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.
Chapter on what was revealed in the Book that is general in appearance and combines the general and the specific:
This chapter deals with verses whose outward wording is general but which in reality combine generality and specification. The specification here is made explicit by indicators in the wording itself, unlike the previous chapter, in which the specification was understood and inferred.
- Example 1: “Indeed, We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” (Al-Hujurat 49:13).
- “We have created you from male and female” and “made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another” indicate generality.
- “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” carries a meaning of specification, for piety (taqwa) pertains to the sane, adult children of Adam, not to other creatures, nor to those whose minds are overcome, nor to children who have not reached puberty.
- Piety is acting in obedience to Allah upon a light from Allah, hoping for Allah’s reward, and avoiding disobedience to Allah upon a light from Allah, fearing Allah’s punishment.
- The hadith “The pen has been lifted from three…” is evidence that legal obligations are directed at sane adults.
- Example 2: “Decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of other days [are to be made up]” (Al-Baqarah 2:183-184).
- “Decreed upon you is fasting” is general, but the sick and travelers are excluded from it.
- “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times” (An-Nisa 4:103) is general, but the insane and young boys are excluded from it.
- The similarity of this chapter to the previous chapter: both contain a specification that is not made explicit but is understood. The following chapter, however, will be clearer in indicating specification.
- Attributing chapter headings to the author: the default is to attribute everything in a book to its author unless evidence establishes otherwise. The example is given of the story of the book al-Usul wa al-Furu’ by Ibn Hazm, and how it was confirmed that part of it had been inserted into it falsely, by verifying the chains of transmission and comparing it with the rest of his books.
- General wording by which the specific is intended:
- Example: “By time, indeed, mankind is in loss” (Al-‘Asr 103:1-2). The outward wording is general, but what is meant is the human species, not every single individual of it.
- A word may be used to mean what its meaning entails (the meaning of the meaning). Example: “So-and-so’s dog does not bark” (the literal meaning is not intended, but rather generosity and a great number of visitors). “So-and-so’s hair has turned very grey” (old age).
- Example 3: “Those to whom people said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But it [merely] increased them in faith” (Al ‘Imran 3:173).
- “People” the first time (“those to whom people said”) refers to a small group from Quraysh (the informers).
- “People” the second time (“indeed, the people have gathered against you”) refers to the army of Quraysh (those reported about).
- Thus, the wording is general but the specific is intended by it.
- Example 4: “Have the people been amazed that We revealed [revelation] to a man from among them, [saying], ‘Warn mankind’” (Yunus 10:2).
- “The people” the first time (“have the people been amazed”) refers to the people of Quraysh who were amazed at the sending of the Prophet ﷺ.
- “Mankind” (al-nas, “the people”) the second time (“warn mankind”) refers to people generally, to whom the Prophet ﷺ was sent.
- This verse combines specification and generality in the word “al-nas.”
- Knowledge encompasses the truthfulness of a report even if not everyone has heard it. Example: the report of the existence of the city of Baghdad. The mass-transmitted (mutawatir) hadith is an example of this.
- The connecting hamzah and the disjunctive hamzah: the method of distinguishing the connecting hamzah (hamzat al-wasl) from the disjunctive hamzah (hamzat al-qat’) by placing a waw before the word is explained.
- Example 5: “Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart” (Al-Baqarah 2:199).
- It cannot be that all people are meant; rather, what is meant is the pilgrims who were at ‘Arafah.
- The importance of understanding what the speaker says: the speaker must strive to make the listener understand. “Address people according to what they can understand.” The story is told of the trainee driver and his mistaken understanding of the instructor’s words.
- Example 6: “whose fuel is people and stones” (At-Tahrim 66:6).
- Not all people are meant, but only some of them, as evidenced by the verse: “Indeed, those for whom the best [reward] has preceded from Us - they are from it far removed” (Al-Anbiya 21:101).
This is a summary of what was presented in this part. We ask Allah for success and right guidance.
All parts of Summary of the Explanation of al-Risala by Shaykh Dr. Ahmad al-Naqeeb