In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 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 Allah commanded of obedience to His Messenger ﷺ:
- The obligation to obey the Messenger ﷺ:
- “Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you - they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands” (Al-Fath 48:10). “He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah” (An-Nisa 4:80). These two verses indicate that pledging allegiance to the Messenger ﷺ is pledging allegiance to Allah, and that obeying him is obeying Allah.
- “But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission” (An-Nisa 4:65). Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyyah] holds that the faith negated in this verse is the very foundation of faith, not its recommended or obligatory perfection. This verse was revealed concerning a dispute between al-Zubayr and a man from the Ansar over watering date palms. This judgment of the Prophet ﷺ is considered Sunnah, and it indicates the obligation to follow his independent reasoning (ijtihad) in matters about which nothing was revealed to him.
- Some legal theorists (such as al-Shawkani) hold that following the Prophet ﷺ in his independent reasoning is obligatory even if harm results from it, because all good lies in following him.
- The well-known hadith from the Battle of Badr about the opinion of al-Hubab ibn al-Mundhir on changing the army’s position: this hadith is weak.
- The hadith in Muslim about the expedition of Tabuk and the slaughtering of the camels used for drawing water, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab’s suggestion to gather the army’s provisions, and the supplication of the Prophet ﷺ: this hadith indicates that the Prophet ﷺ did not abandon his own reasoning for ‘Umar’s, but rather it falls under prompting the imam (as when a follower prompts the imam in prayer). ‘Umar’s reasoning in this case may have been more cautious, and this is a special distinction of ‘Umar. The Qur’an agreed with ‘Umar in other places (the captives of Badr).
- At the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyah, ‘Umar’s opinion differed from that of the Prophet ﷺ, but the Prophet ﷺ insisted on his own opinion, because it was revelation from Allah.
- Abu Bakr was firmer than ‘Umar in his stance at the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyah, and this indicates that the rank of siddiqiyyah (great fidelity in following) is greater than the rank of inspiration and being spoken to (ilham and tahdith).
- The incidents in which the Prophet ﷺ left his own reasoning for someone else’s are only particular circumstances, and the Prophet ﷺ did not leave his own opinion except when he was certain that the other was the truth and correct.
- The Prophet’s ﷺ judgment in the dispute between al-Zubayr and the Ansari is considered Sunnah, and this indicates that the term “Sunnah” is broader than the term “revelation.”
- “Do not make [your] calling of the Messenger among yourselves as the call of one of you to another” (An-Nur 24:63). “So let those beware who dissent from his order, lest fitnah strike them or a painful punishment” (An-Nur 24:63). “Calling of the Messenger” here means his summoning and calling out. Opposing his command ﷺ may lead to shirk. It is not permissible to give precedence to the opinions of men over what is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The default for a Muslim is to be an adherent of the Sunnah who follows the transmitted reports (athar).
- “And when they are called to [the words of] Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, at once a party of them turns aside [in refusal]” (An-Nur 24:48). “Is there disease in their hearts? Or have they doubted? Or do they fear that Allah will be unjust to them, or His Messenger?” (An-Nur 24:50). The one in whose heart is a disease may be a hypocrite and may not be. Hearing and sight are the two paths to the heart, and it is affected by them unless the heart is sound, strong, and holding fast to Allah. The context of the verses clarifies what is meant by the one in whose heart is a disease.
- “O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see … There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking. And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, ‘Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion’” (Al-Ahzab 33:9-12). Conjunction requires distinction, so those in whose hearts is disease are other than the hypocrites.
- Calling people to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so that he may judge between them is a call to Allah’s judgment. Submitting to his judgment ﷺ is submitting to Allah’s judgment. His judgment ﷺ is Allah’s judgment. Allah the Exalted made it obligatory upon people to follow His command and the command of His Messenger, and obeying His Messenger is obeying Him.
We ask Allah for success and right guidance.
All parts of Summary of the Explanation of al-Risala by Shaykh Dr. Ahmad al-Naqeeb