In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, 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 al-Risala, focusing on the important points and clarifications.
Continuing the discussion of abrogation according to Imam al-Shafi’i:
- The Sunnah is abrogated only by Sunnah: Imam al-Shafi’i holds that the Sunnah is abrogated only by Sunnah like it, in contrast to the majority of scholars, who hold that the Sunnah may be abrogated by the Qur’an.
- The majority’s evidence that the Sunnah is abrogated by the Qur’an: They cite the change of the qiblah from Bayt al-Maqdis to the Ka’bah, holding that the Qur’anic verse “We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram” (Al-Baqarah 2:144) abrogated the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ of praying toward Bayt al-Maqdis.
- Imam al-Shafi’i’s response to the majority’s evidence: He holds that the Companions complied with the command to change direction because they heard the report of the Prophet ﷺ about it, not merely because the verse was revealed.
- Imam al-Shafi’i’s evidence that the Sunnah is abrogated only by Sunnah:
- The Sunnah explains what Allah intends in the Qur’an, so if a ruling in the Qur’an that the Sunnah had explained were abrogated, there would have to be another Sunnah explaining the abrogation of that Sunnah.
- Response to the claim that the Sunnah could be abrogated by the Qur’an without any abrogating Sunnah having come: If that were permissible, it would be permissible to say that the sales the Prophet ﷺ prohibited (such as the price of a dog, of a pig, and the earnings of a prostitute) had been abrogated by the verse “But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest” (Al-Baqarah 2:275), and this is false.
- A warning against bare claims of abrogation: A bare claim that the Sunnah has been abrogated, without sound evidence, may lead to demolishing many Sunnahs. Examples: the claim that the hadiths on letting the beard grow have been abrogated; or the claim that the punishment of stoning was abrogated by the verse of flogging, “The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse - lash each one of them with a hundred lashes” (Al-Nur 24:2); or the claim that the hadiths on wiping over leather socks were abrogated by the verse of ablution, “O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles” (Al-Ma’idah 5:6). Likewise the claim that the conditions for cutting off the thief’s hand were abrogated by the generality of the verse “[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands” (Al-Ma’idah 5:38).
- Response to the claim that the Sunnah could be abrogated without any abrogating Sunnah having come: If this door were opened, every hadith from the Prophet ﷺ could be rejected by claiming that an abrogating text exists that has not reached us.
- Reconciling texts is preferable to abrogation: When two texts appear to conflict, reconciling them is preferable to claiming abrogation, because reconciliation puts the texts into effect while abrogation sets them aside. Example: reconciling the hadith of ‘A’ishah, “Whoever tells you that Muhammad urinated standing has lied,” with the hadith of Hudhayfah, “I saw the Prophet ﷺ urinating while standing.”
The abrogation of the obligation of the night prayer:
- The view that an obligation regarding prayer was revealed before the five prayers: Imam al-Shafi’i reports from some scholars the view that an obligation regarding prayer was revealed before the five prayers, namely the night prayer, as in Surat al-Muzzammil: “O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] the night, except for a little - half of it - or subtract from it a little or add to it, and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation” (Al-Muzzammil 73:1–4).
- The abrogation of this obligation by the verse “He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’an” (Al-Muzzammil 73:20): Imam al-Shafi’i holds that this verse abrogated the obligation to stand in prayer for half or two-thirds of the night, and the night prayer became supererogatory.
- Using the hadith of the Bedouin as evidence that the witr prayer is not obligatory: The hadith of Talhah ibn ‘Ubayd Allah about the Bedouin who asked the Prophet ﷺ about Islam, and he told him: “Five prayers in the day and night.” The Bedouin said: “Is anything else obligatory on me?” He said: “No, unless you do so voluntarily.” This hadith indicates that the obligatory prayers are only five, and anything besides them is voluntary, such as the witr prayer.
- The hadith of ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit: “Five prayers which Allah has prescribed for His creation.”
- Conclusion: Imam al-Shafi’i used these evidences to show that the night prayer is no longer obligatory but supererogatory, and that the Sunnah made clear that the obligation of the night prayer had been abrogated. Nevertheless, it is recommended to pray much at night.
Some important benefits:
- A warning against bare claims of abrogation and their effect in demolishing the Sunnahs.
- Reconciling the evidences is preferable to abrogation.
- A refutation of those who claimed that the Sunnah is abrogated by the Qur’an without any abrogating Sunnah existing.
- An explanation of how the obligation of the night prayer was abrogated.
- Using the hadith of the Bedouin as evidence that the witr prayer is not obligatory.
We ask Allah the Exalted for acceptance and ease.
All parts of Summary of the Explanation of al-Risala by Shaykh Dr. Ahmad al-Naqeeb