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 the category whose meaning is clarified by its context:
- Context (siyaq): this refers to the sentence or to something broader than the sentence. Context may mean a single sentence, and it may mean a group of sentences. It is the setting or arrangement in which the word occurs.
- An example of context in the sense of a group of sentences: the story of the cow in the Noble Qur’an (more than fifty sentences).
- An example of context in the sense of a single sentence: the statement of the legal theorists that an indefinite noun in an affirmative context indicates unrestrictedness (itlaq).
- Example: “Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow” (Al-Baqarah 2:67). The word “cow” here is an indefinite noun in an affirmative context, so it indicates unrestrictedness, that is, any cow whatsoever. Ibn ‘Abbas said: “They were strict, so Allah was strict with them.”
- An indefinite noun in the context of negation, condition, or interrogation indicates generality.
- Example 1: “And ask them about the town that was by the sea - when they transgressed in [the matter of] the sabbath - when their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day, and the day they had no sabbath they did not come to them. Thus did We give them trial because they were defiantly disobedient” (Al-A’raf 7:163).
- This verse speaks about the story of the Children of Israel and the trial of fishing on the Sabbath.
- What is meant by “the town”: not the buildings and walls, but the people of the town. This is shown by several indicators:
- “When they transgressed in [the matter of] the sabbath”: transgression comes from those who are legally responsible, and they are the people of the town.
- “When their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day”: the pronouns refer back to the people of the town.
- “And the day they had no sabbath”: refraining from work is done by the people of the town.
- “Thus did We give them trial”: trial is for those who are legally responsible.
- “Al-hadirata al-bahr” (“that was by the sea”): “al-hadirah” is a derived noun made definite with “al-,” so it functions like a verb, that is, “hadirata al-bahr.”
- Example 2: “And how many a city which was unjust have We shattered and produced after it another people. And when they perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it. [Some angels said], ‘Do not flee but return to where you were given luxury and to your homes - perhaps you will be questioned’” (Al-Anbiya 21:11-13).
- “And how many a city which was unjust have We shattered”: the cause of destruction is injustice. “Which was unjust” is a descriptive clause for the city.
- “And when they perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it”: perceiving, being struck by the punishment, and fleeing are done by the people of the city.
- The importance of understanding what the speaker says: “The listener only wants to understand what the speaker says.” The speaker must strive to make the listener understand with the least by which he will understand. “Address people according to what they can understand.” The story of the trainee driver and his mistaken understanding of the instructor’s words is given as an example of the importance of clear speech. Every utterance carries a message, and those addressing one another are required to understand it. The simpler the expression, the better the message gets across.
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