Hadith #30- The Rights of Allaah ta'aalaa, Transgressing the limits

http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=220&category=24

Explanation of Hadeeth Number 30

His (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "has laid down" means that Allaah 'azza wa jall has made these things obligatory. And his statement "so do not overstep them" means do not enter into them. And as for the forbiddance from delving into those matters which Allaah has remained silent about, then it is in accordance with his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement: "Do not ask me about that which I have left [unspecified], for the earlier nations were destroyed because of their excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets" [See Hadeeth Number 9]. Some of the 'ulamaa have said: "The Banoo Israa'eel used to ask [much] and they were answered and given what they asked for, until this became a fitnah (trial) for them, and this brought them towards their destruction."

And the Sahaabah (radiAllaahu 'anhum) understood this, and restrained from asking except in those matters which were essential. [Due to this] they would be delighted when a desert bedouin [who would not be so restrained] would come to ask the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) questions, so they would listen attentively.

And some people became extreme in this until they said: "It is not permissible to ask the scholars about new events/situations until they actually occur." And the Salaf [ie the Early Scholars] used to say similar to this, that is to leave such matters until they actually occurred. [This continued] until they began to fear that Knowledge would be lost [through the death of the 'ulamaa], and so they began to lay down Principles, and discuss finer issues, and to arrange and write down the different branches of Knowledge and their rulings.

And the 'ulamaa have differed regarding the ruling on matters before the Sharee'ah was revealed about them [ie during the life of the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam] - were they all forbidden or permissible or was there no ruling about them at all? So the 'ulamaa have split into three madhhabs on this issue, and all this is mentioned in detail in the books of Usool ul-Fiqh.

Summary

1. That a Muslim has specified enjoined duties to perform in his religion, which he cannot neglect
2. That Allaah has shown us how and where not to commit excesses
3. That He has set limits and prohibitions, which also cannot be neglected
4. That what is known clearly from the Book and the Sunnah is enough for our lives, and this is a Mercy from Allaah
5. That we should not seek after what has not been mentioned
6. That speculating, philosophizing and hypothesizing about Islaam is forbidden
7. That Allaah never forgets

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http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith30.htm

Background

This hadith has been recorded by a number of scholars. They all recorded this hadith through the chain of Dawood Ibn Abi Hind on the authority of Makhool from Abi Tha'labah Al-Khushani. This hadith is regarded as a weak hadith by many scholars such as Al-Bukhari, Ahmad and Hatem. They point out that there are three defects in this hadith:

1. Makhool did not hear the hadith from Abi Tha'labah.
2. Even if it is assumed that he did hear from Abi Tha'labah, Makhool was classified among the third category of those who commit tadlis (tadlis is when a person narrates a hadith upon one of his teachers but he did not hear the particular hadith he is narrating directly from his teacher but from an intermediate source). For this hadith, there should be a direct term that reflects sama', that is this person heard the hadith directly from his teacher or sheikh. Otherwise, if he uses on the authority of, this cannot be accepted.
3. It is debatable whether this is actually a hadith or a saying of one of the Companions (sahabi). (Is it marfou' or mawqouf?)

Despite these three defects, the hadith has been accepted. Moreover, what has been mentioned in this hadith has been used by all jurists or fuqaha' as a way of categorizing rulings of shari'ah. It is from this hadith that the rules of the five well-known categorizations are derived: The obligatory (wajib), preferable (mandoub), forbidden (muharam), hateful (makrouh), and the permissible (mubah). Not only is the meaning acceptable, this hadith is also used for categorizing rulings of shari'ah (ahkam).

Lessons

The meaning of the statement which says: "He (Allah the Almighty) has set certain limits, so do not go beyond them." has been emphasized in the Qur'an. Allah says: These are the bounds, the limits set by Allah. Do not then transgress them for who transgress them are evil doers. [Surah Al-Baqarah (2): Ayah 229], and in Surah Al-Talq, Ayah 1, Allah says: And those are the set limits of Allah and whosoever transgresses the set limits of Allah then he indeed has wronged himself.

By looking closer into the content of these verses, we find that the two verses are talking about the limits (hudud) that Allah set regarding family relationships, especially the relationship between husband and wife. The limits that govern the relationship between husband and wife are stated in two verses in two surahs. Moreover, in Surah Al-Nisa', Ayah 13 and 14, Allah talks about the regulations of inheritance (furud almirath). Favoring one person over another and giving a person more than he deserves is considered transgression in Islam. And if we lessen or decrease the right of another person, this is also considered transgression. We have to stick to what Allah has set for us regarding what a person should receive.

Usually in family relationships, if there is no adherence to the Islamic bounds and guidelines, the consequences will inevitably be negative as we see in real life and in the Muslim world today. If we go to the courts we will see many cases where transgression has taken place. If the family life is not carried out in accordance with shari'ah, we will end up with many people transgressing the set limits. For example, the way divorce takes place violates the concept of family relationship where the spouses are not aware of what they say. They are not in control of their tempers. They end up saying things they do not mean (e.g. performing talaq out of anger) - things which might get them in a situation where they would need to go and consult the court or scholars regarding what to do. They start to look for a way to resolve the problem only when they are stuck and the situation deteriorates. Had they controlled their tempers and their tongues in the first place, they would not have reached this situation. It is only because they have violated the prescribed limits. (In the example of a husband having used words or terms which later on even he himself is not sure whether he has declared divorce or not, some scholars will refer it to the intention when the action took place.)

Another area in this regard is the area of the procedure of divorce itself that has been set by Allah. There are certain rulings that have to be observed by both parties, especially the husband. There are ways of minimizing the case of divorce. It has to occur in a totally controlled situation and in a way where there is an opportunity of getting back when it is carried out in the right way. There are adab (manners) that have to be followed if divorce has to take place. Most of the time divorce takes place when everybody loses control of their tempers, feelings or emotions. In Islam, if Muslims have to divorce, they are required to be fully aware of the situation and consequences, and that they have thought deeply about it and not simply divorce as a result of anger or a hasty decision.

Islam creates the procedure that if a person is actually considering divorce, he must be fully aware of what he is doing and his actions are based on sound reasons. This also means that both sides have given the act of divorce deep thought and they could not find any other solution to their dispute. The act of divorce should not lead to transgression - the wife and children should not be victims. To make sure of this, we should stick to the limits set by Allah. People have to be aware of this. They have to respect the family relationship. There should be strong commitment where both sides stick to what this commitment implies. This is so because Islam encourages the continuity of relationships. So here we have two considerations: (1) the respect of commitment, and (2) the continuity of that commitment.

Islam, as a practical religion, wants things to happen even if we dislike them. This is actually mentioned about the relationship between husband and wife. The hadith explains what the verse in the Qur'an says, that the believer should not hate another believer (wife). If he dislikes an aspect of her character or personality, he should appreciate other aspects of her character as well and vice versa. This is because there is no perfect person except Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam. Consequently, Islam encourages us to appreciate other people's characters.

Islam also asks us to be moderate in our life when it comes to dealing with people. So spouses should deal with each other in a moderate way. A hadith says: "When you like someone, you should like him moderately because he might become someone whom you dislike one day, and when you dislike someone dislike him moderately because he might become someone you like one day."

This hadith implies that we should be moderate in our actions and sayings and not to exceed the limits. Unfortunately today, this idea has been violated by the media through movies, songs, etc. where love is taken as the central issue in our daily lives. We rarely or never see any exception where love is moderate and in accordance with the Islamic guidelines. This explains why we have 'hopeless' people. Because they have lost their lovers (and most importantly because they have exceeded the limits set by Allah) their lives become miserable and meaningless. This is because of the effect of the culture and the environment which they are exposed to. So by exceeding the limits set by Allah, more problems and disasters occur.

Another area where people usually go beyond the limits is the area of fara'ed (inheritance). The limits and guidelines that have been set by Allah have been violated. Allah, in the Qur'an, and the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, via revelation, have prescribed and made clear for us the limits. For example, in the case of death, it is made clear to us who should inherit and what is the allowance of each son or daughter. As a result we will have those who have priority and those who have less but still have their share. And we also have those who are even set aside because there is someone closer to inherit. They are considered mahjoub.

Nowadays we see people violate these limits all over the Muslim world. Most of the cases happen because of the transgression and domination of the relatives. Muslims all over the world have to observe the limits. Otherwise they will transgress and violate the guidelines set by Allah. (They have to make sure that this is not halal and will not please Allah?). They may enjoy it for months or years, but at the end they may suffer the severe punishment of Allah in the Hereafter. We hear different stories of people who transgress and victimize their relatives. A verse in the Qur'an says: Those people are considered transgressors and being unjust where Allah has forbidden injustice (zulm). These people will be totally responsible for what they have done. This is one statement that is mentioned in this hadith and has been emphasized by the Qur'an.

Conclusion

All the meanings that are mentioned in this hadith are sound and acceptable even if the hadith itself - due to chain defect in the way it is narrated - is considered weak. A Maliki jurist Ibn Al'arabi said: "This hadith is one of the most important rulings in Islam and should be known to every Muslim."

Hadith #29- That which Enters One into Paradise, Deeds that lead to Paradise II

http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=221&category=24

Explanation of Hadeeth Number 29

His (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "You have asked me about a great matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allaah makes it easy" is referring to the one whom Allaah grants the ability to act, then guides him to worship Him with sincerity, and without associating any partners with Him.

"Establish the Prayer" means performing it by completing all its requisites in the most perfect manner. Then after this, he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned the other Pillars of Islaam, namely the Zakaah, Fasting and Hajj, and then he asked "Shall I not guide you towards the Means of Goodness?"

"Fasting is a shield" - here 'fasting' is referring to the Fasting other than that of Ramadaan, as that has already been mentioned. What is implied here is observing many voluntary fasts. And the protection of fasting is like a shield and covering from the Fire.

"Charity wipes away sin" - what is meant by 'charity' here is that which is beyond the obligatory zakaat.

Then he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "and the Praying of a man in the depths of the Night" and he recited the verses from Soorah as-Sajdah. All this means that the one who stands in the middle of the night, abandoning the pleasure of his sleep, preferring instead that which he hopes from his Lord, then his reward shall be as mentioned in the verse: "No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do". And it has been transmitted in some narrations that "Allaah ta'aalaa boasts about the one who stands in worship in the darkness of the night, by saying: "Look at My Slaves who stand in the darkness of the night, when none except I see them; bear witness that I have granted for them the abode of My Favor and Generosity""

And then he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter? ...". So he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) likened 'the matter' to a male camel and made Islaam its head, as any animal cannot live without a head. Then he said "its pillar is the Prayer”: the pillar of something is that thing by which it stands, and remains unstable without it.

And his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "and the peak of its hump is jihaad”: the peak of anything is its uppermost part, and the peak of the hump of a camel is its uppermost tip. And jihaad is an action which is not matched or equaled by any other, as has been narrated by Abu Hurairah (radiAllaahu 'anhu) that a man came to the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and said: "Guide me to an action equal to jihaad", to which the Messenger replied: "I do not find one". Then he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Are you able, when the Mujaahid leaves his house, to enter the Masjid and Pray continuously without breaking, and fast continuously without eating [until the Mujaahid returns] ?", to which the man replied "And who is able to do so ?"

And his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "Shall I not tell you of the foundation of all of that? ..." is encouragement first upon jihaad against kufr, and then the greater jihaad, which is the jihaad against the nafs (soul), and restraining it from speech which will harm it and bring about its downfall. For he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) indicated that most of the people will enter the Fire because of their tongues, whence he said: "May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu’aadh! Is there anything that throws people into the Hell Fire upon their faces - or: on their noses - except the harvests of their tongues?" And it has already been mentioned in the authentic hadeeth that "whosoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, then let him speak good or keep silent", and in another hadeeth "Whosoever guarantees for me (ie safeguards) that which is between his jaws (ie his tongue) and that which is between his legs (ie his private parts), then I shall guarantee for him Paradise".

Summary

1. That seeking Paradise and seeking to be saved from the Fire is a matter of great importance and seriousness, and this concern should have the correct priority in our lives.
2. That this hadeeth confirms that if one fulfils the requirements of all the five pillars of Islaam then one is guaranteed Paradise.
3. That the first pillar incorporates abiding by all the compulsory acts and avoiding all that which is forbidden.
4. That living Islaam is easy when Allaah makes it so.
5. That the five pillars constitute the indivisible whole that is Islaam; therefore denying any one of them is Kufr that bars us from Paradise.
6. That fasting, giving in charity and praying Tahajjud lead to goodness in this world and the next.
7. That fasting protects us from sins, develops in us piety, thus acting as a shield against the Fire and evil in this world.
8. That giving in charity wipes out our sins.
9. That praying Tahajjud develops us spiritually and makes our Islaam stronger and more sincere.
10. That the head of our affair in life is living Islaam.
11. That the Prayer is the central pillar that holds up our Islaam, and without which there is no Islaam in our lives.
12. That the peak of Islaam is Jihaad in the Way of Allaah, and this is the highest form of Worship.
13. That one must use ones tongue with extreme caution, as wrongful use of speech will be held against us on the Day of Judgment and can land us in Hell Fire.
14. The Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not mean the words "May your mother be bereaved of you" as a literal supplication, but it was a custom of the Arabs.

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http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith29.htm

Background

Many other companions have asked similar questions like the ones in this hadith. In general, the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, gave the same answers. Ibn Rajab highlights another narration of the hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad which states that Mu'adh came to the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I want to ask you about a matter that has made me ill and burning from inside." The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, said: "Ask whatever you wish." He said: "Inform me about a deed which will make me enter Paradise."

This shows, as Ibn Rajab continues to say, Mu'adh's eagerness to know about good deeds.

Lessons

This hadith is evidence that doing good deeds facilitates and leads to entering Paradise as it has been mentioned in the Qur'an: "This is the Paradise that you have made to inherit because of your good deeds which you used to do" (Surah al-Zuhkruf: Ayah 72). However, a person's good deeds are part of Allah's mercy and grace. Allah says: "But Allah who caused faith to be dear to you and have given it beauty in your heart, and has made hateful to you denial of the truth and all inequity and all rebellion against what is good" (Surah al-Hujarat (49): Ayah 7). So the meaning of this verse has been emphasized by this hadith. The performing of good deeds is a cause of entering paradise but they are themselves a gift from Allah.

There are debates among some scholars about the actions and whether we deserve to enter Paradise because of these actions. They raise the questions: Is it like a contract? Is it a deal? Or is this actually just a cause but entering Paradise is Allah's Mercy? If we just look at the matter as a deal or a contract, we would not be able to pay for even one of Allah's mercies.

The deeds that have been mentioned in this hadith have been emphasized in previous hadiths collected by Imam An-Nawawi, mainly Hadith 2, 3, 15 and 23. However, there are two additional good deeds mentioned in this hadith:

1. A man's prayer in the middle of the night. This includes, according to Ibn Rajab, three types of people:

a. Those who wake up during the night for dhikr, du'a, or praying tahajud.
b. Those who wait for the Isha' prayer and do not go to sleep until they perform Isha'.
c. Those who wake up for the Fajr prayer.

All these three groups have been mentioned in the Qur'an. People who stay awake throughout the night (busy in entertaining themselves) miss these blessed deeds. The three types of people are guaranteed and promised with the blessing from Allah in the Hereafter where there are unpredictable and unimaginable rewards.

2. Jihad where and when it becomes an obligation (this deed is not stated clearly in other hadiths). It is a great blessing that gets Muslims closer to Allah. Scholars say that jihad is the greatest act of worship and the most important deed after the obligatory acts. Through jihad, Islam is protected and preserved and became dominant, where other nations lived under its rule peacefully with their rights maintained.

In Hadith 15, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, quoted the importance of saying good things or keeping silent. In this hadith the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, says it is because of the tongue saying bad things that people are thrown into the Hell-fire. Ibn Rajab states that this indicates that restraining and controlling our speech is the crucial matter of all good things. The one who controls his tongue controls all his affairs.

In this hadith, we see the emphasis is on the negative side of the tongue, whereas in the previous hadiths, the emphasis is on the positive side of the tongue. This means that the tongue can be used in two ways: to say good things or to say bad things. Most people have the tendency to be lenient about this issue. Though Muslims know that saying bad things is prohibited, they still do so, saying things that displease Allah such as backbiting, slandering and spreading rumors. We will be held accountable for what we say. We will be rewarded for saying good things and we may be punished for saying bad things. Being cynical to others and saying things just for fun is something that a person is going to be accountable for. Even if a Muslim says things in the form of a cynical du'a (e.g. "May Allah guide him") or a joke to make fun of other Muslims and put him down, he will be held against this action. Even using gestures or attributes in a cynical way that can be interpreted that he is belittling a Muslim is considered a sinful act that displeases Allah.

The Muslim should have control over his tongue; otherwise his tongue can create a lot of problems for the community. In the fitnah (troubles) during Caliphate Othman, radiyallahu 'anhu, the Companions said they were considering saying bad things in that critical situation as a way of helping those who killed him. Consequently, the Muslim is always a good person who says only good things and for the benefit of his community. He should not say anything that may lead to any disputes among the Muslim community.

Another thing that is related to this and is mentioned by the scholars is the story of a man (from an Israel tribe) that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, narrated: "There were two relatives or brothers. One of them was pious and righteous and the other one used to commit sins. The pious person always tried to remind the sinful one, but he did not do so in the appropriate way of making da'wa. One day while he was passing by the sinner he said: 'I swear by Allah that He will not forgive you!' Upon this Allah said: 'Who is putting himself higher than My Authority?!" So Allah forgave the sinner and held the pious one accountable for what he said even though he was righteous."

This teaches us that we have to watch what we say especially when we are angry. That's why the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, made the du’a: "I ask Allah to enable me to say the truth whether I am angry or pleased." Controlling ourselves needs training and effort. That's why we need al-tarbiyyah and al-tazkiyyah. This will be difficult in the beginning. But when we show Allah that we are serious, Allah will give us help and al-tawfiq (guidance) to the right path. Muslims need to make sincere efforts to reach a high degree of tarbiyyah and tazkiyyah. This will be part of their akhlaq. Muslims need ilm (knowledge) because if they are not aware of this, they may misinterpret things and get into sinful acts. Ibn Rajab says if the Muslim can control his tongue, he can control his other affairs. That is the wisdom that Muslims can get from this hadith.

Regarding the methodology of teaching and learning, this hadith sets forth a good example for Muslims to learn from. Mu'adh starts by asking a question, saying that he wants to ask about a matter that has him 'burning inside'. As a result of his question, he gets the reply. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, said: "Ask whatever you wish." He was open to any kind of questions. If someone has an inquiry regarding any matter, he should ask, and the person who has been consulted has to be open-hearted. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, later on in this hadith, guides Mu'adh in the form of questions: "Shall I not tell you...?" Asking questions from both sides (from Mu'adh, as a means to learn, and from the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, as a means to teach) is one of the effective ways in the methodology of teaching and learning. If we want to learn we have to ask questions. If we want to teach, we have to communicate in this style and also ask questions. Asking questions will attract the attention of the listeners and will make them think about what is being said.

Conclusion

The central idea in Islam is tawhid and taqwa (submission to Allah). All other deeds can be looked at as part of taqwa and tawhid. Without proper tawhid there would be no fear of Allah. If we fear Allah, and love Him the most, this should lead us to be closer to Him. Otherwise, our claim is not valid or incomplete. Our taqwa and fear should be up to the level. So tawhid is the essence of the message of Allah. He sent the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, with this message and made him an example for us to emulate and follow. Consequently, tawhid (almutab'a) by following the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, is part of submission to Allah.

Hadith #28- The Obligation of Binding Oneself to the Sunnah, Adhering to the Sunnah

http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=218&category=24

Explanation of Hadeeth Number 28

In some of the narrations of this hadeeth it occurs: "Verily this is a farewell sermon, so what do you charge/entrust us with?" to which the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam replied: "Verily I have left you upon a White Plain [ie Clear Guidance], its Night is like its Day, and none deviates from it except that he is destroyed". And in another narration, his (radiAllaahu anhu) statement "a profound sermon" means that the sermon affected them and caused them to feel fear in their hearts, and brought tears to their eyes.

And his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "I counsel you to have taqwaa (fear) of Allaah, and to listen and obey [your leader]" means the ruler, even if he may be a slave. And in some of the narrations it mentions "an Ethiopian slave". Some of the 'ulamaa have said that a slave cannot be the ruler, and that this has been mentioned by way of an example or supposition. And this is similar to his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "Whosoever builds for Allaah a masjid like a bird's nest, Allaah builds for him a house in Paradise". And a bird's nest cannot be a masjid, but this is given simply by way of an example. Other 'ulamaa say that in this statement the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) is informing us that the Rulership will become corrupt, and will be given to other than its rightful owners, until it is even given to the slaves. So if this were to occur then still listen and obey, in order to secure the lesser of two evils, which are putting up with a Ruler who rules without right, or bringing about chaos and a great fitnah through revolt.

And his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement: "Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy" is from amongst his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) miracles, as he informed his Companions of that which was to occur after him of differences and the spreading of evil. And he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) was aware of this in complete detail, but he did not reveal all these details to every individual. Rather he used to warn about it in a general fashion, but also explained it in detail to some individuals such as Hudhayfah and Abu Hurayrah (radiAllaahu anhumaa), and this is evidence to show their great position and status.

And as for his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "so you must keep to my Sunnah" then the word 'sunnah' means the straight, correct and sound way which proceeds upon his normal/customary way, and that is the Clear Path. And "the Sunnah of the Khulafaa' ar-Raashideen (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), those who guide to the right way" are those in whom the Guidance was contained, and they are the Four by consensus of the Muslims - Abu Bakr, and 'Umar, and 'Uthmaan and 'Alee, may Allaah be pleased with them all.

And the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered us with clinging to the Sunnah of the Khulafaa' ar-Raashideen for two reasons:

1. The First is in the form of taqleed (following without evidence) for the one who is incapable of making his own discernment/judgment.
2. The Second is in the form of deciding that which is more correct when faced with a difference of opinion amongst the Sahaabah themselves.

And as for his (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) statement "Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion]" then know that such newly invented matters are of two types:

1. That matter which has no basis in the Sharee'ah, and this is baatil [rejected] and blameworthy.
2. That matter which has a parallel or similarity in the Sharee'ah, then this is not blameworthy.

This is because the words 'newly invented matter' and 'bid'ah' are not deemed blameworthy purely on the basis of the words themselves, but due to their indicating opposition to the Sunnah and calling towards misguidance, and so they are not considered to be unrestrictedly wrong. For example, 'Umar (radiAllaah anhu) reinstated the Taraaweeh Prayer and said "What an excellent bid'ah is this." It is to be noted here that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) had led the Taraaweeh Prayer in congregation for a few days, but then discontinued it due to his fear that the people would think it obligatory. This condition remained throughout the Khilaafah of Abu Bakr (radiAllaahu anhu), until 'Umar (radiAllaahu anhu) restarted what the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) had already laid a precedent for. Thus, he used the word bid'ah in a purely linguistic sense, and not in the Shar'ee sense that is used for blameworthy things.

And Allaah knows best.

Summary

1. That one should speak in a way, when it is needed, that reaches the very hearts of the people.
2. That the Sahaabah (radiAllaahu anhum) cried when listening to the sermon, and hence it is not wrong to cry during sermons.
3. That the advice given in this Hadeeth is parting advice from the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam).
4. That the first thing advised is to fear Allaah (ie to have taqwaa).
5. That one should obey the Ameer ul-Mu'mineen completely.
6. That obedience is due to the Ameer ul-Mu'mineen, no matter who becomes so (as long as he fulfills its conditions).
7. That there will be controversy and difference of opinion after the Messenger sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.
8. That in all cases of difference it is obligatory to stick to the Sunnah, the way of the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and to the way of the First Four Rightly Guided Caliphs.
9. That the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) has referred to his Sunnah and that of the Rightly Guided Caliphs as one thing, through his saying 'Cling to it'.
10. That one must be extremely careful about new things in the Deen.
11. That one must ensure that everything that one does as part of his religion indeed has proof for it in the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
12. That every invented matter in the Deen (which has no basis in the Sharee'ah) is a bid'ah, and bid'ah leads away from Paradise and towards the Hell Fire, and hence there cannot be a "good bid'ah".
13. That innovations can be in belief and in actions, and are manifestations of controversy.

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http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith28.htm

Background

In one of the narrations of this hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, gave this talk after the Fajr prayer. Based on other hadiths, it was the practice of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, to give admonition to his companions from time to time, however, without burdening nor boring them. Ibn Rajab points out the characteristics of the Prophet's, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, speeches and admonitions: brief, concise, and conveyed in beautiful understandable manner.

The admonition consists of three main issues:

1. To have taqwa of Allah where it is Allah's advice to all mankind.
2. To listen and obey the leaders for it will lead to better management of the affairs of the community, of peace and unity. However, the hadith lays a fact that rightly-guided leadership will be the first Islamic concept to be violated.
3. The hadith anticipates a historical fact: i.e. the Muslim disunity and split into groups and sects due to heresies. It indicates the main principle to be followed in such situations: adhering to the sunnah.

The emphasis, then, in the advice given in the hadith is to adhere to the sunnah and to avoid bid'ah (heresy).

Lessons

Introductory statements about adhering to the sunnah

The Prophet's, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, actions may be classified as follows:

1. Those that are specific to the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, such as continuous fasting (wisal).
2. Actions that are related to the culture of his time, such as the turban, unbuttoning the top shirt button, keeping long hair, using a walking stick.
3. Actions resulting from spontaneous or haphazard actions. For example, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, used to stop at particular places during a journey or take a certain route for a journey.
4. Actions that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, performed intentionally for the purpose of ibadah.

Scholars state that Muslims are only obliged to follow the last type of action.

Note: An act is considered an ibadah if there are authentic hadiths mentioning that the act is an ibadah, or that it will be rewarded, or that the one who does it is praised, or that the one who does not perform it is blamed or cursed or will be punished.

Scholars stated that to consider an action as a sunnah, two conditions must be met. Not only are the outward actions of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, to be imitated, but the intention of the act must be the same. For example, wearing a turban should not be done with the intention of performing an ibadah. If one has the intention of merely following the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, then one will be rewarded for that intention only.

Imam Shatibi states the principle that if there are two ways to perform an ibadah, one being easier than the other, then it is obligatory to take the easier way. For example, if on a cold winter's night there is an option of using cold or hot water, then one takes the easy option, i.e. using the hot water. This principle is derived form the Qur'an, Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 185.

Another principle that Imam Shatibi states is that when one does a preferable action or mustahab, one should not commit oneself to doing it in a set manner. For example, one should not say that he shall read two juzu' a day, or will fast every Monday and/or Thursday on a continuous basis without stopping from time to time.

The reasons one should not commit oneself to non-obligatory acts are because:

1. It is not made obligatory by shari'ah.
2. It goes against the general principles of the shari'ah (al-Baqarah: 185).
3. If one commits himself to do non-obligatory ibadah on a regular basis, it comes close to being a vow (nazr) which is not a preferable act (makruh).
4. If one makes a commitment and sticks to it, one might get fed up with the action later on and stop doing it altogether.

Therefore, it is better to do good deeds based on one's personal capacity, encouraging oneself to continue performing the deed.

Imam Shatibi has established that there are two types of bid'ah:

1. Genuine bid'ah - Any form of ibadah for which there is no evidence in the Qur'an nor from the sunnah.
2. 'Relative' bid'ah - Any form of ibadah for which there is a general evidence from the Qur'an and/or sunnah but no explicit/specific evidence. An example is the du'a in congregation. There are general evidences for making du'a, but there is no explicit/specific evidence to perform it in congregation on a continuous basis.

Imam Ahmad Zarouq (899H) adds a third category which is: un-agreed upon heresy or bid'ah khilafiyyah. This is an acceptable form of ibadah to some scholars and it is bid'ah according to other scholars such as the later given example.

General rules and principles to differentiate between bid'ah and sunnah
(extracted by Imam Shatibi)

1. An ibadah (ritual of worship) cannot be formulated unless there is evidence from wahy (revelation). Another way of saying this is that ibadah is restricted by the shari'ah. The evidence for this is the hadith of Aishah which states that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said, "Whoever performs an action that is not according to our way will be rejected." (al-Bukhari) [See Hadith 5]

2. If there is a beneficial act that existed during the time of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, yet the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, did not perform it as a act of ibadah, then we cannot perform it as an act of ibadah.

An act of ibadah may be performed due to a number of reasons:

A. If an act is considered a need to motivate people because of their laxity and carelessness, then that act is a bid'ah and cannot be performed. For example, Abdul Malik bin Marwan gave the Eid khutbah before the prayer because people left after the prayers.
B. If the act is considered a need due to the natural circumstances of the people and there was no need during the time of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, then it is considered as maslahah mursalah. For example, the compilation of the Qur'an, the use of the mihrab, the existing schooling system, the use of loudspeakers during the adhan, etc.

3. If the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, performed an act and then stopped due to a certain reason, we may perform that act provided the reason no longer exists. For example, the Tarawih prayers - the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, stopped performing them after a time because he was afraid that it would be made compulsory. After his death, there is no way that the Tarawih prayers will become compulsory as the time of wahy has passed.

4. Avoiding any act of worship that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, did not perform is considered a sunnah (sunnah tarkiyyah).

5. Performing an act which has been made into an ibadah by:

A. Generalizing evidences that relate to a specific ibadah. In other words, removing the limits of an act that has been limited by the shari'ah. An example is that there are certain adhkar whose number of repetitions have been limited by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam - for example, the adhkar after prayers. To remove these limits, i.e. make more than the specified number of repetitions, is a bid'ah.
B. Specifying a general evidence to a particular act. In other words, limiting an act that is unlimited by the shari'ah. An example is to specifically fast on Friday and pray on Friday evening. Other examples are to call the adhan for the Eid prayer (by using the general hadith for the adhan) and performing a certain set of dhikr for a certain time/day. These acts are considered bid'ah.

6. Connecting an act of ibadah to an unrelated action (either a natural action or a act of ibadah) and making them appear as a continuous action, might be a bid'ah or lead to bid'ah, depending on the situation:

A. Intentionally. This is a bid'ah.
B. Unintentionally. If the connection is repeatedly made in public, then it could lead to a bid'ah (because people might think the actions were related).

a. An example is that at the time of Imam Malik, it was reported that the muadhin would purposely clear his throat before giving the adhan. When he was made to stop by Imam Malik, he would then purposely hit a stick against the side of the minaret before giving the adhan. Imam Malik stopped him from doing this as well, and said, "Do not do something which has not been practiced by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, nor by his companions."
b. Another example is to stand up immediately after performing the fardh prayers to perform the sunnah prayers where people without knowledge may get confused.
c. A third example is to start fasting the six days of Shawal from the second day of Eid.

7. Any non-obligatory action which is permitted by the shari'ah but by repeatedly performing it in public makes it appear to be a fardh, then that action should be stopped occasionally. An example is the recitation of Surah as-Sajdah and Surah al-Insan in the Friday Fajr prayer. Another is that the Companions (Abu Bakr and Umar) occasionally did not perform udhiah.

8. Not everybody who commits a bid'ah will be considered a mubtadi' (the one who commits a heresy). Some of them will be excused. This principle also applies to one who commits acts of kufr (disbelief) i.e. not everyone who commits kufr is a kafir.

The excuses are:

A. Someone lives in a place where there is no scholar who can establish the evidence, remove misconceptions and offer guidance.
B. Someone who is a new Muslim. That person is excused until he knows about the issues involved.
C. If there are misconceptions related to the situation, that person is excused until these are removed.
D. The un-agreed upon acts.

9. It is important to differentiate between innovation that is kufr or leads to kufr, and one that isn't. Any innovation which is not kufr or does not lead to kufr is worse than a ma'siat (sin) but with regards to the Hereafter, it falls under the same category of ma'siat, i.e. the innovator may be punished or he may be forgiven and not punished.

Note: according to Ibn Taimiyyah, there are 10 reasons why one isn't punished, among which are:

A. One's rewards outweigh his sins.
B. Trials and hardship undergone in this world.
C. Intercession of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam.
D. Intercession of a good Muslim.
E. Punishment in the grave.

10. There are two opinions about one who commits a bid'ah:

A. Only the action committed with the bid'ah will not be accepted.
B. All deeds will not be accepted from that person, provided the person is not excused or has not repented.

Clarification of the second opinion:

Imam Shatibi argues that you will not find someone committing an innovation in only one action, i.e. if one commits a bid'ah in the prayers, it is most likely that he will be committing bid'ah in zakat, hajj, etc.

Imam Shatibi states that this opinion may be interpreted in three ways:

A. The statement is taken at face value, i.e. all deeds, obligatory (fard) or recommended (sunnah), will not be accepted.
B. That the bid'ah is a basic belief that can negate all of a person's actions. For example, the Rafidah's bid'ah of rejecting the Companions' results in not accepting the hadith and claiming that the Qur'an is incomplete.
C. The manifestation of an innovation is a sign of a person not having a sound grounding in the shari'ah, not 'respecting' the shari'ah or placing the intellect ahead of the shari'ah.

Based on Hadith 5 of Imam al-Nawawi's collection it seems that the first opinion is sounder in the case of those who follow the sunnah in general.

Conclusion

In order to adhere to the sunnah and to be able to refrain from heresy (bid'ah), a Muslim needs to fully understand and apply these principles pinpointed by our great scholars. Doing so can also minimize disputes and quarrels among Muslim community members over many debatable issues every now and then.

Hadith #27- Internal Controlling System

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith27.htm

Background

The first thing that should be pointed out is that even though the second hadith is weak by itself, due to supporting evidence it is raised to the level of hasan (authentic). These two hadiths state the meaning of righteousness and sinfulness.

Lessons

Ibn Rajab states that the term 'bir' which is used in this hadith is actually used in two senses: (a) treating others in a good manner, and (b) all acts of good deeds and worshipping Allah. Based on this, the first statement in the first hadith can be interpreted as meaning the most essential aspect of righteousness is good character. And Ibn Rajab extends this meaning by saying that good character can be interpreted as all good manners mentioned in the Qur'an. Consequently, according to Ibn Rajab, the two meanings of bir are there.

Allah has created us with a pure innate or natural disposition that is called fitra, as mentioned in other hadiths. This means to love the truth and the good and to hate falsehood and evil. Consequently, good believers with pure fitra should never confuse truth with falsehood.

The second hadith guides us to consult our heart regarding doubtful matters. If the heart is in tranquility, that implies that it is bir or righteousness. If the heart is not tranquil, one should abstain from carrying out such an act or doubtful matter. However, it should be noted that fitra is subject to corruption and can be spoiled due to the influence of bad environment - a person may start to like and appreciate what is bad or evil and dislike truth and goodness. Here, the heart is diseased or even dead. Such a person cannot use his heart as a measure to judge what is good and bad because the fitra is already corrupted.

Sin is what wavers or trembles your soul. This portion of the hadith defines a sinful act as an act for which its performer deserves blame. Imam Qurtabi gives the previous interpretation. Ustaz Jamaludin Zarabozo states that in this hadith the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, gave very important signs of sin. The first one is an internal sign within the human being. It is the feelings of the soul with respect to any particular act. The second sign is also about the internal feelings but it deals with the outward reaction to the act itself. Sin causes a wholesome soul to be uneasy and troubled. The soul is unhappy and worried about sin and its consequences. Ustaz Jamaludin remarks that these signs occur because the person is naturally disposed to favor what leads to positive results and avoid what leads to negative results. The commentators of this hadith stress that the 'people' referred to here are the respected and righteous people.

The two hadiths reveal a significant aspect of Islam that is an internal controlling and guiding system that is established as a result of several factors:

1. The pure fitra (natural disposition). Allah created everybody with a pure fitra and not just Muslims. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, mentions many factors in the environment that play an influential role in subjecting the fitra to corruption.
2. The realization of tawhid. This means practicing all the essentials of tawhid like loving Allah, seeking His Help as the only refuge, depending on Him (tawakul), asking for His Mercy, and many other essentials associated with the idea of tawhid.
3. Adhering to shari'ah instructions.
4. Seeking knowledge.
5. Tazkiyah and tarbiyah - that is the purification of the soul and the heart of the Muslim.

The above mentioned factors and many others are interrelated and altogether lead to the establishment of the internal controlling system. However, this system needs to be 'updated' and 'upgraded' regularly by educators and da'ies. It is very important that the educators and da'ies pay attention to the individual's and the community's built-in system. They have to create awareness about contemporary challenges. They should plan future strategies to deal with such challenges.

This internal system is very important for Muslims today. They should know about it in order to activate it. Only through such proper reconstruction of the consciousness can we be certain about the validity and effectiveness of the internal controlling system. Muslims need to be aware of this fact and have to activate their system in order to be sensitive towards doubtful acts and sinful matters. Unless this system is 'upgraded', the person may not act in the right way. It is like 'installing' an 'anti-virus software' within ourselves. With such a 'software' in place, our internal system will prevent 'viruses', i.e. bad/evil acts, from entering our thoughts or hearts.

There are many issues today where people are in total doubt about whether something is allowed or not. In many areas such as insurance, food, medicine, trade, and technology, there are no definite answers - or the people themselves are not aware of the Islamic approach. This may lead to moral conflicts. Unfortunately, even some people who teach akhlaq and moral values are sometimes not even aware of these conflicts.

In this era we have several clashing values. Muslims should be exposed to the Islamic point of view of the issue in order to go for the right value. Works about such issues should be published and translated for all Muslims. Books and magazines should be available to all Muslims. If the existing works are very long, we need to summarize the findings and translate them into major Muslim and international languages. Exposing Muslims to such findings will minimize disputes among them regarding certain issues. They will at least know what to do and what not to do. This will lead to unity and remove anything that can lead to disputes.

Another thing is that educators and da'ies should not simply use the traditional approach. If we want to talk about sidq, tazkiyah, and tarbiyah, we should not limit ourselves to one scholar or website. We should compare knowledge and information between different scholars. For example, if we compare the works of Al-Shaikh Zarrouq and Imam Ghazali on tazkiyah, we will notice differences; the work of Al-Shaikh Zarrouq is totally different from Imam Ghazali's. His books of Qawaed Altasaruf and Udat Alboroud Alsadeq use totally different approaches from Imam Ghazali. Al-Shaikh Zarrouq addressed the people of his time. We can read these books and benefit from them but we should use a more suitable approach that is more convenient to the challenges of our time. This means that we should have different ways of presenting these issues about tazkiyah and tarbiyah. It is only by this way can we 'upgrade' our internal controlling system.

We should interpret the Qur'anic texts and hadiths in the light of what we have today. This cannot happen unless the internal system is 'upgraded'. Otherwise we may get lost. The system has two sides: positive and negative. We must use the positive side. We have to know how to be honest in this era. It is the responsibility of the educators and da'ies of today to 'upgrade' the internal controlling system of the Muslims in general and the young generation in particular.

We should also be aware of the recent advancements in technology. For example, nowadays there are filtering software that are developed by non-Muslims. We can download these software and have control over some of the negative elements that can reach us through the Internet. We should develop this type of software to suit our needs as Muslims. We have to maximize the positive side of information technology. We need to do this to enable Muslims to access the Internet and use their time in the right way.

One more area that we need to be aware of is that of intellectual slavery - that is when people try to benefit from technology through globalization. There are some people who want to influence others in order to affect the akhlaq and ideology. They use cognitive psychology and other branches of knowledge where they can manipulate the mind. They practice brainwashing and Muslims are not aware of this. This is a very great challenge to Muslims since this may lead us to question our beliefs and moral values. Educators need to address this crucial issue. They should do something to 'upgrade' the above mentioned internal controlling system in order to prevent ourselves from being brainwashed.

Conclusion

Without a 'fully functioning' internal controlling system, people will have different attitudes which may lead to problems such as extremism. Extremists will increase in the Muslim community if issues like those mentioned above are not resolved. Muslims may end up with multiple personalities. They are Muslims but they commit haram (forbidden) and many other negative things. They are not aware that they are doing anything wrong and they start acting in strange ways. These people are victims of the new system of globalization. Our strategy to face such challenges is to 'activate' and 'upgrade' our internal system. Then Muslims can live their lives in tranquility and without confusion. Other solutions will merely be short term because there will be no tranquility.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=219&category=24