The Importance of Following and Obeying the Messenger ﷺ in the Light of the Holy Quran
In the following lines, the importance of following and obeying the Messenger ﷺ is explained in the light of the Holy Quran, so that all Muslims may strengthen their relationship with Allah Almighty by obeying the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, attain the love of Allah Almighty, and then in the Hereafter, due to acting upon this great and blessed methodology, erase the darkness of their sins from the record with Allah, the Lord of Glory.
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is the Essence of Faith:
❀ Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾
“By your Lord, they will never become believers until they accept you as a judge in their disputes and do not feel any resentment in their hearts regarding your decision, and fully submit to it.”
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is the Cause of the Highest Rank in Paradise:
﴿وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا﴾
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor — of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.”
Obedience to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is in reality obedience to Allah:
﴿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.”
Obedience to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is an individual obligation (Fard Ayn):
﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ﴾
“And whatever the Messenger has given you — take; and what he has forbidden you — refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”
The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is the solution to disputes:
﴿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. Then if you differ over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in the end.”
﴿وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾
“And thus We have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.”
Benefit:
That is, O Muhammad ﷺ, We first commanded you to face Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa for prayer, then We turned you towards the Kaaba, so that it becomes clear who follows you and who turns away from their religion, because now turning towards the Kaaba instead of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa will be very difficult for the disbelievers and hypocrites except for the true believers. And so it happened, many hypocrites revealed their hypocrisy and said:
What is this that Muhammad sometimes turns us this way and sometimes that way? The polytheists said that Muhammad has become doubtful about his religion.
Following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is proof of love for Allah Almighty:
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾
“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive your sins, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Following the Prophet ﷺ is very necessary after faith:
﴿رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ﴾
“O our Lord! We have believed in what You have revealed, and we have followed the Messenger, so write us among those who bear witness.”
The Blessed Personality of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is the Best Example:
﴿لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا﴾
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
Conclusion:
It is thus clear that in matters of disagreement, until the decision of the Noble Messenger ﷺ is accepted wholeheartedly, one cannot be a true believer. By obeying and submitting to the Messenger ﷺ, a servant will attain the companionship of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous (the noble saints) on the Day of Resurrection. Obedience to the Noble Prophet ﷺ is in fact obedience to Allah. By following the Messenger ﷺ, a person becomes beloved to Allah, and this is among the great noble qualities of the people of faith.
Warning Regarding Deviation from Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ
Disobedience to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and distancing oneself from his Sunnah will lead a person to Hell. Opposing him is a sign of hypocrisy, a mark of ignorance, and a cause of humiliation and disgrace. This is evident from the following noble verses.
Opposition to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is a cause of discord.
﴿فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
So those who oppose the command of Allah’s Messenger should beware lest some calamity befall them or a painful punishment be inflicted on them.
Opposition to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is a sign of hypocrisy:
﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودًا﴾
“And when it is said to them, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.”
Deviation from the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is a sign of misguidance:
﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُوا حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ﴾
“And when it is said to them, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ they say, ‘Sufficient for us is that upon which we found our forefathers,’ even though their forefathers knew nothing, nor were they guided.”
Opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ leads to disgrace and humiliation:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي الْأَذَلِّينَ﴾
“Indeed, those who oppose Allah and His Messenger are among the most disgraced.”
Opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ leads to Hellfire:
﴿وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا﴾
“Whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will turn him to what he has turned to, and We will throw him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.”
﴿وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ﴾
“And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses the limits set by Allah, He will put him into the Hellfire to abide therein; and he will have a humiliating punishment.”
The Importance of Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ in the Light of Prophetic Ahadith
After explaining the importance and virtue of obedience to the Messenger ﷺ through Quranic verses, it is necessary to further highlight the significance of obedience and compliance to his knowledge in the light of the blessed Ahadith, which will be like icing on the cake.
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is the Straight Path:
﴿عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال: خط لنا رسول الله ﷺ خطاثم قال: هذا سبيل الله ، ثم خط خطوطا عن يمينه وعن شماله وقال هذه سبل على كل سبيل منها شيطان يدعوا إليه . وقرأ (وَ اَنَّ هٰذَا صِرَاطِیْ مُسْتَقِیْمًا فَاتَّبِعُوْهُ) الآية .﴾
Ibn Hibban, Hakim, and Shaykh Shu’aib have declared it “Sahih” (authentic).
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه says:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew a line for us and said:
“This is the path of Allah.” Then he drew lines on the right and left and said:
“These are the paths of Satan, and on each of these paths is a devil who calls towards them.” Then he recited this verse:
﴿وَ اَنَّ هٰذَا صِرَاطِیْ مُسْتَقِیْمًا فَاتَّبِعُوْهُ﴾
“Indeed, this is My straight path, so follow it.”
صراط مستقیم
سبل الشياطين
سبل الشياطين
صراط مستقیم
Benefit:
According to this noble hadith, any group that does not understand and act upon the Quran and Sunnah as understood and practiced by the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) is on the path of Satan. And it leads towards Satan.
Obedience to the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is obligatory:
﴿عن أبى هريرةؓ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: ما أمرتكم به فخذوه وما نهيتكم عنه فانتهوا .﴾
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Take whatever I command you and refrain from whatever I forbid you.”
The noble personality of the Prophet ﷺ is the best example for the believers:
﴿وعن جابر بن عبد الله قال: كان رسول الله ﷺ إذا خطب يقول : أما بعد فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدى محمد ﷺ، وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالة .﴾
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in a sermon:
“After praise and glorification, the best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best way of life is the way of Muhammad ﷺ. The worst deeds are those invented by oneself, and every innovation is misguidance.”
Benefit:
It has been understood that any action contrary to the Sunnah is an innovation, which is outright misguidance. Therefore, the Sunnah is the light of guidance, and if every righteous deed, prayer, fasting, etc., is performed exactly according to the Sunnah, then attaining the pleasure of Allah is possible; otherwise, it is not.
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is the means of entering Paradise:
﴿عن أبى هريرةؓ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: كل أمتي يدخلون الجنة إلا من أبى . قالوا: يا رسول الله ومن يأبي؟ قال: من أطاعني دخل الجنة ومن عصاني فقد آبى﴾
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrates:
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
All my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse to enter Paradise. The Companions رضي الله عنهم asked:
O Messenger of Allah! Who is the person who refuses to enter Paradise? The Prophet of Mercy ﷺ said:
“Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has indeed refused to enter Paradise.”
For the acceptance of deeds, it is necessary that they conform to the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ:
﴿وعن أنسؓ قال : جاء ثلاثة رهط إلى بيوت أزواج النبى ﷺ يسألون عن عبادة النبى ﷺ فلما أخبروا كأنهم تقالوها فقالوا: وأين نحن من النبى ﷺ قد غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخر ، قال أحدهم: أما أنا فإني أصلى الليل أبدا ، وقال آخر: أنا أصوم الدهر ولا أفطر ، وقال آخر: أنا أعتزل النساء فلا أتزوج أبدا فجاء رسول الله ﷺ إليهم ، فقال: أنتم الذين قلتم كذا وكذا ، أما والله إنى لأخشاكم لله وأتقاكم له ، لكنى أصوم وأفطر ، وأصلى وأرقد، وأتزوج النساء فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس منى﴾
Sayyiduna Anas (RA) narrates that three men came to the wives of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and asked about the worship of the Prophet of Mercy ﷺ. When they were informed about the worship of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, they considered that worship insignificant and said:
What relation do we have with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? Allah has forgiven all his past and future sins. One of them said:
I will always offer voluntary prayers throughout the night. The second said:
I will fast all day and never break my fast. The third said:
I will stay away from women and never marry. Then the Noble Prophet ﷺ went to them and asked them:
Have you spoken such things? Beware, by Allah! I am the most fearful of Allah among you and the most pious, yet I fast and sometimes I do not fast, I offer voluntary prayers at night and also sleep, and I marry women. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is the solution to all contentious issues:
﴿عن العرباض بن ساريةؓ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ من يعش منكم يرى اختلافا كثيرا ، وإياكم ومحدثات أمور فإنها ضلالة ، فمن أدرك ذلك منكم فعليه بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهدين ، عضوا عليها بالنواجذ﴾
Muhaddith Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it “Sahih.”
Sayyiduna Arabadh bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Those of you who live after me will see many disagreements. Avoid innovations in religion, for they are misguidance. Whoever finds them among you should hold firmly to my Sunnah and the way of the rightly guided Caliphs. Hold onto it with your teeth firmly.”
One who abandons the Sunnah is accursed:
﴿وعن عائشة قالت: قال رسول الله ﷺ: سنة لعنتهم ولعنهم الله وكل نبي يجاب: الزائد فى كتاب الله والتارك لسنتي .﴾
, Allama Zahabi has declared it “Sahih”.
It is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
There are six types of people upon whom I send curses, and Allah Almighty also curses them, and the prayer of every prophet is accepted. Among these six are the one who adds to the Book of Allah and the one who abandons my Sunnah.
The Distinction of the Companions in Following the Messenger ﷺ
The First Caliph, Immediate Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA):
Sayyidna Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) once said:
﴿لست تاركا شيئا كان رسول الله ﷺ يعمل به إلا عملت به فإنى أخشى إن تركت شيئا من أمره أن أزيغ .﴾
“I am not willing to abandon any action that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to do, except that I will continue to practice it because I fear that if I abandon any Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, I will go astray.”
Amir al-Mu’minin Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA):
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Saeed رضي الله عنه that Amir al-Mu’minin Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه used to say:
﴿الدية للعاقلة ، ولا ترث المرأة من دية زوجها شيئا ، حتى قال له الضحاك بن سفيانؓ كتب إلى رسول الله ﷺ أن أورث امرأة أشيم الضبابي من دية زوجها فرجع عمرؓ﴾
Al-Muhaddith Al-Albani has classified it as “Sahih”.
“Diya (blood money) is only for the relatives of the father, therefore the wife does not receive any share from her husband’s diya.”
Sayyiduna Dhahak bin Sufyan رضي الله عنه said to Amir al-Mu’minin Umar رضي الله عنه:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me a message instructing me to give the wife of Usaym Dhibabi a share from her husband’s diya, so Amir al-Mu’minin Umar رضي الله عنه withdrew from his opinion.
② Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (RA) made a decision regarding the blood money (diyat) of the fingers of the hand that the diyat of the thumb is fifteen camels, the index and middle fingers ten camels each, the ring finger nine camels, and the little finger six camels. However, when he learned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had written a letter to the people of Al-Hazm regarding the diyat of the fingers, in which it was stated that all fingers are equal, meaning all have equal diyat, he withdrew from his decision and followed this hadith.
③ If a man or woman kills a pregnant woman and as a result her child also dies, the killer will be subject to Qisas or Diyat for killing the woman, but what will be obligatory upon him for the death of the child in her womb? During the time of Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (RA), this issue arose, so he asked the Companions (RA) in a public assembly about its ruling. Then Hamal bin Malik (RA) stood up and mentioned an incident that occurred during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, stating that the Prophet ﷺ had ordered the giving of a slave as compensation for the fetus (unborn child).
When Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (RA) heard this Hadith, he said:
﴿لو لم نسمع لقضينا بغيره﴾
“If we had not heard this Hadith, we would have made a different ruling.”
Muhaddith Albani has declared it “Sahih.”
④ Sayyiduna Umar (RA) came to the Black Stone, kissed it, and said:
“I know you are a stone; neither can you cause harm nor benefit. If I had not seen the Prophet ﷺ kissing you, I would not have kissed you.”
Caliph Rashid Uthman Ghani رضي الله عنه:
He was extremely adherent to the Sunnah. Hazrat Humran bin Aban narrates from Sayyidna Uthman Ghani رضي الله عنه that he asked for water, then performed wudu, gargled, and rinsed his nose, then washed his face three times, washed both his hands three times each, wiped his head, and washed both feet. Then he laughed and said to his companions:
“Will you not ask me why I laughed?” The people asked:
“O Commander of the Faithful, what is the reason for your laughter?” He said:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ask for a little water, then performed wudu as I did, then smiled, and then said:
‘Will you not ask me why I laughed?'” The Companions said:
O Messenger of Allah! What is the reason for your laughter? You ﷺ said:
When a servant asks for water for ablution and then washes his face, Allah forgives the sins that come from his face. And when he washes both his hands, Allah forgives the sins of his hands in this way. And when he wipes his head, Allah forgives the sins of his head in this way. And when he washes both his feet, Allah forgives the sins of his feet in this way.
The Fourth Caliph, Sayyiduna Ali Al-Murtaza (may Allah honor his face):
Once Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah honor his face, was about to mount and placed his foot on the stirrup saying بسم اللہ, when he reached the back he said الحمد للہ, then recited these verses:
﴿سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ ﴿١٣﴾ وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ ﴿١٤﴾﴾
“He is free from all defects and shortcomings, the One Who has made it subservient to us, though we were not able [to do so]. And indeed, to our Lord we will surely return.”
Then he said الحمد للہ three times and اللہ اکبر three times. After that, he recited this supplication:
﴿سبحانك إني ظلمت نفسي فاغفر لي إنه لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت .﴾
“O Allah! You are Pure, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.”
Then he smiled. When the people asked the reason for his smile, he said:
Once the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mounted with the same restrictions and then smiled at the end. When I asked the reason for his smile, he said:
“When a servant supplicates with knowledge and certainty, Allah is pleased with him.”
Al-Muhaddith Al-Albani has declared it “Sahih.”
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه:
Among all the Companions, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه was especially distinguished in following the Sunnah. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned from the Hajj journey, he sat his she-camel at the mosque door and first prayed two rak’ahs, then went home. After that, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه adopted the same practice.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه used to touch only the two Yemeni corners of the Ka’bah, that is, the Black Stone and the Yemeni corner. He wore slippers without hair (soft slippers), applied yellow dye (khilal), and while people would enter Ihram upon sighting the moon, he would enter Ihram on the Day of Tarwiyah, the eighth of Dhu al-Hijjah. Ubayd bin Jurayj asked him why he alone did this and others did not. He replied:
I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ do this, so I also prefer it.
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما :
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما once said:
It is likely that stones will rain down upon you from the sky. I tell you that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
And you present the sayings of Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنهما against this.
Benefit :
Despite the Hadith of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, the words of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنهما could not become the religion. Alas, alas! Then how can the jurisprudence of Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali, and Jafari, and the practices of Pirs, scholars, and prevailing sects be considered proof?
Sayyiduna Hudhayfah رضي الله عنه :
Sayyiduna Hudhayfah رضي الله عنه saw a person who was not completing his bowing and prostration properly, so he said to him:
﴿ما صليت ولومت مت على غير الفطرة التى فطر الله محمدا ﷺ﴾
“You have not prayed. If you die like this, you will not die upon the religion of Islam upon which Allah created Muhammad ﷺ.”
The Importance of Following the Sunnah in the View of the Four Imams
Draw the picture in which there is clarity,
Here is the command of Muhammad ﷺ, there the neck is bowed.
Imam Abu Hanifa Nu’man bin Thabit (RA):
Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), who passed away in 150 AH, states:
① ﴿إذا صح الحديث فهو مذهبى .﴾
“When a hadith is proven authentic, that is my religion.”
Benefit:
According to this statement of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), instead of inviting people to his own opinions, he invites them to the hadith of the Imam of the Prophets Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ and openly declares that he is from Ahl al-Hadith and authentic hadith is his religion.
② This is why when Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) found the hadith about wiping over the socks (masah ‘ala al-juuribayn), he abandoned his previous stance. It is mentioned in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi:
❀ Salih bin Muhammad at-Tirmidhi says:
I heard Abu Maqatil Samarqandi saying that he visited Imam Abu Hanifa during his final illness, so he asked for water and performed ablution. He was wearing socks, so he wiped over the socks and said:
﴿فعلت اليوم شيئا لم أكن أفعله، مسحت على الجوربين ، وهما غير منعلين .﴾
Muhaddith Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared this statement as “Sahih” (authentic).
“I have done today something which I did not do before, that is, I wiped over the socks.”
③ Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said to his special student Qazi Abu Yusuf:
“Do not write down everything I say; today I have one opinion, tomorrow it changes, and the day after tomorrow it changes again.”
④ One statement of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) is as follows:
﴿إذا قلت قولا يخالف كتاب الله وخبر رسول الله ﷺ فاتركوا قولي﴾
“When I say something that contradicts the Book of Allah and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then leave my statement.”
⑤ Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said to Banang Dahl:
﴿لا يحل لاحد أن يأخذ بقولنا ما لم يعلم من أين اخذناه﴾
“It is not permissible for anyone to take our statement unless they know where we have taken this statement from.”
⑥ When Imamؒ issued a fatwa, he would also say:
“This is the opinion of Nu’man bin Thabit, and this is the best statement that we were able to say; however, if someone brings a better statement than this, then his statement deserves to be called correct.”
Imam Malik bin Anasؓ:
Imam Dar al-Hijrahؒ would first refer to the Holy Quran and then to the noble Hadith for deriving rulings. According to him, the practice of the people of Madinah and especially Sayyiduna Ibn Umarؓ held great importance; even if a matter was not found in the Hadith, he would use Ijtihad and Qiyas. He also considered Masalih al-Mursalah reliable, just as the Hanafis consider Istihsan reliable. Imam Malik would perform Qiyas from explicit Quranic verses and also perform Qiyas on rulings established by Hadith.
① Thus Imam Malik (RA) says:
﴿إنما أنا بشر أخطىء وأصيب ، فانظروا فى رأيي ، فكل ما وافق الكتاب والسنة فخذوه، وكل ما يخالف الكتاب والسنة فاتركوه .﴾
“Certainly, I am a human being; my statement can be wrong or right. Therefore, examine my opinion, and take what seems to you to be in accordance with the Book and Sunnah, and leave what is contrary to the Book and Sunnah.”
② Imam Malik (RA) says at another place:
﴿ليس احد بعد النبى ﷺ إلا ويؤخذ من قوله ويترك ، إلا النبى ﷺ .﴾
“Except for the Noble Prophet ﷺ, the statements of every person can be accepted or rejected, but the statement of the Imam of the Prophets ﷺ must be accepted. It cannot be rejected.”
③ Imam Malik’s (RA) student Abdullah ibn Wahb (RA) says that I heard in a gathering:
A question was asked to Imam Malik (RA) during ablution about cleaning between the toes, and he replied that the people of Madinah do not practice that. Abdullah ibn Wahb (RA) says:
I did not speak to Imam Malik at that time. When people left, I said to him:
We have a Sunnah regarding this issue. Upon hearing this, he said, which Sunnah is that? So I narrated the chain from Laith bin Saad, Abdullah bin Lahi’ah, Amr bin Harith, and Yazid bin Amr al-Ma’afiri from Abu Abdulrahman that the Companion of the Prophet, Mustawrad bin Shaddad al-Qurashi (may Allah be pleased with him), said:
﴿رأيت رسول الله ﷺ يدلك خنصره ما بين رجليه . فقال: إن هذا الحديث حسن، وما سمعت به قط إلا الساعة. ثم سمعته بعد ذلك يسأل، فيأمر بتخليل الاصابع .﴾
Imam Malik has classified it as “Hasan.”
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ cleaning between the toes of his feet with the smallest finger of his hand.” Then Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Indeed, this hadith is Hasan, and I had not heard this hadith before. Sayyid Abdullah bin Wahb says:
After that, whenever this issue was asked from him, I heard him giving a fatwa permitting cleaning between the toes with the fingers.
Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him):
① Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
﴿أجمع المسلمون على من استبان له سنة عن رسول الله ﷺ لم يحل له أن يدعها لقول احد .﴾
“The Muslims are unanimous that if the Sunnah of the Beloved Messenger ﷺ becomes clear to someone, then it is not permissible for him to abandon it due to someone else’s opinion.”
② He further says:
﴿إذا وجدتم فى كتابى خلاف سنة رسول الله ﷺ فقولوا بسنة رسول الله ﷺ، ودعوا ما قلت .﴾
“When you see something in my book that contradicts the Sunnah, then follow the Sunnah of the Noble Messenger ﷺ and abandon my statement.”
In another narration, Imam Shafi’iؒ said:
﴿إذا وجدتم سنة فاتبعوها ولا تلتفتوا إلى قول احد .﴾
“When you find a Sunnah, then follow it and do not look towards anyone else’s statement.”
③ At another place he says:
﴿إذا صح الحديث فهو مذهبى .﴾
“When a Hadith is proven authentic, then that is my Madhhab.”
④ Imam Ahmad bin Hanbalؒ says that Imam Shafi’iؒ once said to me:
“You have more knowledge of Hadith and the names of narrators than I do. So whenever you find an authentic Hadith, inform me, whether it is a Kufic, Basri, or Shami Hadith, so that I may adopt it as my creed.”
⑤ Similarly, Imam Shafi’i’s (may Allah have mercy on him) another great statement is:
“When I narrate an authentic Hadith and do not act upon it, I call you to witness that at that time my intellect will have vanished.”
Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) had immense love for Hadith. Imam Ahl al-Sunnah Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
﴿ما رأيت أحدا أتبع للحديث من الشافعي .﴾
“I have not found anyone more devoted to Hadith than Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him).”
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
﴿إذا اصح الحديث وقلت قولا فأنا راجع عن قولي وقائل بذلك .﴾
“If my statement contradicts an authentic Hadith, I retract it.”
Similarly, Harmala ibn Yahya says that he heard Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) say:
“I have been given the title Nasir al-Hadith in Baghdad,” meaning the supporter of Hadith.
Ibn Muflih Hanbali states, Imam Shafi’i’s student Buwayti said that he heard the Imam say:
“I have authored these books and have left no deficiency in them, yet there is a possibility of error in them, because Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا﴾
‘And if it had been from other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.’
‘Therefore, if you see anything in my books that contradicts the Book and Sunnah, I retract from it.'”
A student asked Imam Shafi’i, “If your statement contradicts a Hadith and your practice is not established on that Hadith, then what should we do?” The Imam’s hair stood on end and he said to the student:
“Do you consider me a product of the church? Am I a Christian? Do you not consider me a Muslim? How is it possible that I do not accept the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? If it is proven that my statement is against the Hadith, then you have the authority to declare that Al-Shafi’i is mad.”
That is, Imam Al-Shafi’i رضي الله عنه exonerated himself from the statement he made in the absence of knowledge of the Hadith.
When Imam Al-Shafi’i رضي الله عنه was asked about raising the hands during prayer, he said:
At the beginning of the prayer, both hands should be raised up to the shoulders; also raise the hands during bowing (ruku’) and when rising from bowing, but do not raise them while going into prostration (sujood). Upon hearing this, the questioner Rabi’ asked what the evidence for this was. He replied:
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما narrated the Hadith in this manner. Rabi’ said:
We say that when starting the prayer, one should raise the hands (raf’ al-yadain), and then not do it again. The Imam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Listen! We heard from Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him), who heard from Imam Nafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him), who said that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), when he started the prayer, would raise his hands up to the shoulders, and when he went into ruku’ and when he raised his head from ruku’, he would raise his hands in the same way. Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Imam Malik narrates this from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he used to raise his hands when starting the prayer and when rising from ruku’. But it is regrettable that you people neither accept the words of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) nor those of the Noble Messenger ﷺ. Even though in the narration you relate, it is present that he raised his hands at the beginning and also when rising from ruku’. Is it permissible for anyone to abandon the action of the Prophet based on the opinion of a companion? Sometimes Ibn Umar’s statement is exaggerated to the extent that many other things are inferred from it, and sometimes it is diminished so much that not only Ibn Umar’s statement but also the marfu’ hadith he narrated is abandoned. Is it permissible for anyone to accept that the Prophet ﷺ narrated that he raised his hands two or three times, and it is also narrated that he did it twice, then why do they accept one and reject the other? Is it permissible for anyone to abandon what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ practiced and take what he left? Is it permissible for anyone to abandon what has been narrated from the Prophet ﷺ?
Rabee again objected, saying that our master says, what is meant by raising the hands (Raf’ al-Yadain)? You replied:
“It is following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and listen to the answer! The meaning of raising the hands at the time of the first Takbeer is the same as raising the hands before Ruku and raising the hands after Ruku. You yourself narrate the tradition of raising the hands at these three and these two places. Then you act against the Prophet ﷺ and the narrator of this Hadith, Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Listen! This Sunnah is narrated by thirteen or fourteen companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The chains of this Hadith are numerous. Whoever does not raise his hands at the time of Ruku and when rising from Ruku, he is a neglecter of the Prophetic Sunnah.”
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him):
Do not say that the Imams are in conflict with Hadiths,
This is the advice of the Imams of the Shariah to us!
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
﴿من رد حديث رسول الله ﷺ فهو على شفا هلكة .﴾
“Whoever rejects the blessed Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is on the brink of destruction.”
At another place, it is stated:
﴿رأى الأوزاعي ، ورأى مالك، ورأى أبى حنيفة كله رأى، وهو عندى سواء وإنما الحجة فى الآثار .﴾
“The opinions of Imam Awza’i, Imam Malik, and Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with them) are just opinions. In my view, their status is equal to not being a proof. The only evidence and proof are the Ahadith and the traditions.”
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Whoever dies upon Islam and the Sunnah, his end is completely good.”
سبحان اللہ! Today, people prefer following their imitation over following the beloved Messenger ﷺ, and they have divided the Muslim Ummah into fragments. Therefore, these people are responsible for the separation, discord, and mutual fighting and disputes of the Muslim Ummah. May Allah grant them the ability to be guided.
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in Usool al-Sunnah, Usool number: 48, that we accept the ahadith which are authentic and preserved, even if we do not know their interpretation, nor do we engage in disputation or argument against them, and we do not interpret them except in the same manner as they have been stated, and we turn them towards their most truthful meaning.
