Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah

كتاب الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة

Chapter 4: Asking too many questions and troubling with what does not concern one

And the Almighty said: {Do not ask about things if you seem to you, your abuse}.
Narrated Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The most sinful person among the Muslims is the one who asked about something which had not been prohibited, but was prohibited because of his asking."

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit

The Prophet (ﷺ) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed in it for a few nights till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer." (See Hadith No. 229,Vol. 3) (See Hadith No. 134, Vol. 8)

Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was asked about things which he disliked, and when the people asked too many questions, he became angry and said, "Ask me (any question)." A man got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is my father?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Your father is Hudhaifa." Then another man got up and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Who is my father?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your father is Salim, Maula Shaiba." When `Umar saw the signs of anger on the face of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), he said, "We repent to Allah."

Narrated Warrad

(The clerk of Al-Mughira) Muawiya wrote to Al-Mughira 'Write to me what you have heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).' So he (Al-Mughira) wrote to him: Allah's Prophet used to say at the end of each prayer: "La ilaha illalla-h wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul Mulku, wa lahul Hamdu wa hula ala kulli shai'in qadir. 'Allahumma la mani' a lima a'taita, wala mu'tiya lima mana'ta, wala yanfa'u dhuljadd minkal-jadd." He also wrote to him that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to forbid (1) Qil and Qal (idle useless talk or that you talk too much about others), (2) Asking too many questions (in disputed Religious matters); (3) And wasting one's wealth by extravagance; (4) and to be undutiful to one's mother (5) and to bury the daughters alive (6) and to prevent your favors (benevolence to others (i.e. not to pay the rights of others (7) And asking others for something (except when it is unavoidable).

Narrated Anas

We were with `Umar and he said, "We have been forbidden to undertake a difficult task beyond our capability (i.e. to exceed the religious limits e.g., to clean the inside of the eyes while doing ablution).

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet (ﷺ) came out after the sun had declined and offered the Zuhr prayer (in congregation). After finishing it with Taslim, he stood on the pulpit and mentioned the Hour and mentioned there would happen great events before it. Then he said, "Whoever wants to ask me any question, may do so, for by Allah, you will not ask me about anything but I will inform you of its answer as long as I am at this place of mine." On this, the Ansar wept violently, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kept on saying, "Ask Me! " Then a man got up and asked, ''Where will my entrance be, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "(You will go to) the Fire." Then `Abdullah bin Hudhaifa got up and asked, "Who is my father, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Your father is Hudhaifa." The Prophet (ﷺ) then kept on saying (angrily), "Ask me! Ask me!" `Umar then knelt on his knees and said, "We have accepted Allah as our Lord and Islam as our religion and Muhammad as an Apostle." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became quiet when `Umar said that. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, Paradise and Hell were displayed before me across this wall while I was praying, and I never saw such good and evil as I have seen today."

Narrated Anas bin Malik

A man said, "O Allah's Prophet! Who is my father?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your father is so-and-so." And then the Divine Verse:-- 'O you who believe! Ask not questions about things..(5.101)

Narrated Anas bin Malik

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "People will not stop asking questions till they say, 'This is Allah, the Creator of everything, then who created Allah?' "

Narrated Ibn Masud

I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) at one of the farms of Medina while he was leaning on a date palm leaf-stalk. He passed by a group of Jews and some of them said to the other, Ask him (the Prophet) about the spirit. Some others said, "Do not ask him, lest he should tell you what you dislike" But they went up to him and said, "O Abal Qasim! Inform us bout the spirit." The Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for a while, waiting. I realized that he was being Divinely Inspired, so I kept away from him till the inspiration was over. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "(O Muhammad) they ask you regarding the spirit, Say: The spirit its knowledge is with my Lord (i.e., nobody has its knowledge except Allah)" (17.85) (This is a miracle of the Qur'an that all the scientists up till now do not know about the spirit, i.e, how life comes to a body and how it goes away at its death) (See Hadith No. 245, Vol. 6)

Chapter 5: To follow the actions of the Prophet (saws)

Narrated Ibn `Umar

The Prophet (ﷺ) wore a gold ring and then the people followed him and wore gold rings too. Then the Prophet said, "I had this golden ring made for myself. He then threw it away and said, "I shall never put it on." Thereupon the people also threw their rings away.

Chapter 6: Going deeply into and arguing about knowledge, and exaggerating in religion, and inventing heresies

To say: “O people of the Book, do not be overwhelmed in your religion, and do not say to God except the truth}.
Narrated Abu Huraira

The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to his companions), "Do not fast Al-Wisal." They said, "But you fast Al-Wisail." He said, "I am not like you, for at night my Lord feeds me and makes me drink." But the people did not give up Al-Wisal, so the Prophet (ﷺ) fasted Al-Wisal with them for two days or two nights, and then they saw the crescent whereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the crescent had delayed, I would have continued fasting (because of you)," as if he wanted to vanquish them completely (because they had refused to give up Al Wisal).

Narrated Ibrahim At Taimi's father

`Ali addressed us while he was standing on a brick pulpit and carrying a sword from which was hanging a scroll He said "By Allah, we have no book to read except Allah's Book and whatever is on this scroll," And then he unrolled it, and behold, in it was written what sort of camels were to be given as blood money, and there was also written in it: 'Medina is a sanctuary form 'Air (mountain) to such and such place so whoever innovates in it an heresy or commits a sin therein, he will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people and Allah will not accept his compulsory or optional good deeds.' There was also written in it: 'The asylum (pledge of protection) granted by any Muslims is one and the same, (even a Muslim of the lowest status is to be secured and respected by all the other Muslims, and whoever betrays a Muslim in this respect (by violating the pledge) will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people, and Allah will not accept his compulsory or optional good deeds.' There was also written in it: 'Whoever (freed slave) befriends (takes as masters) other than his real masters (manumitters) without their permission will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people, and Allah will not accept his compulsory or optional good deeds. ' (See Hadith No. 94, Vol. 3)

Narrated `Aisha

The Prophet (ﷺ) did something as it was allowed from the religious point of view but some people refrained from it. When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard of that, he, after glorifying and praising Allah, said, "Why do some people refrain from doing something which I do? By Allah, I know Allah more than they."

Narrated Ibn Abi Mulaika

Once the two righteous men, i.e., Abu Bakr and `Umar were on the verge of destruction (and that was because): When the delegate of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet, one of them (either Abu Bakr or `Umar) recommended Al-Aqra' bin H`Abis at-Tamimi Al-Hanzali, the brother of Bani Majashi (to be appointed as their chief), while the other recommended somebody else. Abu Bakr said to `Umar, "You intended only to oppose me." `Umar said, "I did not intend to oppose you!" Then their voices grew louder in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) whereupon there was revealed: 'O you who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet..a great reward.' (49.2-3) Ibn Az-Zubair said, 'Thence forward when `Umar talked to the Prophet, he would talk like one who whispered a secret and would even fail to make the Prophet (ﷺ) hear him, in which case the Prophet (ﷺ) would ask him (to repeat his words).

Narrated `Aisha

(the mother of believers) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during his fatal ailment said, "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." I said, "If Abu Bakr stood at your place (in prayers, the people will not be able to hear him because of his weeping, so order `Umar to lead the people in prayer." He again said, "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer " Then I said to Hafsa, "Will you say (to the Prophet), 'If Abu Bakr stood at your place, the people will not be able to hear him be cause of his weeping, so order `Umar to lead the people in prayer?" Hafsa did so, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "You are like the companions of Joseph (See Qur'an, 12:30-32). Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." Hafsa then said to me, "I have never received any good from you!"

Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi

'Uwaimir Al-`Ajlani came to `Asim bin `Adi and said, "If a man found another man with his wife and killed him, would you sentence the husband to death (in Qisas,) i.e., equality in punishment)? O `Asim! Please ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about this matter on my behalf." `Asim asked the Prophet (ﷺ) but the Prophet disliked the question and disapproved of it. `Asim returned and informed 'Uwaimir that the Prophet disliked that type of question. 'Uwaimir said, "By Allah, I will go (personally) to the Prophet." 'Uwaimir came to the Prophet (ﷺ) when Allah had already revealed Qur'anic Verses (in that respect), after `Asim had left (the Prophet (ﷺ) ). So the Prophet (ﷺ) said to 'Uwaimir, "Allah has revealed Qur'anic Verses regarding you and your wife." The Prophet (ﷺ) then called for them, and they came and carried out the order of Lian. Then 'Uwaimir said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Now if I kept her with me, I would be accused of telling a lie." So 'Uwaimir divorced her although the Prophet (ﷺ) did not order him to do so. Later on this practice of divorcing became the tradition of couples involved in a case of Li'an. The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to the people). "Wait for her! If she delivers a red short (small) child like a Wahra (a short red animal). then I will be of the opinion that he ('Uwaimir) has told a lie but if she delivered a black big-eyed one with big buttocks, then I will be of the opinion that he has told the truth about her." 'Ultimately she gave birth to a child that proved the accusation. (See Hadith No. 269, Vol. 6)

Narrated Malik bin Aus An-Nasri

I proceeded till I entered upon `Umar (and while I was sitting there), his gate-keeper Yarfa came to him and said, " `Uthman, `Abdur-Rahman, Az-Zubair and Sa`d ask your permission to come in." `Umar allowed them. So they entered, greeted, and sat down. (After a while the gatekeeper came) and said, "Shall I admit `Ali and `Abbas?'' `Umar allowed them to enter. Al-`Abbas said "O Chief of the believers! Judge between me and the oppressor (`Ali)." Then there was a dispute (regarding the property of Bani Nadir) between them (`Abbas and `Ali). `Uthman and his companions said, "O Chief of the Believers! Judge between them and relieve one from the other." `Umar said, "Be patient! beseech you by Allah, with Whose permission the Heaven and the Earth Exist! Do you know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Our property is not to be inherited, and whatever we leave is to be given in charity,' and by this Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) meant himself?" On that the group said, "He verily said so." `Umar then faced `Ali and `Abbas and said, "I beseech you both by Allah, do you both know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said so?" They both replied, "Yes". `Umar then said, "Now I am talking to you about this matter (in detail) . Allah favored Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with some of this wealth which He did not give to anybody else, as Allah said: 'What Allah bestowed as Fai (Booty on His Apostle for which you made no expedition... ' (59.6) So that property was totally meant for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), yet he did not collect it and ignore you, nor did he withhold it with your exclusion, but he gave it to you and distributed it among you till this much of it was left behind, and the Prophet, used to spend of this as the yearly expenditures of his family and then take what remained of it and spent it as he did with (other) Allah's wealth. The Prophet (ﷺ) did so during all his lifetime, and I beseech you by Allah, do you know that?" They replied, "Yes." `Umar then addressed `Ali and `Abbas, saying, "I beseech you both by Allah, do you know that?" Both of them replied, "Yes." `Umar added, "Then Allah took His Apostle unto Him. Abu Bakr then said 'I am the successor of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)' and took over all the Prophet's property and disposed of it in the same way as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to do, and you were present then." Then he turned to `Ali and `Abbas and said, "You both claim that Abu Bakr did so-and-so in managing the property, but Allah knows that Abu Bakr was honest, righteous, intelligent, and a follower of what is right in managing it. Then Allah took Abu Bakr unto Him, 'I said: I am the successor of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr.' So I took over the property for two years and managed it in the same way as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and Abu Bakr used to do. Then you both (`Ali and `Abbas) came to me and asked for the same thing! (O `Abbas! You came to me to ask me for your share from nephew's property; and this (`Ali) came to me asking for his wives share from her father's property, and I said to you both, 'If you wish, I will place it in your custody on condition that you both will manage it in the same way as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr did and as I have been doing since I took charge of managing it; otherwise, do not speak to me anymore about it.' Then you both said, 'Give it to us on that (condition).' So I gave it to you on that condition. Now I beseech you by Allah, did I not give it to them on that condition?" The group (whom he had been addressing) replied, "Yes." `Umar then addressed `Abbas and `Ali saying, "I beseech you both by Allah, didn't I give you all that property on that condition?" They said, "Yes." `Umar then said, "Are you now seeking a verdict from me other than that? By Him with Whose Permission the Heaven and the Earth exists I will not give any verdict other than that till the Hour is established; and if you both are unable to manage this property, then you can hand it back to me, and I will be sufficient for it on your behalf." (See, Hadith No. 326, Vol. 4)

Chapter 7: The sin of giving refuge or helping a person innovating an heresy

It was narrated on the authority of the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him.
Narrated `Asim

I said to Anas, "Did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) make Medina a sanctuary?" He replied, "Yes, (Medina is a sanctuary from such-and-such place to such-and-such place. It is forbidden to cut its trees, and whoever innovates an heresy in it or commits a sin therein, will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all the people." Then Musa bin Anas told me that Anas added, "..... or gives refuge to such an heretic or a sinner..."

Chapter 8: Judging made on the basis of opinion or Qiyas

{And do not stand} Do not say {What you do not have knowledge. ”
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Allah will not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through the death of the religious learned men with their knowledge. Then there will remain ignorant people who, when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions whereby they will mislead others and go astray."

Narrated Al-A`mash

I asked Abu Wail, "Did you witness the battle of Siffin between `Ali and Muawiya?" He said, "Yes," and added, "Then I heard Sahl bin Hunaif saying, 'O people! Blame your personal opinions in your religion. No doubt, I remember myself on the day of Abi Jandal; if I had the power to refuse the order of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), I would have refused it. We have never put our swords on our shoulders to get involved in a situation that might have been horrible for us, but those swords brought us to victory and peace, except this present situation.' " Abu Wail said, "I witnessed the battle of Siffin, and how nasty Siffin was!"