As salaamu alaikum
I read this nice article and thought I would share it with you all. Subhaanallaahu Islaam is so deep and full of knowledge! It should be the dearest thing to us mor than anyone or anything else in this world so we are to hold onto it and gaurd it! May Allaah guide us all Aameen
Indeed, when one studies and investigates the proofs from the Qur'aan, the Sunnah, the consensus of the scholars and analogy, he will come to the conclusion that it is an obligation to understand the Qur'aan and the Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf As-Saalih (the righteous predecessors), who are the Sahaabah, the Taabi'een and those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgement. Below are the proofs and evidences for this:
1. Allaah says: "And whoever opposes the Messenger after the guidance has been made clear to him, and he follows a way other than the believers' way, We will turn him to what he has chosen and land him in Hell - what an evil destination." [Surah An-Nisaa: 115]
This means whoever contradicts the Messenger of Allaah and rejects what he came with "after the guidance has been made clear to him" with Qur'aanic proofs and prophetic evidences. "And he follows a way other than the believers' way" - their way means their path in regards to the aspects of the Creed and the actions. "We will turn him to what he has chosen" - meaning We will abandon him and what he has chosen for himself and We will forsake him, so We will not grant him any goodness because of his having seen and known the truth, and then abandoned it. So Allaah's recompense towards him is just, that He leaves him confused in his misguidance and that He increases him in misguidance upon his present misguidance.
As for Allaah's saying: "And we will land him in Hell", it means We will punish him with a painful torment in Hell - "what an evil destination" or place of final return.
Therefore, it is clear from what is stated above that the "believers" - and those who are intended by this word here are certainly, the Companions and those who tread their methodology. If they all agree on the obligation, recommendation, forbiddance, disap-proval or allowance of something, then it is considered their "Way." So whoever contradicts them in any matter regarding that, after their unanimous agreement has followed a way other than "Their Way."
2. Allaah says: "You are the best nation brought forth for mankind: commanding good and forbidding evil and believing in Allaah." [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 110]
The point of evidence from this ayah is that Allaah has informed us that the believers from this ummah do not command except that which is good. If they unanimously agree on the obligation or recommendation of something, then that is a command from them. So we specify from the text of the ayah that this thing being commanded is good, and there is nothing that comes after good except evil. Likewise, if they agree on the forbiddance of something, it becomes something that they forbade, hence it is nothing but evil.
3. Allaah says: "And thus We have made you a moderate (i.e. just) nation, so that you become witnesses over mankind and so that the Messenger becomes a witness over you." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 143]
Allaah informs us here that He has made this ummah (nation) a moderate one - meaning trustworthy and of the best nature. "So that you become witnesses over mankind" meaning in every matter. So if they give their testimony on a ruling - that Allaah has commanded it or forbidden it or allowed it - then indeed their testimony is infallible (free from error). This is due to their nature of being knowledgeable of what they are bearing witness to and reliable and trustworthy in their testimony.
4. The Prophet (saws) said: "The best of mankind is my generation (Companions), then those after them, then those after them." [A mutawaatir hadeeth as has been documented by Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr in Al-Isaabah]
The point of evidence: The Messenger of Allaah (saws) has affirmed their superiority and goodness over the rest of mankind. This necessitates the understanding that they were steadfast and perseverant in every condition. And this would necessitate that their understanding of the Religion is a source of reference and authority for all those that come after them until the Day of Judgement.
Dear reader, to clarify this point further with you, we will present some examples of their lives, may Allaah be pleased with all of them:
The First Example:
'Abdullaah Ibn Az-Zubair said: "I asked 'Aa'ishah (raa): 'Did you consider the ayah: 'Verily, Safaa and Marwaa are from the signposts of Allaah, so whoever performs Hajj to the House or makes 'Umrah, then there is no harm (sin) if he makes tawaaf around them.' For by Allaah, there is no sin on anyone that does not makes tawaaf around Safaa and Marwaa?" So she said: "What a bad thing you said, O son of my brother. If this ayah were as you interpreted it to be, it would mean that there would be no sin on someone if he did not make tawaaf around them. However, it was revealed with regard to the Ansaar, who before accepting Islaam would make the tahleel to Manaat, the false god whom they would worship during times of hardship. So they would refrain from making tawaaf around (the mountains of) Safaa and Marwaa. But when they accepted Islaam, they asked Allaah's Messenger about this, saying: "O Messenger of Allaah we used to refrain from making tawaaf between Safaa and Marwaa." So Allaah revealed the ayah: "Verily, Safaa and Marwaa are from the signposts of Allaah..."
Dear reader, from this hadeeth it can become clear to you the importance of returning to the understanding of the Salaf As-Saalih. And how is this, when 'Aa'ishah clarified the correct meaning of Allaah's ayah to 'Abdullaah Ibn Az-Zubair.
The Second Example:
At-Tirmidhee reported in his Sunan from the path of Abu 'Imraan At-Tajiyee that he said: "We were by the city of the Romans, when a great file of Romans came out towards us. So an equal amount - or perhaps more - of people amongst the Muslims went out towards them. Leading the people of the land was 'Uqbah Ibn 'Aamir and leading the Jamaa'ah was Fudaalah Ibn 'Ubaid. So one man from amongst the Muslims kept marching until he entered into the file of the Romans.
So the Muslims began to scream saying: 'SubhaanAllaah, he threw himself into ruin by his own hand!' So Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansaaree stood up and said: 'O people, you are misinterpreting this ayah! Indeed, this ayah was revealed concerning us - a group from the Ansaar. When Allaah gave glory to Islaam and made many its supporters, we said to one another in privacy in the absence of Allaah's Messenger: 'Our wealth has dwindled and Allaah has given glory to Islaam and made many its supporters. So would that we took charge of our money and tried to make back what we lost from it?' So Allaah revealed to His Prophet that which refuted our saying: 'And spend in the Cause of Allaah and do not throw yourselves into ruin with your own hands.' So the ruin here meant taking charge of our wealth and trying to regain what was lost, while abandoning fighting in the Way of Allaah. So Abu Ayyoob did not cease to be firm in his fighting for the Cause of Allaah until he died and was buried in the lands of the Romans."
I read this nice article and thought I would share it with you all. Subhaanallaahu Islaam is so deep and full of knowledge! It should be the dearest thing to us mor than anyone or anything else in this world so we are to hold onto it and gaurd it! May Allaah guide us all Aameen
Indeed, when one studies and investigates the proofs from the Qur'aan, the Sunnah, the consensus of the scholars and analogy, he will come to the conclusion that it is an obligation to understand the Qur'aan and the Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf As-Saalih (the righteous predecessors), who are the Sahaabah, the Taabi'een and those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgement. Below are the proofs and evidences for this:
1. Allaah says: "And whoever opposes the Messenger after the guidance has been made clear to him, and he follows a way other than the believers' way, We will turn him to what he has chosen and land him in Hell - what an evil destination." [Surah An-Nisaa: 115]
This means whoever contradicts the Messenger of Allaah and rejects what he came with "after the guidance has been made clear to him" with Qur'aanic proofs and prophetic evidences. "And he follows a way other than the believers' way" - their way means their path in regards to the aspects of the Creed and the actions. "We will turn him to what he has chosen" - meaning We will abandon him and what he has chosen for himself and We will forsake him, so We will not grant him any goodness because of his having seen and known the truth, and then abandoned it. So Allaah's recompense towards him is just, that He leaves him confused in his misguidance and that He increases him in misguidance upon his present misguidance.
As for Allaah's saying: "And we will land him in Hell", it means We will punish him with a painful torment in Hell - "what an evil destination" or place of final return.
Therefore, it is clear from what is stated above that the "believers" - and those who are intended by this word here are certainly, the Companions and those who tread their methodology. If they all agree on the obligation, recommendation, forbiddance, disap-proval or allowance of something, then it is considered their "Way." So whoever contradicts them in any matter regarding that, after their unanimous agreement has followed a way other than "Their Way."
2. Allaah says: "You are the best nation brought forth for mankind: commanding good and forbidding evil and believing in Allaah." [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 110]
The point of evidence from this ayah is that Allaah has informed us that the believers from this ummah do not command except that which is good. If they unanimously agree on the obligation or recommendation of something, then that is a command from them. So we specify from the text of the ayah that this thing being commanded is good, and there is nothing that comes after good except evil. Likewise, if they agree on the forbiddance of something, it becomes something that they forbade, hence it is nothing but evil.
3. Allaah says: "And thus We have made you a moderate (i.e. just) nation, so that you become witnesses over mankind and so that the Messenger becomes a witness over you." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 143]
Allaah informs us here that He has made this ummah (nation) a moderate one - meaning trustworthy and of the best nature. "So that you become witnesses over mankind" meaning in every matter. So if they give their testimony on a ruling - that Allaah has commanded it or forbidden it or allowed it - then indeed their testimony is infallible (free from error). This is due to their nature of being knowledgeable of what they are bearing witness to and reliable and trustworthy in their testimony.
4. The Prophet (saws) said: "The best of mankind is my generation (Companions), then those after them, then those after them." [A mutawaatir hadeeth as has been documented by Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr in Al-Isaabah]
The point of evidence: The Messenger of Allaah (saws) has affirmed their superiority and goodness over the rest of mankind. This necessitates the understanding that they were steadfast and perseverant in every condition. And this would necessitate that their understanding of the Religion is a source of reference and authority for all those that come after them until the Day of Judgement.
Dear reader, to clarify this point further with you, we will present some examples of their lives, may Allaah be pleased with all of them:
The First Example:
'Abdullaah Ibn Az-Zubair said: "I asked 'Aa'ishah (raa): 'Did you consider the ayah: 'Verily, Safaa and Marwaa are from the signposts of Allaah, so whoever performs Hajj to the House or makes 'Umrah, then there is no harm (sin) if he makes tawaaf around them.' For by Allaah, there is no sin on anyone that does not makes tawaaf around Safaa and Marwaa?" So she said: "What a bad thing you said, O son of my brother. If this ayah were as you interpreted it to be, it would mean that there would be no sin on someone if he did not make tawaaf around them. However, it was revealed with regard to the Ansaar, who before accepting Islaam would make the tahleel to Manaat, the false god whom they would worship during times of hardship. So they would refrain from making tawaaf around (the mountains of) Safaa and Marwaa. But when they accepted Islaam, they asked Allaah's Messenger about this, saying: "O Messenger of Allaah we used to refrain from making tawaaf between Safaa and Marwaa." So Allaah revealed the ayah: "Verily, Safaa and Marwaa are from the signposts of Allaah..."
Dear reader, from this hadeeth it can become clear to you the importance of returning to the understanding of the Salaf As-Saalih. And how is this, when 'Aa'ishah clarified the correct meaning of Allaah's ayah to 'Abdullaah Ibn Az-Zubair.
The Second Example:
At-Tirmidhee reported in his Sunan from the path of Abu 'Imraan At-Tajiyee that he said: "We were by the city of the Romans, when a great file of Romans came out towards us. So an equal amount - or perhaps more - of people amongst the Muslims went out towards them. Leading the people of the land was 'Uqbah Ibn 'Aamir and leading the Jamaa'ah was Fudaalah Ibn 'Ubaid. So one man from amongst the Muslims kept marching until he entered into the file of the Romans.
So the Muslims began to scream saying: 'SubhaanAllaah, he threw himself into ruin by his own hand!' So Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansaaree stood up and said: 'O people, you are misinterpreting this ayah! Indeed, this ayah was revealed concerning us - a group from the Ansaar. When Allaah gave glory to Islaam and made many its supporters, we said to one another in privacy in the absence of Allaah's Messenger: 'Our wealth has dwindled and Allaah has given glory to Islaam and made many its supporters. So would that we took charge of our money and tried to make back what we lost from it?' So Allaah revealed to His Prophet that which refuted our saying: 'And spend in the Cause of Allaah and do not throw yourselves into ruin with your own hands.' So the ruin here meant taking charge of our wealth and trying to regain what was lost, while abandoning fighting in the Way of Allaah. So Abu Ayyoob did not cease to be firm in his fighting for the Cause of Allaah until he died and was buried in the lands of the Romans."