This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahi Fazail-e-Amaal.
Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا﴾
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
Reference: (17-Al-Isra:36)
Dr. Luqman Salafi, may Allah preserve him, writes:
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty has forbidden saying something about which one has no knowledge. Shawkani says that this verse is a general rule, under which all statements and actions fall, whose truth and authenticity a person does not know. For example, giving false testimony, condemning someone without evidence, slandering chaste men and women, declaring something halal or haram without Shariah proof. Then Allah Almighty explained the reason for this prohibition that on the Day of Judgment, a person will be questioned about the deeds of his ears, eyes, and heart. Another meaning of this is that Allah Almighty will grant these organs the power of speech and will ask them about the sins committed through them.
Reference: (Taseer ur-Rahman: 808/1)
Similarly, Allah Almighty has said regarding the prohibition of asking meaningless questions:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ﴾
"O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you. But if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be shown to you. Allah has pardoned that which is past; and Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah:101)
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty forbids unnecessary questions and meaningless repetition, which have no benefit, but if you start peeling the bark off a stick, the harm will be to you. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Saad bin Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
” إن أعظم المسلمين جرما من سأل عن شيء لم يحرم فحرم من أجل مسألته“.
"The greatest sinner among the Muslims is the one who asked about something that was not previously forbidden, and because of his question, it was made forbidden."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Adherence to the Book and Sunnah, Chapter: What is disliked about excessive questioning, No: 7289 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtues, Chapter: Honoring the Prophet, No: 2358.
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ” دعوني ما تركتكم ، إنما هلك من كان قبلكم بسؤالهم واختلافهم على أنبيائهم فإذا نهيتكم عن شيء فاجتنبوه ، وإذا أمرتكم بأمر فأتوا منه ما استطعتم“.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "As long as I remain among you, be devoted to me (and do not ask questions, etc.) because the nations before you were destroyed due to their (unnecessary) questions and disputes in front of the Prophets. So when I forbid you from something, avoid it, and when I command you to do something, do it to the best of your ability."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Adherence to the Book and Sunnah, No: 7288 - Sahih Muslim, No: 1337/130.
That is, useless questions and meaningless debates can cause destruction and ruin, but they are not a means of success and welfare:
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” إن الله يرضى لكم ثلاثا ، ويكره لكم ثلاثا فيرضى لكم أن تعبدوه ولا تشركوا به شيئا، وأن تعتصموا بحبل الله جميعا ولا تفرقوا ، ويكره لكم قيل وقال ، وكثرة السؤال ، وإضاعة المال“.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Allah loves for you three things and dislikes three things: 1) He loves for you to worship Him and not associate anyone with Him; 2) That you all hold firmly to the rope of Allah; 3) That you do not become divided into sects. And He dislikes for you: 1) useless argument and repetition; 2) excessive questioning; 3) wasting wealth."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Judgments, Chapter: Prohibition of excessive questions, No: 1715.
وعن وراد كاتب المغيرة قال: كتب معاوية إلى المغيرة: اكتب إلى ما سمعت من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقول فى دبر كل صلاة مكتوبة: ” لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير ، اللهم لا مانع لما أعطيت، ولا معطي لما منعت، ولا ينفع ذا الجد منك الجد“. وكتب إليه: أنه كان ينهى عن: قيل وقال، وإضاعة المال ، وكثرة السؤال، وكان ينهى عن عقوق الأمهات، ووأد البنات ، ومنع وهات.
Sayyiduna Mughirah, may Allah be pleased with him, was the scribe of Sayyiduna Warad, who narrates that Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shu'bah, may Allah be pleased with him, was written to by Sayyiduna Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, asking him to write down what he heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. So Sayyiduna Mughirah, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote back that the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, used to recite these words after every obligatory prayer: لا إله إلا الله وحده There is no deity except Allah, He has no partner, His is the dominion and praise, and He is over all things competent. O Allah! Whoever You give, none can withhold, and whoever You withhold, none can give, and no noble one's nobility benefits against You. (Besides this) it is also written that the Prophet, peace be upon him, forbade useless argument and repetition, wasting wealth, excessive questioning, disobedience to mothers, burying daughters alive, withholding due rights, and asking for something without entitlement (or persistently demanding).
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Adherence to the Book and Sunnah, Chapter: What is disliked about excessive questioning, No: 7292 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Judgments, Chapter: Prohibition of excessive questions, No: 1715.
