Gifts of Knowledge

Previous post here.

Selections from the Statements of Scholars Concerning the Status of the Sunnah and the Establishment of Its Authority

Al-Bayhaqī transmitted several statements from Imām ash-Shāfiʿī on this subject, we have selected the following. Al-Bayhaqī said:

“Imām ash-Shāfiʿī, Allaah have mercy on him, said, ‘The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ is of three types. 

The first: that concerning which Allaah revealed a textual ruling in the Book, and the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ established a Sunnah identical to the text of the Book.

The second: that concerning which Allaah revealed a general statement in the Book and so the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ explained, on behalf of Allaah, what was intended by that general statement. He clarified how it was to be observed, whether generally or specifically, and how Allaah intended His servants to carry it out.

Third: what the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ established as Sunnah regarding matters for which there is no text in the Book.

So some have said that Allaah granted him this authority through His command that obedience to him is obligatory, through His prior knowledge of the success/guidance [tawfeeq] He would grant him, and through His approval that he establish Sunnah concerning matters for which there is no textual injunction in the Book.

Others said: he never established any Sunnah except that it has a foundation in the Book, such as clarifying the number of prayers and the prayer’s actions, [these detailed rulings being] based on the general [ruling on the] obligation of prayer. The same applies to what he established regarding trading and other laws, because the Most High said, “O believers! Do not devour one another’s wealth illegally, but rather trade by mutual consent. And do not kill ˹each other or˺ yourselves,” [4:28] and He said, “But Allaah has permitted trading and forbidden interest.” [2:275] Thus, whatever he permitted or forbade, he was merely clarifying on behalf of Allaah, just as he clarified the prayer.

Others have said: rather, Allaah’s revelation [risaalah] brought it to him, and so his sunnah was established through Allaah’s ordination of it.

Others have said: everything that he established as Sunnah was itself wisdom that Allaah, the Most High, cast into his heart.”

Ash-Shaafiʿī said in another place, “Allaah, the Most High, has obligated us to follow whatever he established as Sunnah, and He has made following the Prophet ﷺ an act of obedience to Him, and turning away from following him an act of disobedience for which He has excused no one. He has provided no way out for anyone from following the Sunnahs of His Prophet.”

Al-Bayhaqī said:

“Chapter: Concerning what Allaah has commanded regarding obedience to His Messenger ﷺ, and the clarification that obedience to him is obedience to Him.”

He then cited the following verses. Allaah, the Most High, said, “Surely those who pledge allegiance to you ˹O Prophet˺ are actually pledging allegiance to Allaah. Allaah’s Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfils their pledge to Allaah, He will grant them a great reward.” [48:10] And He, the Mighty and Majestic, said, “Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allaah,” [4:80] along with other clear aayahs whose meaning is that obedience to His Messenger is obedience to Him, the Most High, and disobedience to His Messenger is disobedience to Him, the Most High.

Al-Bayhaqī then cited the ḥadīth of Abū Rāfiʿ, who said that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said, “Let me not find one of you reclining on his couch, when a command of mine comes to him, either something I commanded or forbade, and he says, ‘I do not know! Whatever we found in the Book of Allaah, we followed.’” Sahih, reported by Abu Daawood and Al-Haakim.

And in the ḥadīth of al-Miqdām ibn Maʿdīkarib, it is reported, “The Prophet ﷺ prohibited certain things on the day of Khaybar, among them the domestic donkey and other things.” The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ then said, “Soon a man will recline on his couch, relating one of my sayings, and he will say, ‘Between us and you is the Book of Allaah. Whatever we find in it to be lawful, we will deem lawful, and whatever we find in it to be unlawful, we will deem unlawful.’ Indeed, whatever the Messenger of Allaah has forbidden is like what Allaah has forbidden.” Al-Bayhaqī then said, “This is a report from the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ about what would occur after him: that the innovators would reject his ḥadīths. Its truth was subsequently confirmed.”

Imām al-Bayhaqī further says in this regard, “If the authority of the Sunnah as certain proof was not firmly established, the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ would not have said in his sermon, after teaching those present the matters of their religion, ‘Let the one who is present convey it to the one who is absent, for perhaps the one to whom it is conveyed will understand it better than the one who heard it.’”

Al-Bayhaqī then transmitted, through his chain of narration, from Shabīb ibn Abī Faḍālah al-Makkī that ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn, may Allaah be pleased with him, mentioned the intercession. A man among the people said, “O Abū Najīd, you relate to us ḥadīths for which we find no basis in the Qur’an!”

So ʿImrān became angry and said to the man, “Have you read the entire Quraan?”

He replied, “Yes.”

ʿImrān said,“Did you find in it that the ʿIshāʾ prayer is four rakʿahs? That the Maghrib prayer is three? That the morning prayer is two? That the Ẓuhr prayer is four? And ʿAṣr prayer is four?”

He replied, “No.”

ʿImrān said, “From whom did you learn that? Did you not learn it from us? And did we not learn it from the Prophet ﷺ?”

He then said, “Did you find in the Quraan that for every forty sheep there is one sheep [to be given in zakāh]? Or that for every such number of camels there is such-and-such [amount]? Or that for every dirham there is such-and-such?”

And so on through the remainder of that heated exchange, in which the noble Companion silenced the questioner who had audaciously asked about something that was beyond his proper understanding, thereby deserving rebuke and instruction.

At the same time, this exchange demonstrates the extent of the appreciation that our righteous predecessors had for the Prophetic Sunnah, their defense of it, and their love for it and there is no doubt that loving his Sunnah is part of loving him ﷺ, and loving him is one of the foundations of faith, as is well known.

True and sincere love is manifested in taking an interest in his Sunnah, by acquiring knowledge of it, putting it into practice, appreciating it, using it as proof, and defending it with every means available and accessible.”

Tagged: quraniyoon