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.
The Qur’an and the tongue of the Arabs:
- A refutation of those who said that the Qur’an contains both Arabic and non-Arabic.
- The Qur’an indicates that nothing in the Book of Allah is other than in the tongue of the Arabs.
- The existence of someone holding this view (that there is non-Arabic in the Qur’an) stems from imitation (taqlid) and leaving the issue without asking for the proof.
- Imitation (taqlid): accepting another’s view without proof.
- Blameworthy imitation: imitation that is accompanied by partisanship, rigidity, and propagation.
- Acceptable imitation: the layperson’s following of a scholar when a matter is closed to him.
- The basic principle in religion is striving (ijtihad): the scholar strives to know the ruling from the evidence, and the ignorant person strives to ask the scholar.
- He mentioned the verse: “So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know” (An-Nahl 16:43).
- It is not permissible to accept views that are detached from evidence, except in matters of independent reasoning and inference, and even then with the basis and the evidence made clear.
- The scholar answers according to the understanding of the questioner.
- He mentioned the narration: “Speak to people according to what they understand. Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be denied?”
- A warning against imitation, and that it is among the greatest causes of disbelief and strife.
- Those who claimed that the Qur’an contains non-Arabic words held this view because some words of the Qur’an are unknown to some Arabs.
- The tongue of the Arabs is the most expansive of tongues in its ways of expression and the richest in vocabulary.
- We know of no human being other than a prophet who encompasses all knowledge of the Arabic language.
- He mentioned al-Shafi’i’s statement in al-Risala: “No one encompasses the language except a prophet.”
- However great the Companions’ knowledge of the language of the Arabs, there may have been words of the Arabs’ language that they did not know.
- He mentioned the story of ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas and the word infatarat.
- Language is like the Sunnah: just as no single person has comprehended all of the Sunnah, no single person has comprehended all of the language.
- He mentioned the story of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and the hadith of seeking permission three times.
- He mentioned the story of the grandmother with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and the hadith of giving her one sixth.
- He mentioned the issue of whether paying zakah is a condition for the inviolability of one’s property.
- The claim of blind followers that such-and-such imam encompassed knowledge of the Law, and that someone like him could not be unaware of this matter, is a false statement that is impermissible.
- The Arabic language is an ancient, cohesive language that has preserved its origins.
- A refutation of the calls to create a new language or to write the Qur’an in colloquial dialect.
- The Arabic language has more than seventy thousand words.
- Encouragement to take pride in the Arabic language and to use it.
The scholars and their ranks:
- The scholars are of ranks: among them are those who have gathered most of the knowledge, and those who have gathered less.
- The fact that some sunnahs escaped the one who gathered most of them is not a reason for seeking his knowledge from those outside his rank.
- Knowledge is sought from peers of the same rank.
- He mentioned the story of Imam Malik with ‘Abd Allah ibn Wahb concerning the hadith of passing water between the toes in ablution.
- He mentioned that Imam Abu Hanifa did not hold that there is a prayer for seeking rain (istisqa’), because the hadith about it had not reached him.
- Scholars differ in the breadth of their knowledge, their grasp of it, and their acquisition of it.
- It is not permissible to object to the view of an imam except by citing an imam of his rank or higher, or by a text and clear proof.
- He mentioned the example of Abu Yusuf’s objection to the legitimacy of the prayer of fear after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and the response to him with the hadith and the practice of the Companions.
The people of the Arabic tongue:
- Here there is a precise concept of what is meant by the people of the Arabic tongue.
- They are not only the people of the Arabian Peninsula; rather, everyone who has accepted the Arabic tongue and speaks it is one of its people.
- He mentioned the example of Imam al-Bukhari and Sibawayh.
- A refutation of those who said that the people of the Levant are of non-Arab origins and that the Arabic language was imposed on them.
- Holding fast to the Arabic language and taking pride in it.
- He mentioned some verses that show the honor of the Arabic language, such as the verses: “And indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’an] is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] has brought it down upon your heart, [O Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners - in a clear Arabic language” (Ash-Shu’ara 26:192-195); the verse: “And thus We have revealed it as an Arabic legislation” (Ar-Ra’d 13:37); the verse: “And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur’an that you may warn the Mother of Cities [i.e., Makkah] and those around it” (Ash-Shura 42:7); the verses: “Ha, Meem. By the clear Book, indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand” (Az-Zukhruf 43:1-3); the verse: “[It is] an Arabic Qur’an, without any deviance that they might become righteous” (Az-Zumar 39:28); the verse: “And We certainly know that they say, ‘It is only a human being who teaches him [i.e., the Prophet ﷺ].’ The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this [recitation, i.e., Qur’an] is [in] a clear Arabic language” (An-Nahl 16:103); and the verse: “And if We had made it a foreign [i.e., non-Arabic] Qur’an, they would have said, ‘Why are its verses not explained in detail [in our language]? Is it a foreign [recitation] and an Arab [messenger]?’” (Fussilat 41:44).
Learning languages:
- A basic principle in learning languages: a language is learned only by hearing it.
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