Following Muhammad, peace be upon him, is obligatory upon us. The sayings and actions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, are the religion of Allah. The Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, addressed the people on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage and said:
انّي قد تركت فيكم ما إن اعتصمتم به فلن يضلّوا ا أبدا : كتاب اللّه و سنّة نبيّه.
“Indeed, I have left among you two things, if you hold fast to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet, peace be upon him.”
↰ Its narrator Abdullah bin Uways bin Malik is considered “Hasan al-Hadith” by the majority.
◈ Hafiz Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes about this:
وثقه الأكثرون، واحتجّوابه
“Most of the Muhaddithin have called him trustworthy and have taken proof from his narrations.”
↰ The second narrator Ismail bin Abi Uways is also considered “Thiqah” by the majority.
✿ The command of Allah Almighty is:
مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّـهَ
“Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah.”
◈ Imam Sufyan bin Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 198 AH), used to say:
إنّ رسول الله صلّى الله عليه و سلّم هو الميزان الأكبر، فعليه تعرض الأشياء على خلقه و سيرته و هد يه، فما وافقها فهو الحقّ و ما خالفها فهو الباطل
“The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is the greatest criterion; therefore, all matters are presented according to his character, conduct, and method. Whatever agrees with him is truth, and whatever opposes him is falsehood.”
✿ Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“When the believers are called to Allah and His Messenger, their response is: ‘We hear and obey.’ Those are the successful ones.”
✿ Also, it is stated:
فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
“Those who disobey the command of (the Prophet, peace be upon him) should beware that a great trial or painful punishment may befall them.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, writes under this noble verse:
وقوله تعالي : ”فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ“، أى أمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم، و هو سبيله و منهاجه و طريقته و شريعة، فتوزن الاقوال و الاعمال باقواله و أعماله، فما وافق ذلك قبل و ما خالفه فهو مردودعلي قائله و فاعله، كائنا من كان.
“The command of the Exalted Allah: فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ refers to the command of the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, and it is the name of your path, methodology, way, and your Shariah. Accordingly, the sayings and actions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, are the standard by which the sayings and actions of (all people) are judged. Whatever statement or action is in accordance with the sayings and actions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, will be accepted, and whatever is contrary to them will be rejected and returned to its speaker or doer, whoever they may be.”
✿ He further said:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
“(O Prophet!) By your Lord, they will never become believers until they accept you as a judge in their disputes, then they feel no resentment in their souls against your judgment and accept it wholeheartedly.”
◈ Allama Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
هذه كافيه لمن عقل و حذروآمن بالله واليوم الآخر، و أيقن أن هذا العهد عهد ربه تعالي اليه و وصيته عزوجل الواردة عليه، فليفتش لإنسان نفسه، فان وجد فى نفسه مما قضاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى كل خبر يصححه مما قد بلغه، آو و جد نفسه غير مسلمه لما جاءه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم و وجد نفسه مائلة إلي قول فلان وفلان، أو إلي قياسه واستحسانه، أو وجه نفسه تحكم فيما نازعت فيه أحدا دون رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من صاحب فمن دونه، فليعلم أن الله تعالي قد أقسم، و قوله الحق، إنه ليس مؤمنا، و صدق الله تعالٰي، و إذا لم يكن مؤمنا فهو كافر، ولا سبيل إلي قسم ثالث۔۔۔۔
“This verse is sufficient for the person who is intelligent and wise, who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment, and who is certain that this promise has been taken from his Lord and this command applies to him. A person should examine his own self. If he feels discomfort within himself regarding the decision of the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, present in the authentic hadith, or finds that his self does not accept what has come to him from the Messenger of Allah, or finds his self inclined towards the words of so-and-so or his own personal reasoning and preference, or finds his self taking the decision in a dispute away from the Messenger of Allah and towards some companion or later person, then he should know that Allah has sworn and His command is true that he is not a believer. Allah has spoken the truth: if he is not a believer, then he is a disbeliever; there is no third category.”
✿ The command of Allah Almighty is:
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
“Then if you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in the end.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, writes under this verse:
و فى هذه الآيات أنواع من العبر الدالة على ضلال من تحاكم الي غير لكتاب و السنة و عليٰ نفاقه، وإن زعم أنه يريد التوفيق بين الأدلة الشرعية و بين ما يسميه هو عقليات، من لأمور المأخوذة عن بعض الطواغيت من المشركين و أهل الكتاب و غير ذلك من أنواع الاعتبار.
“There are many lessons in these verses, which are evidence of the misguidance and hypocrisy of the person who decides his matter other than the Book and Sunnah, even if he claims that he wants to reconcile between the Shariah evidences and his own reasoning. These are matters and many other considerations taken from some polytheistic tyrants and the People of the Book.”
◈ Allama Ibn Abi Al-Azal Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 792 AH), writes:
فالو جب كمال التسليم للرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم والانقياد لأمره، تلقي خبره بالقبول والتصديق، دون أن نعارضه بخيال بالطل نسميه معقولا أونحمله شبة أوشكا، أونقدم عليه آراء الرجل، وذبالة أذهانهم، فنوه بالتحكيم والتسليم والانقياد و الإذعان، كما نوحد المرسل بالعبادة و الخضوع والذل و الإنابة و التوكل، فهما توحيدان لا نجاة للعبد من عذاب الله الا بهما، توحيد المرسل وتوحيد متابعة الرسول . . .
“Thus, perfect acceptance of the Messenger of Allah, perfect obedience to his command, and accepting and confirming the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ with acceptance and affirmation is obligatory, without bringing any false notion against it, which we call rational, or creating any doubt or suspicion in it, or giving precedence to people’s opinions and the rubbish of their minds. Therefore, in judgment, acceptance, obedience, and submission, we are believers in the oneness of the Noble Messenger ﷺ, just as we are believers in the oneness of the One who sent him (Allah Almighty) in worship, humility, meekness, repentance, and reliance. These are two types of oneness. The servant’s salvation from the punishment of Allah Almighty is not possible without these two types of oneness, that is, the oneness of the Sending Allah and the oneness of obedience and submission to the Noble Messenger ﷺ.”
◈ They also write:
ومن المحال أن لا يحصل الشفاء والهدي، والعلم و اليقين من كتاب الله وكلام رسوله، ويحصل من كلام هؤلاء المتحيرين، بل الواجب أن يجعل ما قاله الله و رسوله هوالأصل، ويتدبر معناه، ويعقله، ويعرف برهانه، ودليله العقلي و الخبري السمعي، و يعرف دلالته على هذاوهذا، ويجعل أقوال الناس التى توافقه وتخالفه متشابهة مجملة، فيقال لأصحابها : هذه الالفاظ تحتمل كذا و كذا، فإن أرادوا بها ما يوافق خبرالرسل قبل۔ وإن أرادوابها ما يخالفه رد .
“It is impossible that healing, guidance, knowledge, and certainty are not obtained from the words of Allah and His Messenger, but are obtained from the words of these bewildered and confused people. Rather, it is necessary that the command of Allah and His Messenger be taken as the original source, its meanings be pondered over, it be understood, its rational and transmitted (hearing) proofs and evidences be recognized, the indication of this and that speech on it be understood, and the statements of people which agree or disagree with it be considered ambiguous and obscure, and their proponents be told that these words have the possibility of this meaning. If they have intended the meaning in accordance with the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, then it should be accepted, and if their meaning is contrary to it, then it should be rejected.”
✿ The command of Allah Almighty is:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَإِذَا كَانُوا مَعَهُ عَلَى أَمْرٍ جَامِعٍ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا حَتَّى يَسْتَأْذِنُوهُ
“The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him (the Prophet) on a collective matter, they do not go away until they seek his permission.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning this verse says:
فإذا جعل من لوازم الإيمان لا يذهبون مذهبا إذا كانو معه، إلا باستئذانه، فأول أن يكون من لوازمه أن لا يذهيوا إلي قول ولا مذهب علمي إلا بعد استئذانه، و إذنه يعرف بدلالة ما جاء به على أنه أذن فيه .
“When this matter has been made among the essentials of faith that when they are with the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, they cannot go anywhere without his permission. The first of all essentials is that they do not go towards any speech or intellectual path without the permission of the Prophet, peace be upon him. It will be known from the religion brought by the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he has given permission in this regard.”
✿ Command of Allah Almighty:
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Then We have established you upon a clear religion; so follow it and do not follow the desires of the ignorant.”
◈ Imam Awza’i, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 157 AH), said to Mukhlid bin Hussain:
يا أبا محمد إذا بلغك عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم حديث فلا تظنن غيره، ولا تقولن غيره، فإن محمد إنما كان مبلغا عن ربه.
“O Abu Muhammad! When a hadith reaches you from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, do not think of anything else, nor say anything other than it. Because Muhammad, peace be upon him, was conveying revelation from his Lord.”
◈ Urwah bin Zubair, may Allah have mercy on him, said to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both:
أضللت الناس! قال : وما ذاك يا عرية ؟ قال : تأمر بالعمرة فى هؤلاء العشر، وليست فيهن عمرة، فقال : أولاتسال أمك عن ذلك ؟ فقال عروة : فإن أبا بكر و عمر لم يفعلا ذلك، فقال ابن عباس : هذا الذى أهلككم۔ والله۔ ما أري الاسيعذبكم، اني أحدثكم عن النبى صلى الله عليه و سلم و تجيئوني بأبي بكر و عمر، فقال : عروة : هماوالله! كانا أعلم بسننة رسول الله عليه وسلم، و أتبع لها منك.
“You have misled the people.” Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, replied, “O Urwah! What is the matter?” He said, “You give the ruling of Umrah during these ten days (the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah), whereas Umrah is not performed in these days.” He said, “Did you not ask your mother about this?” Urwah said, “Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, did not do this.” Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said, “By Allah! This very thing has destroyed you. I think Allah will send punishment upon you. I narrate to you the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and you bring to me the words of Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both?” Urwah said, “By Allah! Both of them knew the Sunnah of the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, better and followed it more than you.”
◈ After mentioning this statement, Imam Khateeb Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
قد كان أبو بكروعمرعلي ما وصفهما به عروة إلا أنه لا ينبغي أن يقلد أحد فى ترك ما ثبتت به سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم.
“Our master Abu Bakr and our master Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, were like this, as Urwah has narrated, but it is not permissible for anyone to imitate them in abandoning something that has been established from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.”
Note:
It is not proven that our master Abu Bakr and our master Umar Farooq, may Allah be pleased with them both, refrained from performing Umrah during these ten days. Not doing a non-obligatory act is not evidence that it is impermissible in the eyes of that person. Even if the two Caliphs considered Umrah impermissible during this time, it would not be called opposition; rather, it would be attributed to lack of knowledge, because the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, never opposed after the hadith reached them.
◈ Imam Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote a letter to the people:
لا ر أى لاحد مع سنة سنها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم.
“In the presence of the method taught by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, no one’s opinion is considered valid.”
◈ Imam Malik bin Anas, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كلما جاء نا رجل أجدل من رجل أرادنا أن نردما جاء به جبريل إلي النبى صلى الله عليه و سلم.
“Whenever a quarrelsome person comes to us, he demands the rejection of that which Jibreel (Gabriel), peace be upon him, brought to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.”
◈ Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كل شيء خالف أمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم سقط، ولا يقوم معه ر أى ولا قياس، فإن الله تعالىٰ قطع لعذر بقول رسول الله صلى عليه و سلم، فليس لأحد معه أمرهوبه.
“Anything that contradicts the statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is invalid. No opinion or analogy can stand against this (Hadith of the Messenger), because Allah Almighty has removed any excuse with the words of His Messenger, peace be upon him. Therefore, no command or prohibition is accepted against the command or prohibition of the Prophet, peace be upon him.”
◈ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
و من المعلوم أنك لا تجد أحدا ممن يرد نصوص الكتاب و السنة بقوله إلا و هو يبغض ما خالف قوله و يود أن تلك الآية لم تكن نزكت و أن ذلك الحديث لم يرد، لو أمكنه كشط ذلك من المصحف لفعله.
“It is an established fact that you will not find a person who rejects the texts of the Book and Sunnah along with his statement, except that he dislikes the statement that contradicts his own and wishes that this verse had not been revealed and this hadith had not been reported. If it were in his power, he would scratch this verse out of the Mushaf.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
فمن عرض أقوال العلماء على النصوص ووزنها بها و خالف منها ما ماخالف النص، لم يهد ر أقوالهم و لم يهضم جانبهم، بل اقتدي بهم، فإنهم كلهم أمروا بذ لك، فمتبهم حقا من امتثل ما أوصوا به، لا من خالفهم و خلافهم فى القول الذى جاء النص بخلافه أسهل من مخالفتهم فى القاعدة الكلية التى أمروا و دعوا اليهامن تقديم النص على أقوالهم و من ههنا يتبين الفرق بين تقليد العالم فى كل ما قال و بين الاستعانة بفهمه و الاستضاءة نبورعلمه، فالأول يأخذ قوله من غير نظر فيه و لا طلب لدليله من الكتاب س السنة، بل يجعل ذلك كالحبل الذى يلقيه فى عنقة يقلده به، ولذلك سمي تقليدا بخلاف ما استعان بفهمه و استضاء بنور علمه فى الوصول إلي الرسول صلوات الله و سلامه عليه .
“He who presents the statements of the noble scholars in light of the texts and weighs them against the texts, and opposes those statements whose texts oppose them, has neither rendered those statements worthless nor diminished their status. Rather, he has followed those scholars because all of them gave this ruling. Therefore, the true follower is the one who complies with their advice, not the one who opposes them. It is better to oppose the statements of those scholars that contradict the texts than to oppose the texts in favor of their statements, which is a general rule they themselves have commanded and invited to. This distinction differentiates between blindly following every statement of a scholar and seeking help from his understanding and light from his knowledge to reach the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. The first type of person accepts the scholar’s words without investigation or seeking evidence from the Book and Sunnah, rather he places it like a noose around his neck and makes it a leash; hence this is called imitation (taqlid). This is unlike the person who seeks help from the scholar’s understanding and light from his knowledge to reach the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.”
