Text Size

An Interesting Exchange of Eight Q/As about Sunnah

Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 June 2010 18:30

An Interesting Exchange Regarding the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh)

The following is an interesting chain of questions and answers regarding the above topic, which we hope our viewers will find useful.

Question 1: What is the Sunnah of the Prophet?

Question:

My question concerns the idea of Sunnah. I am not sure if people misuse the term or not. Many people define Sunnah as the way of life of the Prophet (pbuh). For this they incorporate the way the prophet did certain things and his likes and dislikes as well as what he actually ordered Muslims to do. I am confused though as to what exactly is the Sunnah of the Prophet in this regard.

Answer:

In my opinion, the term, "Sunnah" refers only to those things, which the Prophet (pbuh) generally, promoted among ALL his followers, as a part of God's guidance to man. By the above definition, A particular Hadith¹ may or may not comprise of any Sunnah. Similarly, whatever the Prophet (pbuh) did, ate, wore, ride, etc., because it was never promoted by the Prophet (pbuh) among all his followers, as Deen, is therefore, not included in the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Hadith may refer to any one or more of the Sunnahs of the Prophet, but basically, the Hadith is not the source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). The source of the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), on the contrary, is the consensus of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh)²and the practical perpetuation of the companions as well as all the subsequent generations of Muslims³. Even today, there is generally, a complete consensus as well as practical perpetuation of the Muslims all over the world regarding the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

Examples of Sunnah, among a number of other things include:

Number of obligatory rak'ah in our daily prayers,
Takbeer e Tehreemah at the beginning of our prayers,
Bathing, takfeen and Jinazah prayers for the dead, Eid Prayers and their rak'ah, etc.

Moiz Amjad

31st December 1997

[1] A term used for narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pubh).

[2] i.e., no noticeable difference of opinion has been reported among them, in the particular matter.

[3] i.e., the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as the later generations of Muslims has practically adhered to it, without any noticeable deviation.

Question 2: The Difference between Hadees and Sunnah

Question:

Brother, please realize that Hadith that were collected by the most honorable of men, such as Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, are named Sahih for that reason. They are true, and the Sunni Muslims take them to be accurate reporting of the words of the Prophet (may peace be upon him). The science of the Hadith is vast, and requires a lifetime to truly understand. If we took the Hadith merely to be words that are 'ascribed' to him, then much of the Sharia'h would not exist nor have any background.

Abu Bakr, being an intimate companion of the Prophet (may peace be upon him), narrated few hadith in light of the fact that he was very close to the Prophet (pbuh). He, and as the other narrators of Hadith, were so in fear of misquoting the Prophet (S), that he only narrated those instances where he knew the entire conversation by heart. Many Hadith were not included in the Sahih just because of the fact that the narrators were not sure of a single word.The Qur'an itself was compiled by the very people who narrate the Hadith, as it was not in written form until the Caliphate of Abu Bakr as-Saddiq. The same people who memorized and narrated the Qur'an word for word, related Hadith word for word. The narrators of hadith were great scholars, who had memorized the entire Qur'an and many other Hadith besides their own. Please take this into account when responding to the Christian.

Answer:

It was the divinely ordained duty of the Prophet (pbuh) to deliver the message of God to all those present. It is a part of the Muslim faith that he fulfilled his duty to the ultimate possible level, under the direct guidance of God. If we look at the contents of Islam, we can see that all the teachings of the Prophet , that have been transmitted to us can be easily categorized into three groups:

The Oral narrative of those teachings, which were taught and given to all and sundry. This narrative has been transferred to us, without any alteration, through the consensus and oral perpetuation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Even today, with all the differences among the Muslim sects, there is consensus among all Muslims that the Qur'an is the oral narrative of these teachings of the Prophet (pbuh).
Those practical teachings, which were given to all and sundry. These teachings have been transferred to us, without any alteration, through the consensus and practical perpetuation of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Even today, there is consensus among Muslims regarding these practical teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) and to a great extent there still exists a practical perpetuation on these issues too. These issues include:

Mentioning God's name and then eating and drinking with the right hand;
Greeting one another with "Assalaam Alaikum"¹ and responding to such greeting with "Wa Alaikum Assalaam"²;
Saying "Alhamdulillah"³ after sneezing and responding to it with "YarhamukAllah"⁴;
Saying Adhan⁵ in the right ear of a new born baby and saying Iqamah⁶ in his left ear;
Slaughtering animals in a way that most of the blood is drained from their bodies;
The Nikah (Marriage) ceremony;
Delivering the Nikah sermon;
Trimming moustaches;
Shaving the pubic hair;
Shaving hair from under the armpits;
Circumcising the male offspring;
Clipping nails;
Cleaning the nose, the mouth and the teeth;
Cleaning the body after urination and defecation;
The ceremonial bath (ghusl-e-janabah) after sexual intercourse or orgasm;
Bathing the dead before burial;
Shrouding a dead body;
Burying the dead;
Wudhu (ablution);
Tayammum⁷;
Adhan⁸;
Iqamah⁹ before the prayers;
Building and overseeing of mosques for prayers;
The five obligatory prayers;
The Jum`ah congregation;
The Eid Prayers;
The Janazah¹⁰ Prayers;
Fasting; Aitikaf¹¹;
Eid al-fitr
Sadqah of Eid al-fitr;
Zaka'h;
Hadi (Sacrificial animals brought to the Ka`bah);
Tawaf (Circumambulating the Ka`bah);
Sanctity of the Ka`bah;
The sacred months;
Hajj and Umrah;
Eid al-Adha;
Sacrificing animals on Eid al-Adha;
Saying Takbirs after prayers during the days of Tashriq¹²;

Besides these two sources, because of the extra ordinary importance of the person of the Prophet (pbuh) among the Muslims, people started recording his actions, sayings, responses to questions asked, approvals etc. The Prophet (pbuh) never persuaded or directed the recording of these things. This recording was initiated by the Muslims, themselves. Later on, the same extra-ordinary importance of the person of the Prophet (pbuh) prompted the Muslims to transfer these sayings to the subsequent generations. These recordings of sayings etc. were sometimes oral and sometimes written. However, these narratives were, generally, not a verbal transmission of the sayings (etc.) of the Prophet (pbuh), they were rather the transmission of the meanings perceived and understood by the narrators. These narratives, besides a few other things, constitute what is called "Akhbar-e-ahaad" (i.e. narratives of a few people) and sometimes "Hadith".

On the basis of the above explanation, we may note that the Qur'an , because of its verbal transmission, and the Sunnah, because of its practical transmission, are not dependent on the interpretation of the transmitters. It is, therefore, that in these two spheres there exists no difference among the Muslims and these entail no teachings that are contradictory to each other. On the other hand, hadith, because it is the narrative of the Prophet 's sayings, actions, approvals etc. as perceived and understood by the narrators may sometimes, because of a misperception, misinterpretation, misunderstanding or an errant communication of any one or more of the narrators in the chain that transmits that particular hadith, be incorrect and contradictory with the Qur'an, the Sunnah or other hadiths.

In my opinion, therefore, the total basic content of Islam, which the Prophet (pbuh) was ordained to teach to all those present is completely found in the Qur'an and the Sunnah alone. Hadith, because of its very nature (of transmission), cannot add to, alter or subtract from this basic content of Islam that we have in the shape of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Whatever exists in the body of Hadith, besides a historical account of the life and times of the Prophet (pbuh), is basically related to:

the explanation and clarification of the directives given in the Qur'an and the Sunnah; and
the ideal example set by the Prophet (pbuh) in carrying out the directives of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

In my opinion, therefore, Hadith is of great value as it can, sometimes, teach us how the Prophet (pbuh) understood and explained Islam and what was his excellent example (uswah-e-hasanah) in carrying out the directives of Islam. But, even with this importance, in my opinion, Hadith cannot add to the total basic body of Islam, which is restricted to what has been transmitted to us in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

As far as your question: "what hadith do you think are fundamental", is concerned, I would like to stress here that all hadith hold equal importance in my eyes. All those narratives that are not against the directives or any information provided by the Qur'an , the Sunnah, the established scientific or historical
facts and have reached us through reliable sources may be considered as accurate narratives of the sayings, actions, approvals etc. of the Prophet (pbuh).

Moiz Amjad
5th June 1998

[1] i.e. 'Peace be upon you all'.

[2] i.e. 'And upon you be peace too'.

[3] i.e. 'All gratitude is due toward God'.

[4] i.e. 'May God bless you/have mercy upon you'.

[5] Adhan is the public call for prayers.

[6] Iqaamah is the announcement of the commencement of prayers.

[7] A symbollic representation of ablution, using dry earth, in case of the unavailability of water.

[8] Making a public call for prayers, through stipulated words.

[9] Making the announcement of the commencement of prayers, through stipulated words.

[10] This is a prayer for the forgiveness and salvation of a dead person. This prayer is offered before the burial of the corpse.

[11] Ai`tikaaf is a form of worship, in which a person remains in seclusion, generally, in a mosque, for sometime.

[12] A few days following the Hajj.

Question 3: A Further Clarification

Question:

I have read your articles on the difference between Sunnah and Hadith. Please clarify the major difference between the transmission between Sunnah and Hadith. After all, the Prophet (PBUH) is not present with us. Therefore, his actions are "reported" to us through the same channels as his words are. The practice of the Ummah is obviously based on the communication received through the same sources as Hadith.

If we need to rely on the same criteria and sources of communication for Sunnah as we do for Hadith, why Sunnah does not have similar variations and
differences as we find in Hadith? Whether it is an action of the Prophet or his word, the channels of communications are the same, if I understand correctly. Why then the same channels reporting Hadith have so much variation compared with the Sunnah?

Finally, one more time, please help me understand that if the sources, channels and the people reporting to us the actions of the Prophet and his words, why Sunnah is considered a more authentic source of Islam and not the Hadith?

May Allah reward you for your efforts. Aameen.

Answer:

There are a few differences between Sunnah and Hadith, due to which the two sources of information cannot command the same importance or reliability in the transmission of the Shari`ah. These differences are summarized (in one of our earlier responses) as follows:

In contrast to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, the Prophet (pbuh), generally, did not encourage people to record and transmit his sayings entailed in Hadith. The work of narrating and subsequently that of compiling these narratives was done, not because of any directive of the Prophet (pbuh) to the effect, but by the respective people, on their own accord.
The more well known and respected among the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) did not consider the reporting, the compilation and the transmission of Hadith to have any religious significance¹. Had that not been the case, there would predictably have been an active effort on their part to collect the scattered sayings ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) and they would have compiled the authentic and the correct among these sayings in a volume.
In contrast to the transmission of the Qur'an and that of the Sunnah², Hadith has been transmitted by only one or a few persons in each generation.
In contrast to the transmission of the Qur'an and that of the Sunnah, the transmission of Hadith is critically dependant on not only the correct understanding and perception of the narrators but also their correct and unblemished reporting of that saying or incident. This really implies that even if the chain of narrators comprises of absolutely reliable, honest and intelligent individuals - even those of the caliber of Abu Bakr and Umar (ra) - one can still not be certain about the accuracy of the reported incident or saying. We know that even the most honest, reliable and intelligent individuals are prone to making mistakes in understanding as well as in narrating their understanding.
The variance in the standards of the various scholars and compilers of Hadith relating to the acceptability of a narrative as correctly ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh); their mutual differences in the strictness of the application of these standards; their compromises and variations in accepting narratives, which did not fully meet their standards; and their understanding and interpretation of the Qur'an and the text of the reported narratives is in itself an evidence that the work of these compilers and scholars, like that of the Muslim jurists, is based on their own particular interpretation, understanding and appreciation of the problem and should, therefore, not be given divine sanctity. Matters relating to human understanding and the application of such understanding are always open for discussion as well as difference of opinion³.

If you consider each of these points closely, you shall see that Hadith, in contrast to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), due to the factors inherent in its transmission overtime cannot be considered an independent source of the Islamic Shari`ah⁴.

It is quite obvious that if Hadith was to be placed as an independent source of the Islamic Shari`ah, the Prophet (pbuh) would have made the same arrangement of teaching and securing his sayings as was made for the Qur'an and the Sunnah, so that no part of the Shari`ah was left at the understanding of the narrators of Hadith or at the criteria of the various Muhadditheen. It is also quite predictable that if Hadith was considered by the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) as an independent source of the Shari`ah, the more accomplished and the more well-known among the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) would have made special arrangements for the collection and recording of the narratives of the Prophet (pbuh). In the same manner as the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), had Hadith been an independent source of the Islamic Shari`ah, its transmission would have been in an uninterrupted perpetual chain from one generation to the other; it would obviously not have been transmitted overtime by scattered individual narratives in each generation. Furthermore, had Hadith been an independent source of the Shari`ah, its transmission to the subsequent generations would not have been left to the understanding, perception and consequent reporting of individuals, which always entailed chances of errors and mistakes. Finally, had Hadith entailed an independent and essential element of the Shari`ah, the Prophet (pbuh) would then have left an official corpus of Hadith with his companions and would not have left the acceptance or rejection of any given Hadith at the discretion and understanding of later scholars and Muhadditheen.

These, in my opinion, are some of the major differences in the transmission of the Qur'an and the Sunnah and that of Hadith, which evidence the fact that Hadith, with all the invaluable information that it might entail, was never delivered by the Prophet (pbuh) as an independent source of the Islamic Shari`ah.

Moiz Amjad
November 20, 2000

[1] As they had done in the case of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

[2] The transmission of the Qur'an and the Sunnah is not dependant upon the understanding and perception of individuals. Firstly, the transmission of the Qur'an and the Sunnah is not the transmission of one's understanding of a particular verse of the Qur'an or of an action of the Prophet (pbuh), but is actually the transmission of the very words of the Qur'an and the very words of the Prophet (pbuh).

[3] The mere fact that the work of compilation of narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), continued even after such legendry works as "Sahih Bukhari" and "Sahih Muslim" is in itself an evidence that these works were not considered as final words, even by the contemporaries of these great Muslim scholars or by those, who immediately followed them.

[4] There is no doubting the fact that Hadith is one of the primary sources of the life, times, general teachings and general practices of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as the prevalent socio-religious and socio-moral environment. It is indeed the primary and the most authentic source of the Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as that of Muslim history of the time of the inception of the Muslim Ummah.

Question 4: The Connotation in which the term ‘Sunnah’ is used in Hadith

Question/Comments:

I was looking in the Hadith literature to find in what connotation did the Prophet (pbuh) and companions used the term Sunnah. I found that the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and Muhadittin scholars have used Sunnah to include all the minor actions, details of the Prophet (pbuh).This means that term Sunnah as found in the Hadith literature is very much in line with the classical definition of the Sunnah rather than your definition of Sunnah.

Please look at the hadiths below:

Yahya related to me from Malik from Sadaqa ibn Yasar that al-Mughira ibn Hakim saw Abdullah ibn Umar sit back from the two sajdas of the prayer onto the top of his feet. When he had finished, al-Mughira mentioned it to him, and Abdullah ibn Umar explained, "It is not a Sunnah of the prayer. I do it because I am ill." (Book 3, Number 3.13.53, Malik Muatta)

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim that Abdullah ibn Umar told him that he used to see Abdullah ibn Umar cross his legs in the sitting position of the prayer. He said, "So I did the same, and I was young at the time. Abdullah ibn Umar forbade me and said, 'The Sunnah of the prayer is that you keep your right foot vertical and lay your left foot down.' I said to him, 'But you do the same (as I did).' He said, 'My feet do not support me" (Book 3, Number 3.13.54, Malik Muatta)

In the above hadith, even placing of the feet vertical during Tashahud position is also considered as a Sunnah. Such minor details are fixed in prayer.

Narrated Al-Barraa: The Prophet said (on the day of Idal-Adha), "The first thing we will do on this day of ours, is to offer the ('Id) prayer and then return to slaughter the sacrifice. Whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunnah (tradition), and whoever slaughtered (the sacrifice) before the prayer, what he offered was just meat he presented to his family, and that will not be considered as Nusak (sacrifice)." (On hearing that) Abu Burda bin Niyar got up, for he had slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, and said, "I have got a six month old ram." The Prophet said, 'Slaughter it (as a sacrifice) but it will not be sufficient for any-one else (as a sacrifice after you). Al-Bara' added: The Prophet said, "Whoever slaughtered (the sacrifice) after the prayer, he slaughtered it at the right time and followed the tradition of the Muslims. (Volume 7, Book 68, Number 453, Bukhari)

Narrated Sa'id bin 'Ubada Al-Ansari: that he consulted the Prophet about a vow that had been made by his mother who died without fulfilling it. The Prophet gave his verdict that he should fulfill it on her behalf. The verdict became Sunnah (i.e. the Prophet's tradition). (Volume 8, Book 78, Number 689, Bukhari)

In the above hadith, even a saying of the Prophet (pbuh) is regarded as Sunnah by the companions of the Prophet (pbuh).

Narrated Anas bin Malik: A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my Sunnah is not from me (not one of my followers)." (Volume 7, Book 62, Number 1, Bukhari)

In the above hadith, marriage is considered as a Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). But I read in one of your response that marriage for a person is not compulsory and he can remain unmarried throughout his life if he wishes to do so. Doesn't the verdict contradict the above hadith.

Regards,

Ameen
India

Answer:

One of the most important points in the proper understanding of the language of the Qur'an and that of the sayings ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), in
particular, and any other literature, in general, is that when it uses a particular word as a 'term' or in a meaning, which is more qualified than the literal meaning of that word, it does not automatically imply that it would never use that particular word in its commonly used literal meaning.

Keeping the foregoing clarification in perspective, if we take a look at the literal meaning of the word 'Sunnah', it means the generally treaded path. Over time, it came to be used for a common practice of a person a group or a culture. Parallel to this general literal connotation, 'Sunnah' is also a religious term. In its literal meaning, the word 'Sunnah' can be used for any regular - and even not so regular - practices of the Prophet (pbuh) and it can also be used for any actions which are in accordance with the teachings or recommendations of the Prophet (pbuh). Similarly, the phrase 'Sunnah among the Muslims' can be used for any practice adopted by the Muslims.

Thus, from a literal perspective, the Prophet's style of placing his feet during tashahhud may be considered as a 'Sunnah' of the Prophet (pbuh). Nevertheless, if the Prophet (pbuh) did not prescribe a specific style of placing one's feet during tashahhud, for all the Muslims, then the style of the
Prophet (pbuh) cannot be considered as a matter of the Shari`ah. Similarly, a practice recommended by the Prophet (pbuh) may be considered as his 'Sunnah', using the word in its common literal sense. However, this recommendation of the Prophet (pbuh) may or may not be a considered as a 'Sunnah' - in the sense of the term of the Shari`ah.

In the light of the foregoing explanation, consider the following narrative:

It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Offer [supererogatory] prayers before Maghrib.' The Prophet repeated this sentence three times. When he repeated the words the third time, he added: 'Whoever wants to do so', fearing that people might construe it as 'Sunnah'. (Bukhari; Rakmal Hadith 1128)

It is obvious that if the word 'Sunnah', as a term of the Shari`ah, was used generally for all the practices, likes, dislikes, preferences, recommendations and sayings of the Prophet (pbuh), then offering supererogatory Rak`ahs before the Maghrib prayers could safely be termed as his 'Sunnah'. Yet we see that it is not.

I hope my explanation would clarify the usage of words in varying connotations in a piece of literature and, thereby, remove the confusion that this varying usage can, sometimes, cause.

As for your last comment, in the last cited narrative, the word 'Sunnah' is not used for 'marriage' but is, in fact, used for the general balanced attitude
of the Prophet (pbuh) towards life.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Moiz Amjad
June 1, 2002

Question 5: Why should Hadith be considered as a part of Islam/Shariah?

Question/Comments:

Thus far, you explained in various responses that Hadith is not a primary source of Islam but it is a part of Islam and Shariah. Drawing an analogy with all
the arguments you raised for not considering Hadith as a "primary source" of Islam/Shariah, the following questions are raised in considering Hadith as a
part of Islam/Shariah:

If Hadith because of its unreliability cannot become an independent source of Shariah, how can it become part of Islam or Shariah?
How could we accept Hadith, which is historical accounts that were compiled by men who were not authorized by the Prophet (pbuh) as a part of Islam?
If a person believes only in Quran and established Sunnah and disregards all Hadiths as a part of Islam will he be a sinner according to Qur'an?
Since Quran had ordered Muslims to emulate the best example set by Prophet (pbuh) and if Hadith is the source of this information, why did not the
Prophet (pbuh) make any arrangements for it?
If Sunnah can be determined by the complete consensus of the Muslims why the Uswahe-Hasanah (best example of the Prophet) cannot be determined by the same method?

Regards,

Ameen
India

Answer:

My answers to your questions follow:

When one accepts or rejects Hadith in the clear light of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), there is then no danger of making any unauthorized additions or deletions from the basic corpus of Islam, which is entailed in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Thus, by making the Qur'an and the Sunnah as the two primary and independent sources of the basic corpus of Islam, and then accepting narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) in the light of the information entailed in these two primary sources, we remove, to the possible extent, the vulnerability, which was inherent in the transmission of Hadith. As for whether or not a particular Hadith is a part of Islam or not, it depends entirely upon the content reported in that Hadith as well as upon whether or not that Hadith is accepted to be reliable by the individual, who is taking the decision.
Hadith is not merely 'historical accounts' but is the historical account relating to the life and times of the Prophet of Islam. Thus, if considered reliable in the light of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, it can have an obvious impact upon one's interpretation and views regarding Islam. Hadith, for instance, entails information about the Prophet's interpretation and application of the directives of the Qur'an. Obviously, the interpretation and the application of the directives of the Qur'an are a 'part' of Islam, but this interpretation and application clearly has to be within the scope of the directive entailed in the Qur'an. As a result, the interpretation and the application of a Qur'anic directive ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) - even though it is a part of Islam - shall remain secondary and subordinate to the original directive of the Qur'an and shall be accepted as correctly ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) only after one is satisfied that the original directive entailed in the Qur'an accepts that interpretation/application, which is ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh).
Whether or not such a person would be a sinner in the eyes of God would depend upon the reason for the person's ascribing to the said opinion.
The Uswah-e-Hasanah of the Prophet (pbuh), by its very nature is an extension of the directives entailed in the Qur'an, the Sunnah or the human nature (morality). The Uswah-e-Hasanah does not entail any independent part of Islam. Therefore, it was not essential for the Prophet (pbuh) to make any special arrangements for the transmission of the 'Uswah-e-Hasanah'. As for the directive of the Qur'an relating to 'Uswah-e-Hasanah', it has itself explained the particular aspect of the Prophet's life, which it has referred to as an 'Uswah' for the Muslims.
The nature and the significance of the two - that is, the Sunnah and the Uswah-e-Hasanah of the Prophet (pbuh) - are poles apart. The former is an independent source of Islam, while the latter entails information about the Prophet's example of living a life according to the directives entailed in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. In view of the significance of the former, the Prophet (pbuh) made special arrangements for the accurate and unhindered transmission over time, which has resulted in the complete consensus of the Muslim community regarding almost all the elements of Sunnah. No such arrangement was deemed necessary for the transmission of the Uswah-e-Hasanah.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Moiz Amjad
July 5, 2002

Question 6: Categorizing Some of the Directives of the Prophet (pbuh)

Question/Comments:

Could you please explain in which categories do the following directives of the Prophet (pbuh) mentioned in the Hadith literature fall under? Please mention

if any of the following directives is a part of Sunnah (according to your definition). Also mention if any of the following directives is not a part of Islam

Wudu is nullified after eating camel meat.
Forbiddance of eating donkey meat;
Forbiddance of cutting nails before slaughtering of animals during Dhul-Hajj;
Reciting a supplication after Azan imploring God for granting the "promised" intercession to the Prophet (pbuh) in the hereafter. Please note that the belief in the Prophet's intercession in the hereafter is an addition to the corpus of Islam.
Forbiddance of fasting during the Eid festival day. Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have called such a thing as an act of devil. If this directive of the Prophet (pbuh) is not considered as a Sunnah, then it would mean as an addition to the corpus of Islam.
Forbiddance for the progeny of the Prophet (pbuh) to accept Zakat, Sadaqah. If this directive of the Prophet (pbuh) is not considered as a Sunnah, then it would mean as an addition to the corpus of Islam.
Slaughtering animals for sacrifice is accepted only if it is done before prayer during Eid.
Belief that the "Lailathul Qadr" falls in the last 10 days of Ramadhan. Neglection of this belief will amount to missing great reward for the Ibaadat (worship) offered during this period. Inclusion of this belief in Islam is an addition to the corpus of Islam.
Forbiddance to fast in the last part of Sha'ban and on Friday alone.
Forbiddance to cut the thorny bushes, trees, hunting, killing in Mecca.

Regards,

Ameen
India

Answer:

The stated issues are discussed below:

I do not agree with those jurists, who hold that Wudu is required to be renewed after eating camel meat. It may also be noted that most of the Muslim jurists are of the opinion that eating camel meat does not break one's ablution. Discussing this issue, Shawkaniy writes:

وكذلك روى أبو داود والترمذي وهو يدل على أن الأكل من لحوم الإبل من جملة نواقض الوضوء وقد اختلف في ذلك فذهب الأكثرون إلى أنه لا ينقض الوضوء قال النووي ممن ذهب إلى ذلك الخلفاء الأربعة وابن مسعود وأبي بن كعب وابن عباس وأبو الدرداء وأبو طلحة وعامر بن ربيعة وأبو أمامة وجماهير من التابعين ومالك وأبو حنيفة والشافعي وأصحابهم

(نيل الأوطار ج: 1 ص: 252)

It (i.e. the related Hadith) has thus been reported by Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi. It implies that eating camel meat is among the things which breaks Wudu. However, there is a difference of opinion in this matter. The majority of Muslim scholars hold that doing so does not break a person's wudu. Nawawiy has said that those who do not consider camel meat to break wudu include the four caliphs, Ibn Masoud, Ubayee ibn Ka`b, Ibn Abbas, Abu Dardaa, Abu Talha, Aamir ibn Rabiy`aa, Abu Imaamah and the majority among the the Tabi`yeen (the generation which followed the generation of the companions of the Prophet), Imam Malik, Abu Hanifah and Shafi`iy as well as their associates.

In the related narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), the Arabic word Wudu seems to have been used in a more literal, rather than a juristic sense,
implying thoroughly washing of hands and mouth after eating camel meat. Seen in this perspective, the related directive of the Prophet (pbuh) is a part of general etiquette relating to cleanliness rather than one of the Shari`ah.

The prohibition of eating the flesh of a donkey is in fact an explanation of a natural prohibition rather than a prohibition of the Shari`ah. The prohibition
of the Shari`ah with regard to edibles, as is clearly mentioned in the Qur'an, is restricted to four items only. Thus, the related directive of the Prophet
(pbuh) is a part of the Prophet's clarification of man's inherent nature especially with reference to eatable animals.

There is no restriction of cutting nails etc. during the first ten days of Dhul Hajj except upon those who intend to undertake Hajj.

It is not the concept of intercession, but the concept of such intercession that results in the negation of justice that is alien to Islam. Intercession which seeks God's mercy for those, who deserve it is not alien to Islam¹.

Eid day is a day of festivity. Fasting on the Eid day is against the very concept of 'Eid'. In the related directives, the Prophet (pbuh) has only expressed
the obvious that one should not fast on the day of Eid. Thus, the related directive of the Prophet (pbuh) should be seen as a further elaboration of the very concept and spirit of Eid.

The forbiddance of Zaka'h for the progeny of the Prophet (pbuh) is only a means of promoting an equitable distribution of Zaka'h. Had the Prophet (pbuh) not restricted the Muslims from doing so, there was a possibility that Zaka'h funds may have concentrated with the family and progeny of the Prophet (pbuh).

Slaughtering the animal after offering the Eid prayers is a Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

The Qur'an has informed us that the revelation of the Qur'an was initiated on the Laylatul Qadr. Because the Prophet (pbuh) knew that the revelation of the Qur'an was initiated during the last few days of Ramadan, it was easily determined that the Laylatul Qadr fell somewhere in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. Thus, the related information entailed in Hadith is only an application of the information given in the Qur'an.

The Prophet (pbuh) has discouraged people from fasting during the last part of Sha`baan as a means of promoting them to prepare and save all his vitality for fasting during the month of Ramadan. The related directive of the Prophet (pbuh) is clearly one based on general experience and wisdom. As for the 'forbiddance' of fasting on Fridays, it seems that it was for the purpose of discouraging the companions from making a routine of fasting on a particular day of the week, as otherwise the practice could have been perceived by later Muslims as a practice recommended by Islam.

The reverence of the city of Mekkah, which includes the general prohibition of destroying any form of life within its boundaries is a part of the Sunnah of
the Prophet (pbuh).

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Moiz Amjad
July 18, 2002

[1] For details, please refer to one of my earlier responses to a related question titled: "Regarding Intercession on the Day of Judgment".

Question 7: Further Clarification regarding the Categorization of the Directives of the Prophet (pbuh)

Question/Comments:

The reason behind the forbiddance of Zakat for the progeny of the Prophet (pbuh), forbiddance of fasting during the Eid festival day is acceptable. But
according to the Qur'an (66:1), Prophet (pbuh) cannot forbid anything - whatever may be the wisdom behind the directives- on his own accord. This obviously means that the referred prohibitions are a commandment of God. Hence either the directives should be considered as Sunnah or Hadith should be considered as an independent source of Islam because this prohibition is external to Quran and Sunnah.

As for the intercession of the Prophet (pbuh) in the hereafter, the cited verses of Surah At-Taubah (9:100-102) deal with the Prophet (pbuh)'s prayer for the Muslims when he was alive. It is not related to the Prophet (pbuh)'s prayer in the hereafter. Intercession is not alien to Qur'an but belief in the Prophet (pbuh)'s intercession specifically is in fact alien to the Qur'an.

Regarding the Lailathul Qadr, the information that the "Prophet (pbuh) knew that the revelation of the Qur'an was initiated during the last few days of Ramadan" is again only from Hadith. At most what we can say from the Quran is that the "Lailathul Qadr" falls somewhere in Ramadhan.

Kindly offer your thoughts.

Wassalam,

Ameen
India

Answer:

If you look closely at the explanation that I have given, you shall see that neither of the two 'prohibitions' - relating to Zaka'h and Eid - is independent of the very concept and spirit of Zaka'h and Eid. Such directives, according to my understanding, can in no case be considered as independent of the original overall directive on the related issue. Thus, for instance, anyone who understands the spirit and concept of Sala'h can easily see that the very concept of Sala'h requires a person to cut-off all unnecessary communications with the outside world, while offering Sala'h. For such a person, the directive of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding restraint from talking and responding to the greetings of others while offering prayers is only a clarification of the very spirit of Sala'h rather than an independent and/or additional directive of Islam. However, a person who does not understand the spirit of Sala'h can easily be prone to interpreting this directive as an additional directive of the Shari`ah. Similarly, every person who understands the spirit of festivity entailed in the concept of Eid, the Prophet's directive against fasting on this day of festivity would only be a clarification of the very spirit of Eid, but for a person who has not fully understood the concept of Eid would, obviously, interpret this directive as an addition to the corpus of Islam. Likewise, for all those who understand the spirit of equity that should always remain alive in the distribution of Zaka'h, any of the Prophet's directives, which further ensures this equity would be interpreted only as one safeguarding the very spirit of the initial directive.

As for the concept of 'intercession', if one has fully understood its justification, independent of the concept of the life of this world or that of the hereafter, then one would have no problem in the placement of the related narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) within the scope specified in the Qur'an. Obviously, if the Prophet's prayers and supplications during the life of this world can benefit any deserving people in the hereafter, then I do not understand what is 'alien' in the idea that the Prophet's supplications and prayers during the life hereafter shall also benefit the deserving people in the hereafter.

As for the specification of the Laylatul Qadr, you write:

... the information that the "Prophet (pbuh) knew that the revelation of the Qur'an was initiated during the last few days of Ramadan" is again only from Hadith.

The Prophet's knowledge of the time of initiation of revelation of the Qur'an was not through Hadith, but through personal experience of this initiation. We should not forget that:

The Qur'an was revealed upon the Prophet (pbuh);
The Prophet (pbuh) practically experienced the revelation of the Qur'an;
It is quite predictable and understandable that the Prophet (pbuh) would have had an idea of the time of the year when the revelation of the Qur'an was initiated;

Keeping the three stated points in mind, if the Qur'an informs us that its revelation was initiated on a night called 'Laylatul Qadr', then why do you consider it strange that the Prophet (pbuh) - on the basis of his personal practical experience of the initiation of revelation - inform the Muslims that the Laylatul Qadr was somewhere in the last ten days of Ramadan.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Moiz Amjad
July 28, 2002

Question 8: Classification of More Directives of the Prophet (pbuh)

Question/Comments:

Could you please explain how you classify the following directives of the Prophet (pbuh) mentioned in the Hadith?

Forbiddance of giving punishment by burning in fire.
Forbiddance to recite Qur'an in Ruku during prayer.
Forbiddance to keep dog in house except for hunting, guarding and forbiddance for selling it for price.
Forbiddance for inheriting the Prophet (pbuh)'s property by his progeny.
Breaking of fast is allowed for nafl fasts at any time during fasting but not for compulsory fasts.
Allowance for shortening and combining the obligatory prayers during journey even in safety & mental rest and while staying in place after journey for 19 days. The Quranic directive allows shortening the prayer during journey while in fear.
Allowance for pregnant women to miss their fast during Ramadan and they need not keep the missed fast again.
Allowance to eat the flesh of wild asses, lizards, locusts.
Forbiddance to kill any life in Medina.
Allowance for kissing one's wife during fasting and disallowance during Aitikaf. The Qur'anic directive relating to fasting seems to suggest absolute sexual restraint.
Forbiddance to cut hand of thief unless the thing stolen is worth a fourth of a Dinar or more.

Thanks.

Regards,

Ameen
India

Answer:

Before answering your specific questions, I would like you to keep in mind that the prophet of God is not merely the deliverer of the Shari`ah and the teacher of the laws of God. In addition to this aspect of the prophet's position, he is also a model and an epitome of moral behavior and attitudes. Furthermore, these prophets of God are also normal human beings with human tastes, likes, dislikes, concepts and preferences, all of which develop under the influence of their specific backgrounds. Of these various aspects of the life of a prophet of God, only the first and the second aspect - where the prophet is a teacher of the Shari`ah and an epitome of moral and ethical behavior - with slightly varying degrees of the required obedience, command submission, compliance and following on the part of the believers. Nevertheless, while recording and narrating the respective histories and sayings of these prophets, sayings and events related to all aspects of the prophet's life are reported, without distinguishing between the aspects which require strict compliance on the part of the particular prophet's followers and those which do not.

Keeping the above clarification in mind, let us now turn to the particular issues that you have cited:

The Prophet (pbuh) has expressed his dislike for burning a person to death, as it seems to be an overly harsh punishment for one human being to implement upon another. This is clearly a moral teaching and recommendation of the Prophet (pbuh) and should not be construed as a directive of the Shari`ah. In fact, there can be instances - especially in the case of Qisas - where a criminal, as a requirement of the Shari`ah, should be sentenced to death by burning.
If a person truly appreciates the significance and meaning of Ruku and also understands the spirit of reciting the Qur'an, he can then easily understand why the Prophet (pbuh) has expressed his dislike in reciting the Qur'an while in the state of Ruku. The two actions - that is reciting the Qur'an and being in a state of Ruku - are not coherent with each other. While in a state of Ruku, a person should express the reverence of God and offer supplications, rather than communicate with God as is signified in the recitation of the Qur'an. This 'forbiddance', as you prefer to call it, is only a clarification of the spirit of the Ruku¹.
The 'forbiddance' to keep dogs seems to be a temporary directive relating to a possible clean-up operation carried-out by the community. Under these circumstances, while cleaning up the society of stray and dangerous dogs, it seems that it was directed that only dogs that are kept as pets for a reasonable purpose should be spared from the cleaning-up operation. As for selling dogs for a price, it seems to relate to a moral aspect of selling worthless things for a price, as there is generally no evidence of breeding high quality dogs among the pre-Islamic Arabs.
'Forbiddance' of inheriting the Prophet's wealth relates to the particular aspect of the life of a prophet of God. According to this aspect of the life of these prophets of God, these prophets are not meant to make and leave wealth behind them. God is directly responsible for providing for all the provisions for the prophet and his dependants². It is, in fact, this aspect of a prophet's life due to which no prophet of God undertakes any regular economic activity after the initiation of their ministry. As a result of this aspect of the life of a prophet, these prophets do not consider themselves as true owners of anything that belongs to them and, consequently, whatever they leave behind is transferred to the community as a whole, rather than to their respective families.
I do not ascribe to the opinion expressed in point no. 5.
I do not ascribe to the opinion expressed in point no. 6.
I do not ascribe to the opinion expressed in point no. 7.
The flesh of onager, iguana and locust were generally eaten by the Arabs and none of these items were expressly prohibited by the Shari`ah. Thus, these items were considered Halaal.
The Prophet (pbuh) prayed to God for granting Medinah the same status of 'peace' as was granted to Mekkah. However, there is no evidence that such a status was granted to Medinah. Muslims, however, respect life in Medinah as a show of regard to the Prophet's desire.
The Qur'an has clearly prohibited sexual intercourse while in a state of fasting. Kissing one's spouse can by no means be considered as sexual intercourse and can, therefore, neither be termed as prohibited nor as against 'absolute sexual restraint'.
The Qur'an has prescribed the punishment of severing off the hands of a thief. The words "السارق" (the male thief) and "السارقة" (the female thief), as used in the Qur'an are not used for people, who stealthily pocket worthless items or items of insignificant value. Such acts undoubtedly are immoral and may lead to greater sins, yet such acts do not qualify a person to be legally termed as a 'thief'.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Moiz Amjad
August 20, 2002

[1] This is the same kind of 'forbiddance' as directing a trainee cadet to remain absolutely silent and still while offering salute. If one truly understands the spirit of the salute, one can appreciate that the stated 'forbiddance' is inherent to the very concept of the salute.

[2] This aspect of the Prophet's life is briefly referred in Ta Ha 20: 131 - 132.

Taken with thanks from www.understanding-islam.org

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

| More...

← Obeying the Prophet

Add comment

Please only leave one comment per article. If you wish to discuss further, please use the UIUK Forum to create a thread. Before sending your comment please tell us you are human! Please reproduce the CAPTCHA text displayed in the given box below the image. Thank You.