In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may blessings and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.
This is a summary of what was presented in this part of the explanation of Imam al-Shafi’i’s book al-Risala, focusing on the important points and clarifications.
Consensus and disagreement:
- Tacit consensus (al-ijma’ al-sukuti): when a Companion states a view, and this view then spreads among the Companions without anyone objecting to it.
- Consensus is confirmed if it is based on a report.
- Some books on consensus and disagreement were mentioned, such as al-Ijma’ by Ibn al-Mundhir, Maratib al-Ijma’ by Ibn Hazm, al-Burhan fi al-Khilaf by Mansur ibn Muhammad ibn Ruzi al-Shafi’i, and a book on disagreement by Abu Zayd al-Dabbusi.
- A man is not truly knowledgeable and insightful in knowledge unless he knows the points of consensus and the issues of disagreement.
- The book Bidayat al-Mujtahid wa-Nihayat al-Muqtasid by Ibn Rushd was mentioned as a useful reference for explaining consensus and disagreement and the approaches of the scholars.
- Al-Shafi’i said: “And in knowledge there are two aspects: consensus and disagreement.”
The tongue of the Arabs and the Qur’an:
- The whole of the Book of Allah was revealed in the Arabic tongue, as Allah the Exalted says: “And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them” (Ibrahim 14:4).
- Non-Arabic words that entered the language of the Arabs fall into two categories: Arabized (mu’arrab) and loanwords (dakhil).
- The loanword (dakhil) is one that keeps the form and meaning it has in its original language.
- The Arabized word (mu’arrab) is one that has been brought into the morphological patterns of the Arabic language.
The abrogating and the abrogated:
- Al-Shafi’i said: “And knowledge of what abrogates and what is abrogated in the Book of Allah, of what is obligatory in its revelation, and of etiquette, guidance, and permission.”
- The abrogating (nasikh) is the verse that removed the ruling of the verse before it.
- The abrogated (mansukh) is the verse whose ruling was removed.
- Abrogation may be of the recitation without the ruling, of the ruling without the recitation, or of both the ruling and the recitation.
- An example of abrogation of the ruling: the verse on confining the adulteress to the house was abrogated by the verse of flogging or by stoning.
- An example of what is abrogated in recitation but not in ruling: the text “The old man and the old woman, if they commit adultery, stone them both outright” was a verse of the Qur’an, then its recitation was abrogated while its ruling remained.
- He mentioned the story of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib with the man who was preaching to people and warning them without knowing the abrogating and the abrogated.
- He mentioned the story of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud and his mushaf.
- The legal theorists use the term abrogation (naskh) in a broader sense than removal, including within it specification (takhsis) in its various forms.
- Specification is like an abrogation of acting upon the general when the specific is present.
- An example of specification: the verse of expiation contains “the freeing of a slave” (Al-Mujadila 58:3) unrestricted, while the verse on killing contains “the freeing of a believing slave” (An-Nisa 4:92), so the second restricted the first.
- The book al-Nasikh wa-l-Mansukh by al-Naysaburi was mentioned.
The position in which Allah placed His Prophet ﷺ:
- Al-Shafi’i said: “And knowledge of the position in which Allah placed His Prophet, of clarifying on His behalf what He made firmly obligatory in His Book and made clear on the tongue of His Prophet.”
- What is meant by “position” is the circumstances and situations in which the Prophet ﷺ found himself, so that he would clarify the ruling of Allah the Exalted in every situation.
- It is not permissible to delay clarification beyond the time of need.
- The Prophet ﷺ does not approve of falsehood, nor does he remain silent about what is not right.
- He mentioned the story of the Makhzumi woman who stole, Usamah ibn Zayd’s intercession for her, and the anger of the Prophet ﷺ.
- Al-Shafi’i said: “And what He intended by all His obligations, and whom He intended,” meaning those to whom the address is directed: are they all of creation, or some to the exclusion of others?
- He mentioned examples of the address being specified, such as the verse: “Those to whom people [i.e., hypocrites] said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But it [merely] increased them in faith” (Al ‘Imran 3:173), and the verse: “and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her; [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers” (Al-Ahzab 33:50).
- Knowing to whom the address is directed and knowing the purpose of the address are among the most serious matters the scholars face in analyzing legal discourse.
The manners of one devoted to the Book and the Sunnah:
- Al-Shafi’i said: “And knowledge of the parables struck in it that point to obedience to Him and make clear the avoidance of disobedience to Him, of abandoning heedlessness about one’s share, and of increasing in voluntary acts of virtue.”
- The manners acquired by one devoted to the Book and the Sunnah:
- Knowing the points of consensus and disagreement.
- Knowing the tongue of the Arabs.
- Knowing the abrogating and the abrogated.
- Knowing the positions in which Allah placed His Prophet ﷺ.
- Knowing the parables struck in the Qur’an.
- Abandoning heedlessness about one’s share (desire).
- Increasing in voluntary acts of virtue.
- He explained the meaning of being moved (infi’al) and its importance in understanding the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
- Understanding is higher than knowledge.
- He explained that “share” (hazz) means desire, and that among the people most tested by the self’s share are the people of knowledge.
- He urged humility and abandoning the self’s share.
- He explained the difference between voluntary acts attached to obligations and voluntary acts of virtue.
- He urged striving to do everything that contains good, even if it is small.
Speaking from knowledge:
- Al-Shafi’i said: “So it is obligatory upon those who know not to speak except from where they know.”
- Speaking about Allah without knowledge is graver than polytheism.
- One should be cautious and not speak on an issue unless he has light concerning it.
- He mentioned the story of the man who asked the shaykh about ablution after relieving oneself.
- He mentioned some examples of carelessness in speaking about religion.
- He mentioned the saying of a student of knowledge: “I learned three things from my shaykhs: the Book and the Sunnah, ‘I do not know,’ and ‘I do not know.’”
- The Companions used to be wary of issuing legal verdicts.
- The more a person’s knowledge increases, the more he realizes that he is ignorant, so he fears and is wary of issuing verdicts.
- He mentioned al-Shafi’i’s saying: “Some have spoken about knowledge who, had they refrained from some of what they spoke about, refraining would have been more fitting for them and closer to safety for them, if Allah wills.”
- He mentioned a debate between al-Shafi’i and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani.
This is a summary of what was presented in this part. We ask Allah the Exalted for success and guidance to what is right.
All parts of Summary of the Explanation of al-Risala by Shaykh Dr. Ahmad al-Naqeeb