بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Some excerpts from at-Tawassul wal-Waseela by Ibn Tayyimiyah
(Rah)
We can't decide a law
relying on the sole narration of Sahabi. If the meaning of the Hadith conflicts
with the understanding of the Sahabi, we should give importance to the text of
the Hadith rather than the explanation of Sahabi.
Regarding Enjoining acts of Worship and its prohibitions, if
a single Sahabi is narrating about Prophet (saw), and if the other sahaba
didn't agreed to its narration and if the other narrations are in agreement
with other sahabis opinion, then laws are framed on basis on the opinion of
majority of Sahaba. A Muslim should not act on the lone opinion of the Sahabi
and should stick to the majority. But regarding that lone opinion, the Sahabi
would get the benefit of Ijtihad. But the
masai'il should be of worth for ijtihad.
There are various proofs for not deducing Islamic laws on
lone opinions. Umar (Ra) used to wash
his eye pits during Wudhoo. He would take new water for wiping the ears. Abu
Huraira (RA) used to wash his hands until he reached the upper arm and said,
"whoever wants his face to Shine on the Hereafter should wash up to upper
arm (Sahih Muslim 246b). Abu Huraira(Ra) used to wash his necks and would say
this is the place where one would be chained.
Though Umar(RA) and Abu
Huraira (RA) said these are Sunnah, majority of the scholars have differed in
this. They say other than these two
sahabis none of them did wudhu like this. In the Hadiths regarding Prophets
Wudhu , many hadiths are found in Bukhari and Muslim and there is no Narration
available that Prophet (Saw) fetched new water for wiping the ears or Prophet
(saw) washed upper arm and above the ankles and Prophet (saw) wiped on his neck.
There is no narration from Prophet (Saw) like what Abu
Huraira(RA) said i.e. one should wash up to upper arm for the face to Shine in
Hereafter. They are words attributed to Abu Huraira (RA) in some of the Hadith.
He (saw) said,
"They (my followers) will come with bright faces and
white limbs because of Wudhu". Prophet (saw) used to wash his arms and
feet up to ankle and Prophet(saw) words "Khurrath" belongs to face.
In order to make the face brighter, one should wash his face and not washing
hands beyond arms or washing beyond ankles. In Arabic "hujlath" is the term used for whiteness of Hands and
feet and not Khurrath. Abu Hurairah(RA) sais "He who can afford among you,
let him increase the brightness of his forehead and that of hands and
legs" and people who heard it would have mistaken for washing arms for
increasing the brightness of the face.
The brightness of the Face in the Hereafter would be given
only to the face , because face is a defined organ. One should wash his face
fully. Only then Wudhu would be valid.. Washing the forehead for increasing the
whiteness of the face is an wrong act. Prophet (saw) did not say that the forehead
or head would be made white. It’s not considered as Sunnah to wash the Hands or
feet beyond the prescribed boundary. "Musla" is the term used for
washing the upper arms.
Let’s taken another example. Ibn Umar (RA) used to follow
the Prophet(Saw) exactly. So much so that he would even would love to walk in
the footsteps in Prophet(saw) walked. Ibn Umar(RA) would break his journey and
stay in
places wherever Prophet(saw) broke his journey and stayed.
He used to stand and perform wudhu where Prophet(saw) would do wudhu. He would
pour the remaining water on the plants and trees where Prophet(saw) poured the water.
Ibn Umar(RA) would do many such acts.
Only few of the scholars recognize this kind of following.
They consider it as Mustahab. But majority of the scholars do not consider this
as Mustahab.
Some of the great Sahabis like Abu Bakr (RA), Umar(RA),
Uthman (RA), Ali(RA), Muadh ibn Jabal (RA), Ibn Masud(RA) and other great
Sahabis never did like what Ibn Umar (RA) did.
If they thoughts as good deed, they would
have done that. Because they fully followed Prophet (Saw)
and they completely changed their life styles.
Following of Prophet (saw) is to follow him in his actions
what he voluntarily did, we have to do it exactly . If the act is for the
worship, we to have to do the worship in the same way. If certain places or
time has been allocated for certain act, we too have to allocate for the same.
He(saw) Circumambulated Kabah for Tawaf. He (saw) kissed
the Black stone, prayed behind Maqam
Ibrahim. He loved to pray behind a particular pillar in Masjidul Nabavi. He
loved to climb Safa and Marwa and
supplicate. During Haj, would supplicate in Muzdalifah and Arafah. All of these
were done with an intention to do. We also have to do the same and we have to
fully follow him in these acts.
But if the act has been done without intention, like getting
down in certain place during journey. Praying if it’s time for prayer time etc.
All these acts are not done intentionally. One may get tired during journey and
may break the journey because of that. If these actions are done without
intention, why do we need to break our journey in particular places where
Prophet(saw) broke his journey. If we allocate such place and time for such
acts it wouldn't be like following
Prophet(saw). Umar Ibn Katthab scolded about these acts and
called it as Innovation.
It was narrated that al-Ma’roor ibn Suwayd (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: We went out with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, and we passed by a
mosque on the way. The people hastened to pray there, and ‘Umar said, “What is
the
matter with them?” They said, “This is a mosque in which the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed.” ‘Umar
said, “O people, those who came before you were doomed because they followed
such practices, until they established places of worship in such locations. If
a time for prayer comes when you are there, then pray, and if it is not the
time for prayer, then move on.” Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf,
7550.
When ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab heard that there were people who
came to the tree under which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) had received the bay’ah (oath of allegiance), he ordered that it be cut
down.
Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf, 7545.
Because Prophet(saw) did not intentionally choose the place
and time for these acts. But it’s true that Prophet (saw) got down at those
places and prayed and this is known very well to Umar (RA). Yet he forbid as
such innovation and condemned it as it was like resembling Jews and Christians in acts of worship. If
someone does that then it is outwardly following Prophet (Saw) but by
principles following Jews and Christians.
This is the reason why scholars opinionated on jalsat al-istiraahah, i.e. resting after sujood while
getting up for Qiyam for second
Rakath. Prophet (saw) did sit before getting up. But what is the purpose of
sitting? Did Prophet (saw) did that with intention or did he do it because of
some requirement. Scholars who considered this as intended act, made it as
sunnah while the scholars who considered acts as unintended, didn't make it as
Sunnah.
Similar difference of opinions can be seen among various
masaail. For example, Prophet (Saw) got down in Wadi Muhassab while returning
in Haj from Mina. Scholars have difference of opinion on whether Prophet's
(Saw) action was intended or unintended.
Abu Talha(RA) allowed eating Hail stones
fasting. We have to understand in the same way about Ibn `Umar(RA)
touching the seat of the Prophet's minbar. This is same as saying Takbir on Eid
Night by Ibn Abbas (RA) in Basara and Amr Bin Harisa (RA) in Kufa. These are
not Mustahab because majority of the Sahaba (RA) didn't act on it and Prophet
(Saw) didn't command as Shariiya law.
A Sahabi called Hudayfa (RA) permitted to eat for person
fasting in day time even if the sun has
arisen. Umar (RA) and Ibn Umar(RA) had said that it is Kharahath(disliked) to
use perfumed things before beginning Tawaf. Some Sahaba (RA) totally prohibited
fasting during travelling. Salman (RA) considered Saliva as Najas (impure).
Also Ibn Umar(RA) used to forbid marrying People of Book.
Also Ibn Umar(RA) and Ibn Umar(RA) used to say that a person with Major
impurity should not do Tayammum. Ibn Umar(RA) and some Sahaba(RA) said "If
a person dies wearing Ihram, his Ihram
becomes Baatil (nullified). Laws applicable to normal person would applicable
to him". Muadth and Muawiyya (RA) said "A Muslim could become
Inheritor of Kaafir's property. Ali (RA) and Ibn Abbas
(RA) said if a husband of pregnant women dies , she should
in iddah(waiting period) twice the period. Ibn Abbas(RA) and others said the
woman whose husband dies should confine to house.
Similarly, Sahabis
have expressed many opinions regarding many such Mas'alas. If a Sahabi had expressed an opinion and others
have differed with this Sahabi, then the laws are not formed on lone opinion.
It is the Ijtihad of the Lone narrator and there is reward for even incorrect
Ijtihad. Madhab Imam and other scholars
are of the same opinion. No one has the
right to declare on their own as sunna, wajib , haraam etc. Some of the things forbidden by Khulafa Rashideen are also to be understood
that it was based on Prophet(saw) order.
The only person to declare as Wajib, Mustahab, Haraam, Makrooh is none
other than Prophet (saw).
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