quran is the most perfect book and has all the answers.  If this is true, why do I hear hadiths thrown around left and right? 

Don't you think that if Mohammed felt that these things were needed for the salvation of his people, he would have complied them himself?

And if the Prophet didn't write them down himself or have his scribe record them, how can you be sure that the Hadith aren't as messed up at the latter part of the New Testament. 

I have often heard the arguement against the Gospels as truth being that they were written after Jesus Christs death, but if that's reason for rejecting the Gospels then it would be reason to reject the Hadiths.  I would have been very easy for early believers in Islam to shape the religion after Mohammed's death to their own desires.  All they would have had to do is come up with some conversation they overheard or were part of with the Prophet.

So, my question is, if there is to be no scriptures after the Quran, then why do true muslims even bother with acknowledging the Hadiths?

Angela

He married so many as each was an example, eg marrying a divorced woman or a widow, each thing the prophet did was to provide practical advice to muslim, these things were noted and passed down or scholars have methodically traced back various hadiths to ensure authenticity. We do not simply make these things up, they are traced and checked and rechecked to ensure they are correct, scholars such as Bukhari and Muslim gave there lives to ensuring these Hadiths were documented correctly.

But, how can you verify oral tradition.  Many of the hadiths were written down years after Muhammed died.  That means there were carried by oral tradition.  That would in my mind make them suspect to corruption and hard to offer proof.  The Quran was recorded as it was revealed.  There would be no corruption there and the requirement for it to be preserved in its original language makes it rare.  But anything given third hand is going to be perception and interpretation.

Thank you Muslim Friend.  I appreciate you're attention to this. 

I've got several main issues with Islam, the Hadiths lead into the others. 

Thanks again

Angela

Angela, this is what I have learnt, the hadiths are the examples of Muhammed, his actions and words, as according to his, actually Allahs commandments, from what I know, the hadiths were recorded alongside the qu'ran, more so after the revelation. If you read a commandment from the qu'ran or scriptures but you don't know how they were carried out correctly, then you resort to the hadiths, because Muhammed recieved the rightful way of how to do and be, He is an example of how to be.

The qu'ran and hadiths are needed, some can carrying on without the hadiths but many others need them, for claifying.

Hadiths are the explanation or example of the sunna of Allah (some people probably say the Prophets way but come to think of it, Muhammed followed God's law/qur'an so hence Allah's way/sunna) it gives followers an insight in how to be.

And if you didn't know already, I am non muslim.

P.S: hey guys, if there is any correction to be made, go ahead