In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 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 covered in this part of the explanation of al-Risalah by Imam al-Shafi’i, focusing on the important points and clarifications.
Imam al-Shafi’i’s manners and his method of writing:
The session opens with praise of Imam al-Shafi’i’s manners, both as a trait of his character and as a method he followed in writing his books.
- Features of al-Shafi’i’s writings: Among the features of his writings mentioned are the absence of tedious length, and the absence of jibes, innuendo, or convoluted expression; rather, his is precise scholarly language that neither strays from the truth nor departs from what is correct.
- The effect of knowledge on al-Shafi’i’s manners: It is pointed out that al-Shafi’i was refined by knowledge, so knowledge increased him in good manners, unlike some people who are not refined by knowledge but rather increase through it in wickedness or boastfulness.
- Signs of felicity and misery in one’s relationship with knowledge: It is mentioned that the sign of misery is that a person is not humbled by his knowledge, that is, he does not become humble, while the sign of felicity is that a person is humbled by his knowledge, that is, he becomes humble. Some of the Salaf are reported to have said: “Whoever is humbled by his knowledge, his knowledge remains sound for him,” and “Whoever seeks knowledge for Allah’s sake is humbled by his knowledge, and whoever seeks knowledge for other than Allah increases through it only in boastfulness or wickedness.” The saying of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is mentioned: “Fear of Allah suffices as knowledge, and being deluded about Allah suffices as ignorance.”
Types of students of knowledge in this age:
The speaker comments on the state of students of knowledge in this age and divides them into three types:
- Students of knowledge preoccupied with themselves: those who confuse personal gain with supporting the religion, imagining that serving themselves is serving the religion, and who are concerned with their personal glory and titles without offering any real benefit to the Ummah.
- Pretenders to knowledge: those who think they have some knowledge when they do not. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah likens them to the half-physician who ruins bodies, the half-linguist who ruins language, and the half-theologian who ruins religions. The saying is mentioned: “Whoever gives fatwas on everything has exposed himself.”
- An in-between type (neither this nor that): those who belong to neither the first nor the second type; perhaps their state is easier than that of the first two.
The proof for affirming the solitary report (paragraph 1001 onward):
Al-Shafi’i begins to set out the proof for affirming the solitary report, pointing to three sources:
- An explicit text of a report: that is, the text of a hadith indicating the probative force of the solitary report.
- An indication within a report: that is, a necessary indication derived from the report, whether explicit (like the text of a verse) or implied (like understanding the meaning of a verse).
- Consensus: that is, the scholars’ consensus on accepting the solitary report.
The hadith “May Allah brighten the face of a man who hears my words”:
Al-Shafi’i cites the hadith of Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Umayr from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud from his father, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “May Allah brighten the face of a man who hears my words, memorizes them, understands them, and conveys them; for perhaps one who carries knowledge (fiqh) is not himself knowledgeable, and perhaps one who carries knowledge conveys it to someone with more understanding than himself.”
- Explanation of the hadith: The hadith is explained and its importance for the probative force of the solitary report is shown: the default is that whoever hears the hadith memorizes it, understands it, and conveys it, though there may be someone who carries knowledge without understanding it, or who conveys it to someone with more understanding than himself.
- The response to those who separate narration from comprehension: A response is given to those who separate the narration of hadith (riwayah) from its comprehension (dirayah) and rank the jurists above the hadith scholars. It is shown that the hadith scholar is not merely a narrator, but one who has studied the hadith and understood it, and that the people of hadith are the most fortunate of people in knowledge and the most knowledgeable of Allah’s religion.
The hadith “Three things over which a Muslim’s heart does not harbour rancour”:
He cites the hadith: “Three things over which a Muslim’s heart does not harbour rancour (la yaghillu): sincerity of deeds for Allah, sincere counsel to the Muslims, and holding fast to their community (jama’ah).”
- Explanation of the meaning of yaghillu: It is explained that yaghillu comes either from ghill (rancour and suppressed resentment) or from ighlal (shackles).
- Commentary on the saying of the Exalted: “And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment” (Surat al-Hijr 15:47): It is explained that Allah the Exalted purifies the hearts of the believers of rancour before they enter Paradise, and that purity of heart leads to clarity of vision and good conduct.
- Explanation of the hadith and what it shows about purity of heart: It is explained that these three traits indicate purity of heart and its cleanness from rancour, hatred, and enmity, and that holding fast to the community here means holding fast to the religion, not merely to partisan or sectarian groupings. It is pointed out that whoever separates from the community, meaning the religion, has made his blood lawful to be shed.
Conclusion:
This session sets out Imam al-Shafi’i’s manners and his method of writing, divides the students of knowledge of this age into three types, clarifies the proof for affirming the solitary report by text, indication, and consensus, and explains the hadith “May Allah brighten the face of a man who hears my words” and the hadith “Three things over which a Muslim’s heart does not harbour rancour”.
Some additional benefits:
- The importance of good manners in seeking knowledge.
- The danger of concern with personal glory and titles.
- A warning against laying claim to knowledge.
- Explaining the meaning of sincerity, sincere counsel, and holding fast to the community.
- Clarifying the meaning of rancour and its effect on the heart.
We ask Allah the Exalted to grant us success in understanding His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ, to purify our hearts of rancour, hatred, and enmity, and to make us among those who are sincere, who give sincere counsel, and who hold fast to His religion.
All parts of Summary of the Explanation of al-Risala by Shaykh Dr. Ahmad al-Naqeeb