Allah Almighty says: {Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.} [Surat al-Hashr: 7] Allah Almighty also says: {Nor does he speak out of his own desire. It is but a revelation sent down [to him].} [Surat an-Najm: 3-4] Allah Almighty also says: {Say, “If you love Allah then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 31] Allah Almighty also says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah much.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21] Allah Almighty also says: {But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they accept you [O Prophet] as judge in their disputes, and find no discomfort within their hearts about your judgments, but accept them wholeheartedly.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 65] Allah Almighty also says: {If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger} [Surat an-Nisā’: 59] Scholars said it means refer to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Allah Almighty also says: {Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah} [Surat an-Nisā’: 80] Allah Almighty also says: {And you are truly leading people to a straight path.} [Surat ash-Shūra: 52] Allah Almighty also says: {So let those who disobey his command beware lest some trial may afflict them or they may be afflicted with a painful punishment.} [Surat an-Nūr: 63] Allah Almighty also says: {And remember what is recited in your homes of Allah’s verses and [prophetic] wisdom.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 34] There are many other verses in this regard.
Sunnah means the conduct and practice of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). It includes his sayings, actions, tacit approvals, and what he refrained from. In short, Sunnah is the guidance reported from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
1) It is not possible to apply the Sunnah of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) without prior knowledge of what it is, which encourages seeking knowledge and learning the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
2) We are commanded to follow the good example of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) by not adding anything to what he legislated or removing any part of it, because both the addition and the removal are counterproductive.
3) The actions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) serve as valid evidence (to support or refute an opinion) unless there is proof that an action is exclusive to him.
4) It is obligatory to refer to Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) because it is required by faith, not to mention the good it produces for the nation and its good results in this life and in the Hereafter.
5) It is obligatory to commit and submit to the ruling of Allah’s Sharia, as it is a sign of one’s sound faith that mandates:
- Submission to the ruling of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
- To feel ease at the judgment of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
- To completely submit to the Sharia.
6) What is binding in the Sunnah is at the same level as what is binding in the Qur’an. It is impermissible for anyone to make a difference between the Qur’an and the Sunnah in terms of their legal authority. The Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Does any of you, while reclining on a couch, (casually) think that Allah did not forbid except what is in the Qur’an? Verily, by Allah, I have warned and commanded and prohibited things that are as important as what is in the Qur’an or more.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd]
156/1- First: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not ask me unnecessarily about what I did not mention to you. Verily, what destroyed those who were before you was their asking too many questions and their disagreement with their Prophets. So, if I forbid you from something, then avoid it; and if I command you to do something, then do as much of it as you can.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Asking about Sharia matters and learning the religion is an obligation on every believer. What is forbidden is to delve deep into issues that unnecessarily inconvenience the Muslim Ummah.
2) What Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) left unaddressed, it is pardoned. In other words, we are neither obliged to do it or to leave it, which reflects the Mercy of Allah Almighty towards His servants.
3) Contradicting the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is a cause for disagreement and dispute among Muslims.
157/2- Second: Abu Najīh al-‘Irbād ibn Sāriyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “One day, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) delivered to us a very eloquent sermon on account of which the hearts trembled and the eyes shed tears. We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, this is as if it were a parting advice. So advise us.’ He (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘I advise you to be pious to Allah, and to listen and obey even if a slave is appointed as your leader. Whosoever among you shall live after me will see much discord. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who will come after me, and adhere to them. Beware of new things (in religion) because every religious innovation is a misguidance.’” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
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Be pious to Allah: take protection against the punishment of Allah by complying with the commands and refraining from the prohibitions.
1) It instructs commitment to piety of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, in secret and in public.
2) It is obligatory to obey the leaders because this protects against tribulations. However, they are to be obeyed only in matters approved by the Sharia. As for matters that violate the Sharia, no one is obliged to obey it.
3) It instructs holding tight to the Sunnah of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and the the practice of the rightly-guided Caliphs after him.
4) Every religious innovation is misguidance even if its doer believes it to be good, because all goodness lies in following the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
158/3 - Third: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “All of my nation shall enter Paradise except the one who refuses.” It was said: “Who would refuse, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Whoever obeys me shall enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has refused [to enter Paradise]." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) Paradise is the abode of those who obey the commands of Allah Almighty and the commands of His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
2) Contradicting the guidance of the Prophet causes deprivation of entry into Paradise.
3) It warns against disobeying the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) because it is a sign of failure and abandonment.
159/4- Fourth: Salamah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man ate with his left hand in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), whereupon he said: “Eat with your right hand.” The man said: “I cannot do that.” Thereupon, he (the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “May you not be able to do that.” It was only arrogance that prevented the man from doing that, and consequently he could not raise it (his right hand) up to his mouth afterwards. [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Violating the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) incurs punishment upon the violator.
2) It encourages eating with the right hand and developing this habit in young children so that we have a generation raised upon the Prophetic Sunnah.
160/5- Fifth: Abu ‘Abdullah al-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “Straighten your rows, or Allah will cause dissension amongst you.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In another narration by Muslim: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to straighten our rows (in prayer) as if he was straightening the feathers on an arrow until he saw that we had learned it (how to straighten the rows) from him. One day he came out, stood up (for prayer) and was about to say: Allahu Akbar (marking the beginning of the prayer) when he saw a man whose chest was bulging out from the row. He said: “Servants of Allah, you must straighten your rows or Allah will cause dissension amongst you.”
Straightening the feathers on an arrow: the Arabs used to straighten them out perfectly, thereby they used it as an example of perfect straightening.
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1) It is obligatory to straighten the rows in prayer because it has an impact on straightening the hearts of the believers and driving dissension away from them.
2) The Imams (the individuals who lead the congregational prayer) should check the rows and straighten them and alert the violators, because this is part of the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
3) It reflects how the inside and outside are interconnected; consider how the crookedness of the lines causes dissension among the worshipers’ hearts.
161/6 - Sixth: Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A house in Madīnah caught fire at night with its inhabitants inside. When the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was informed about them, he said: “This fire is your enemy, so put it out before going to bed.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) One must take precautions with regards to things carrying potential danger (such as gas and electricity).
2) Putting out the fire-lit lanterns at night is from the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). As for the electric bulbs, this ruling does not extend to them; and Allah knows best.
3) One must take protection against the Hellfire in the afterlife more than he takes protection against the fire of this world.
This Hadīth is an example showing how preserving the Sunnah and its etiquettes effectively preserves the health of the individual against any harm; how great would it be if we were to make the Prophetic Sunnah the leading guide in our lives and homes?
162/7- Seventh: He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The similitude of guidance and knowledge that Allah has sent me with is like heavy rain that fell on a land. Some spots had good soil; they absorbed the water and brought forth much grass and herbs. Other spots were solid; they held the water. Allah thus made them useful to people: they drank, watered, and grew plantation. Some of the rain, however, fell on plane spots that retained no water and produced no herbage. Such is the likeness of the one who understood the religion of Allah and benefited from what Allah has sent me with; he learned and taught others. It is also the likeness of the one who did not raise his head to it (meaning that he was too arrogant to learn and benefit) and thus did not accept Allah’s guidance with which I was sent.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) It shows the good methods of education that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used, including giving examples, which are among the best means of teaching.
2) It urges seeking knowledge and disseminating it among people to revive the Sunnah in the lives of Muslims.
3) The person who learns, teaches others, and people act upon the knowledge he taught attains the highest ranks.
163/8- Eighth: Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “My example and your example is that of a man who lit a fire and grasshoppers and moths began to fall in it while he is trying to push them away. I am catching hold of your waist ties (to save you) from fire, but you are slipping from my hand.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) It reflects the keenness of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to protect his nation from the Hellfire.
2) The individual must comply with and submit to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) because guidance cannot be secured except by compliance with the Sunnah.
3) It informs of the great right of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) on his nation as he spared no effort in protecting it against what may cause it harm with regard to this world or to religion. May Allah reward him greatly.
164/9- Ninth: He also reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) commanded licking the fingers and the dish (after eating), and he said: “You do not know in which portion of the food the blessing lies.” [Narrated by Muslim]
In another narration by Muslim: “When a morsel of food falls from one of you, he should pick it up and remove any dirt therefrom and eat it; he should not leave it for the devil. Also, he should not wipe his hand with a napkin until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in which portion of the food lies the blessing.”
In another narration by Muslim: “Verily, the devil is present with you in all of your affairs. He is present when your meal is brought to you. So, if a morsel fell from any of you, he should remove any dirt that is on it then eat it and not leave it to the devil.”
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1) It instructs the obligation of following the Prophetic guidance in everything regardless of learning or failing to learn the rationale behind it.
2) Following the Prophetic manner in eating and drinking involves guidance, which includes compliance with the command of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), modesty, and depriving the devil from sharing our food and drink.
3) Discarding the food if it fell on the floor implies a type of arrogance and contravenes the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, it is recommended to clean the dirt on the bite that fell and eat it.
165/10 - Tenth: Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) preached to us, saying: “O people, you will be gathered to stand before Allah Almighty, barefooted, naked, and uncircumcised. {Just as We originated the first creation, so We will bring it back. That is Our binding promise, which We will surely do.} [Surat al-Anbiyā’: 104] Verily, the first to be clothed on the Day of Resurrection will be Abraham. Then some men from my nation will be taken to the left, (i.e. towards the Hellfire), so I will say: ‘O my Lord, they belong to my nation!’ It would be said: ‘You do not know what they invented after you had left them.’ I shall then say what the righteous servant (Jesus) said: {I was witness over them as long as I was among them. But when You took me up, You Yourself were Watcher over them, and You are a Witness over all things If You punish them, they are Your slaves; and if You forgive them, You are indeed the All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 117-118] I shall be told: ‘They continued to turn on their heels since you departed them.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Any individual, whether a judge, a Mufti, a scholar, or a preacher, should deliver the kind of speech that highlights what people need to know about Sharia, which would benefit them in this world and in the Hereafter.
2) It is possible that Allah distinguishes one of the prophets or other than them with a specific characteristic, and this does not imply absolute betterness, as He distinguished Abraham (peace be upon him) by being the first to be clothed on the Day of Judgment. It does not indicate that he is the best of all messengers, because it is our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) who is absolutely the best of all messengers.
3) It warns against contradicting the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), because it deprives the person of drinking from the basin of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and receiving his intercession on the Day of Judgment.
Some deviant innovators used the literal meaning of this Hadīth to disparage the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), which reflects their ulterior motives and utter ignorance of the excellence of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). Not to mention, this is a blatant lie because the majority of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not apostatize, which is a matter of consensus among Muslims, except a group of Arab Bedouins who reverted to disbelief after the death of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and refused to pay Zakah. The Rightly-Guided Caliph Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) fought them and most of them returned to the fold of Islam. Those who died without returning to the fold of Islam are the ones referred to in the Hadīth.
Disparaging the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) involves four serious violations:
1) Disparaging the Companions;
2) Disparaging the Sharia, because the Companions are the ones who delivered it to the nation;
3) Disparaging the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) because it implies that the Prophet praised unworthy individuals who apostatized according to the claim of those deviants;
4) Disparaging Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Glorified and Exalted, since how could Allah command the nation to follow the conduct of the Companions if they were in such state?!
166/11 - Eleventh: Abu Sa‘īd ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited flicking pebbles and said: “It does not kill the quarry (game) or harm the enemy, instead it can gouge out an eye or break a tooth.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In another narration: “A relative of Ibn Mughaffal flicked a stone (using the index finger and the thumb), so he forbade him saying: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade flicking stones and said: “It does not hunt a quarry.”’ Then he did it again, so he (Ibn Mughaffal) said: ‘I tell you that the Messenger of Allah forbade it and you do it again! I shall never talk to you again.’”
Flicking a stone or a pebble (Arabic: Khadhf): it means putting a pebble between the index finger and the thumb then flicking it with the index finger, or putting it on the index finger and flicking it with the thumb.
1) It shows the serious commitment of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to the Sunnah.
2) When one learns the command of Allah Almighty or the command of His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), he must say: I listen and I obey, cutting off all means before the devil who may whisper to him: we do not know the rationale behind that evidence, so we are not obliged to follow it.
3) One must avoid anything that may bring harm to Muslims.
4) It is permissible to desert a fellow Muslim who violates the Sharia if the deserter believes that it is likely that such desertion would benefit that individual and bring him back to following the Sunnah and the truth. However, the standard ruling is that a believer must not desert his fellow believer beyond three days; and anyone who committed a sin then repented of it, Allah will accept his repentance.
167/12- ‘Ābis ibn Rabī‘ah reported: I saw ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) kissing the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) and saying: “I know that you are just a stone and that you can neither do any harm nor give benefit. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Allah Almighty made it lawful for His servants to kiss the Black Stone to exhibit utter humility and servitude to Allah Almighty by complying with His Sharia.
2) Worshiping Allah in the most perfect manner requires complying with the Sharia commands whether or not one knows the rationale behind them.
3) Kissing the Black Stone is one of the aspects of following the Prophetic Sunnah. The Stone itself does not benefit nor harm.