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 the Exalted made known to His creation of His obligation upon His Messenger to follow what was revealed to him:
- The categories of revelation to the Prophet ﷺ:
- Revelation in which the Prophet and others share, of the legal obligations (“Establish prayer”).
- Revelation whose outward form is an address to the Prophet, while what is intended is others (“O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers”).
- Revelation specific to the Prophet ﷺ (“And a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet”).
- The obligation to follow revelation and turn away from the polytheists:
- “O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites… And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord” (Al-Ahzab 33:1-2). “Ma” (that which) here is a relative pronoun, not partitive; that is, follow everything that has been revealed to you.
- In many verses there is a close connection between the command to follow revelation and turning away from the polytheists.
- “Then We put you on an ordained way (shari’ah) concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know” (Al-Jathiyah 45:18). Shari’ah originally means a spring of water; just as people live by water, their hearts live by the Law. There is a command to follow the Law and a prohibition against following anything else.
- Many verses combine the command to follow revelation with the prohibition against opposing it by following the polytheists, the hypocrites, and desire.
- The protection (‘ismah) of the Prophet ﷺ:
- Allah the Exalted protected His Prophet from those who intended to mislead him.
- “And if it was not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you” (An-Nisa 4:113). The hypocrites want to mislead people. The effort of Satan and of the devils among humans and jinn is to mislead people.
- “And they will not harm you at all” (An-Nisa 4:113).
- “And Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and has taught you that which you did not know” (An-Nisa 4:113). Wisdom here means the Sunnah. This verse indicates that Allah sent down the Sunnah just as He sent down the Book.
- Allah the Exalted bore witness for His Prophet that he conveyed the message and was rightly guided.
- “And thus We have revealed to you an inspiration (ruh) of Our command” (Ash-Shura 42:52). Ruh here means the Qur’an, or Jibril (Gabriel), or revelation. There is no contradiction between these views.
- “You did not know what is the Book or [what is] faith, but We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants” (Ash-Shura 42:52). Revelation is light. “And indeed, you guide to a straight path” (Ash-Shura 42:52). The Prophet ﷺ guides to the straight path. The path to Allah is a straight and safe path.
- Seeking a means of approach (tawassul) through the Prophet ﷺ:
- It is permissible to seek a means of approach to Allah through righteous deeds, and among them is faith in the Prophet ﷺ.
- Responding to those who cast doubt on the Sunnah:
- A response to those who separate the Qur’an from the Sunnah.
- A response to those who do not distinguish between the writing of hadith, its recording, and its compilation.
- A response to those who accuse the hadith scholars.
- A response to those who cast doubt on solitary reports (ahad). Imam al-Shafi’i and Ibn Hazm spoke at length on this issue. Shaykh al-Albani has a treatise on using the solitary report as proof in matters of creed.
- A response to those who claim that some hadiths contradict reason (the hadith of the fly). Reason is blind and needs a guide, which is the revealed Law. [Some] deny intercession, the Basin, the Bridge, death, and the weighing [of deeds] on the claim that they contradict reason.
- A response to the attacks on the Companions, especially ‘A’ishah, Abu Hurayrah, and Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them.
- A response to setting the Sunnah against the Qur’an.
- A response to attacks on the Sunnah from the angle of its recording.
- A response to those who say that a hundred hadiths and the Qur’an are sufficient.
- The Prophet ﷺ commanded that his Sunnah be written (the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr and of Abu Shah).
- The Companions did not compile hadith at first because there was no need, and then it was compiled in the time of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz.
- There is no break in the chain of transmission (isnad).
- The obligation to submit to the judgment of the Messenger ﷺ and follow his command:
- Allah the Exalted established the proof against His creation through submission to the judgment of the Messenger of Allah and following his command.
- Whatever the Messenger of Allah established as Sunnah in matters about which Allah has no [textual] ruling, it is by Allah’s ruling that it is Sunnah.
We ask Allah for success and right guidance.
All parts of Summary of the Explanation of al-Risala by Shaykh Dr. Ahmad al-Naqeeb