Abu Dawud

1887. English Commentary: From this hadith, the great status of the Leader of the Believers, the second Caliph, Umar al-Faruq radi Allahu anhu, and his passionate attachment and devotion to the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is established. May Allah reward him.

➋ The basis of some prescribed (shar‘i) actions may originally have been due to certain temporary reasons. However, since the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam taught them, it is obligatory for us to perform them, whether those reasons still exist or not. For example, the act of raml (brisk walking during tawaf) or the ritual bath (ghusl) on the day of Jumu‘ah: initially, these were legislated purely on the basis of cleanliness, but now they are obligatory or recommended (mustahabb).

Benefits and Issues:

➊ The wisdom behind the legislation of ramal (walking briskly with short steps during tawaf) is to instill awe in the disbelievers towards the Muslims and to make them realize that the Muslims are not weak.

➋ After the conquest of Makkah, the entry of non-Muslims into the Haram was declared forbidden. Now, non-Muslims cannot see the Muslims performing ramal. According to analogy (qiyas), it would seem that ramal should no longer be performed, but no Islamic ruling can be abrogated through analogy.

➌ If ramal were to be abrogated, Allah Ta’ala would have abrogated it after the conquest of Makkah. If it was not abrogated at that time, then it cannot be suspended after the death of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

➍ Sometimes, the wisdom behind a particular Islamic ruling is not apparent, but for this reason, acting upon that ruling cannot be abandoned.

➎ It is possible that the wisdom in not abrogating it is that the rites of Hajj, in one respect, contain training for jihad, and jihad will continue until the Day of Judgment; therefore, there is no need to abrogate any act that serves as training for it.

➏ ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) was so committed to practicing the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that he would not abandon even those practices whose wisdom was not apparent, so that the importance of the Sunnah would be clear to the general people.