The way of the believers is that when they are called towards the Quran and Sunnah, they immediately bow their heads and say that we obey Allah and His Messenger.
Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“When the believers are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, they say, ‘We hear and we obey.’ And those are the successful.”
Draw a picture that clearly shows this explanation:
On one side is the command of Muhammad, and on the other, the bowed neck.
Obedience is an absolute obligation. Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَا تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَأَنتُمْ تَسْمَعُونَ
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn away from him while you hear [his order].”
Elsewhere He said:
وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may receive mercy.”
Further He said:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (31) قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ(32)
“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.’ Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away – then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes that this noble verse is evidence against all those who claim to love Allah but do not follow the Muhammadan way. Until a person follows the Shariah of Muhammad in all his words and actions, he is a liar in his claim of love for Allah.
Moreover, this verse is proof that opposing the Muhammadan way is disbelief. Therefore, Allah said: if they turn away, then Allah does not love the disbelievers. It is clear that one who turns away from the Muhammadan way is a disbeliever. In Surah An-Nur it is said:
فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
“So let those who oppose the Messenger’s command beware lest a trial strike them or a painful punishment.”
The part of this noble verse فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ is evidence that all matters of life must be judged by the Shariah brought by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and by the criterion of his Sunnah. Whatever is according to the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, should be accepted, and whatever contradicts it should be rejected, no matter who says or does it.
The jurists of the Ummah have deduced from this noble verse that the “command” of Allah and His Messenger is obligatory. Because here the inevitable consequence of abandoning the command is mentioned as one of two punishments: either a calamity descends or a painful punishment. Therefore, those who oppose the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, or prefer others’ sayings over it through corrupt interpretations, should ponder this verse and, considering the status and love of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, should not regard anyone’s words or actions as worthy of consideration over his.
The speech of the Chosen One is happening;
Do not look at anyone’s words or confessions.
In Surah Al-Hujurat it is said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.”
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty forbids the believers from hastily speaking or acting before the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, or taking any step before knowing the command of Allah and His Messenger.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) explained this verse as meaning: O Muslims! Do not rush to act before the Prophet, peace be upon him, but follow him in all matters.
Ibn Jarir explained it as: O people who have acknowledged the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of His Prophet, peace be upon him, do not make any decision in your war or religious matters before the decision of Allah and His Messenger, lest you decide against the will of Allah and His Messenger. The Arabs used to say: فلان يتقدم بين يدى إمامه, meaning a person issues commands and prohibitions before the Imam.
At the end of the verse, Allah Almighty said: O believers! Fear Allah in all your affairs. This includes not doing anything, saying anything, or deciding anything before Allah and His Messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.”
Allama Tayyibi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote that the repetition of the verb in واطيعوا الرسول indicates that obedience to the Messenger is continuous, while the lack of repetition regarding “those in authority” indicates that their obedience is conditional. If their command is according to the Quran and Sunnah, then obedience is due; otherwise not. According to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), “those in authority” refers to the people of jurisprudence and religion. Mujahid, Ata, Hasan al-Basri, and others consider it to mean the scholars.
Imam Mujahid and other Salaf scholars said that “turn to Allah and His Messenger” means the Quran and Sunnah. This part of the verse commands Muslims that if there is any dispute among them, its judgment must be according to the Quran and Sunnah. This is the requirement of faith in Allah and the Hereafter. It is clear that whoever does not accept the ruling of the Quran and Sunnah in any disputed matter is not considered a believer in Allah and the Hereafter. Then Allah said that returning to the Quran and Sunnah is the source of all good, and in terms of outcome, it is the best course of action.
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort about your decisions and submit in [full, willing] submission.”
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty swears by His own Self that no one can be a true Muslim until he accepts the Prophet, peace be upon him, as the judge in all his matters of dispute. Because the Prophet’s decision is a divine decision, it is necessary to believe in its truth in the heart and to prove faith in it through action. Therefore, Allah Almighty further said that it is essential that people accept it outwardly and inwardly, and no doubt remains in any corner of the heart about its truthfulness.
When a command of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, is issued in any matter, no believing man or woman has the option to oppose it and act upon their own or someone else’s opinion, because doing so is outright disobedience to Allah and His Messenger and open misguidance. Accordingly, Allah Almighty said:
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُّبِينًا
“And when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, there is no further decision for them [to make]. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) states that the ruling mentioned in this noble verse includes all matters; that is, whenever Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, issue a command in any matter, it is not permissible for anyone to oppose it, nor does anyone’s statement or opinion have any status.
No one can be obedient to Allah by disobeying the Messenger of Allah, nor can one worship Allah by violating the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.
Thus it is said:
مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا
“He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away – We have not sent you over them as a guardian.”
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, does not interpret or explain the Quran according to his own desires, but it is revelation from Allah. Thus it is said:
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ (3) إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ(4)
“And he does not speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed.”
In Surah An-Nisa it is said:
وَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ
“Allah has revealed upon you the Book and wisdom.”
The author of Fath al-Bayan states that this verse is evidence that the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, was revelation placed in his heart.
Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
« وسمعت من أرضاه من أهل العلم بالقرآن يقول: الحكمة سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.»
“I have heard the scholars of the Quran whom I like say that wisdom is the name of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.”
Allama Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
«والحكمة هي السنة باتفاق السلف»
The unanimous decision of the righteous predecessors is that wisdom means Sunnah.
Sayyiduna Ya’la ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, was in Jara’ana when a man came wearing a cloak with saffron or yellow marks. He asked what he should do for Umrah. The Prophet did not answer. When revelation came upon him, he covered himself with the cloth.
Sayyiduna Ya’la ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I wanted to see the Prophet, peace be upon him, at the time of revelation. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Do you want to see the Prophet in the state of revelation? I said yes. Then Sayyiduna Umar lifted the corner of the cloth, and I saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, making a sound like a camel’s voice. When the state of revelation passed, the Prophet said: Where is the one who asked about Umrah? Then he said to him: Remove the cloak, clean the saffron and yellow color from your body, and perform Umrah as you do Hajj.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds.”
And in Surah Al-Qiyamah it is said:
لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ (16) إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ (17) فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ (18) ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ (19)
“O my Prophet, do not move your tongue with it [i.e., the revelation] to hasten it. Indeed, upon Us is its collection and its recitation. So when We have recited it [through Gabriel], then follow its recitation. Then upon Us is its clarification [to you].”
Bukhari and Muslim narrate from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when revelation descended upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, he would move his lips. He was told not to move his tongue to memorize the verses, as it was their responsibility to preserve them in his chest so that after the revelation ended, he could recite them. So when the entire revelation was completed, then he should recite it, and its explanation was also their responsibility. In another narration of Bukhari, whenever Jibril brought revelation to the Prophet, peace be upon him, he listened attentively, and when Jibril left, he recited exactly as Jibril had recited.
Regarding ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ, commentators have written that whatever the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, said and did in his twenty-three years of prophethood to explain and clarify the Quran, and whatever he approved or forbade, which is called “Hadith” in the language of Islam, was part of the revelation sent down by Allah. Although it was not the Quran, according to the divine promise in the above-mentioned verse of the Quran, that collection was the explanation and clarification of the Quran and was obligatory to follow as heavenly revelation for the Ummah.
From Mustafa, we have inherited two books:
One is the Word of Allah, and the second is his actions and speech.
