Quran Lessons

Quran Lessons

This is Our Religion, Part 17

Islamic Shari'ah

The word Islamic Shari�ah is called on a specific part of Islamic religion and that is the part attached to research about Fiqeh (extracting laws and rules) and Law. This definition is much more precise than the original meaning that comprised all teachings of Islam and is a synonym for the word Deen (religion).

The matter of legislation was used in the Holy Quran to point out the meaning of the message in all what it holds from creeds, worships, manners, and dealings.

Allah said:
The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - that which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that ye should remain steadfast in Religion, and make no divisions therein: � 42:13

Then We put thee on the (right) Way of Religion: so follow thou that (Way), and follow not the desires of those who know not. 45:18

�so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single People� 5:48

The common knowledge nowadays respect these branches of specialty and makes the study of creed for example as a branch different from the study of Fiqeh, rights, dealings�etc. On this last branch of religious knowledge the name Islamic Shari�ah was given and we see no harm in accepting this term.

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Sources of Tashri�e (legislating)

The Holy Quran:
We can confirm that Divine revelation has ended to this book�and that it holds between its folders the words of heavens addressed to earth without any diversions or distortion.
And we can confirm too that what Allah intended from His creations has been immortally engraved in these pages and no one has anything to say after Him.
These qualities can never be attributed to any other book.
The whole world doesn�t contain now within its corners except one addressing from Allah to His servants. This addressing is the words written in the Holy Quran.

In addition the Holy Quran has included some series of facts which Moses and Jesus had called for and which were also called for by Noah and Ibraheem (Abraham) before them.

If one of these Prophets was brought to life again he would see the features of his message crystallized in the mirror of this seal revelation and he would be among the first to celebrate it and call for embracing it!

What is weird is that when one receives a message he would rush to read it to know what�s in it�the message of the first priority to be honored is the one that comes from Allah.

But Muslims have translated their honoring to the book of Allah into things that have no meanings or enrichments, and they hung their emotions in honoring and respecting its letters and chants more than in establishing its goals and aims.
This is not the way one should serve the Quran or help in the prevailing of its message.

When I meditate what�s happening nowadays in the gatherings of reciting the Quran and what accompanies them from noise and distortion I can�t help to feel so amazed because of this silliness.

If common behaviors have taken this twisted path, the behaviors of the elite also need some criticizing and directing.
That is because of their willingness towards the Fiqeh of the Quran is so limited.

Professor �Suliman Al-Nadawi� wrote against this attitude so he said under the title �Scholars Negligence in Serving the Quran�: It is right to be said that our scholars have lagged in serving the Quran from this side. I mean that they haven�t authored enough books in the sciences of the Quran; that is creeds, Fiqeh, manners, and politics�etc.

Rather they neglected it behind their backs and this verifies the verse:
(We sent them) with Clear Signs and Scriptures and We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought. 26:30

It is known that the Sahaba (companions of the Prophet) put the Quran ahead of every other thing when seeking guidance and deductions but their era was not a one of writing and composing and that�s why they haven�t authored any books in it.
This was the duty of those who came after them but they neglected doing this duty and got occupied by the opinions of men, Israelites, and argumentative and conflicting matters.

This was because the Holy Quran is not arranged according to branches so it is very hard on a lot of people to find what they are searching for in it and that even includes the matters stipulated in it so how would deducting from it be?

Scholars who authored books in the rules of the Quran had also followed the order of the interpretations and not according to branches so the difficulty remained as is.

On the other hand and since books of Hadeeth, Fiqeh, and deductions were ordered according to subjects people turned easily to them to take from and they left searching and contemplating the Quran before everything when deducting and deriving.

We conclude that there is a need for our scholars to direct their concern towards writing easy to understand books that would classify the sciences of the Quran. They should also show the link between verses of the Quran and the correct Hadeeths in order to facilitate understanding them to the people of this time.

By doing so they would be serving the religion a great deal and this would be a motivation for the unity of Muslims word and a protection from the youth from atheism and walking out of religion and we have great hopes that scholars would do that inshallah (Allah willing).

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Sunna is taken from the Quran

We have a strong belief- like other researching scholars- that rule which are present in the correct Ahadeeth (sayings of the Prophet) is taken and deducted from the Holy Quran in which the Prophet did so by divine revelation and Godly explanation.

This is why accepting them and working by them is a must under the condition they are verified that they came from the Prophet pbuh and this understanding and deducting is called in the Quranic expression sometimes as �explaining� and sometimes as �showing� Allah said:

(We sent them) with Clear Signs and Scriptures and We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought. 16:44

We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that thou mightest judge between men as guided by Allah: so be not (used) as an advocate by those who betray their trust 4:105

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There is no doubt that Sunna is the second foundation in religion and the source that come right after the Quran in legislation and that what came consecutively from them has the same degree the Quran has from the sense of the obligation in working according to its rules.

And that what is correctly narrated from the Prophet Pbuh we must accept it and it should be given the status it deserves when seeking direction and judgments.

But we have to say in this place that the Holy Quran is the main foundation in the life of the Prophet pbuh. Its verses has established deeply within his heart and the meanings of the Quran has extended in his feelings and thoughts and that he was enlightened from within by the light of revelation so nothing that would violate the Quran and its guidance would come out from him pbuh.

The speech of the Prophet to people regarding matters related to religion if weren�t a direct revelation from Allah is an emission of the truths of the Quran being revealed to him mixed with his heart and soul from which he directs and guides others with.

And it is so na�ve to imagine that Prophet hood is just a mere redundancy for the words of the high divinity. Or to picture the Prophet as a person who doesn�t speak, rule, judge or advice unless an angel whispers in his ears with what to say or do.

The message is far more important and serious than that.

And the prophet after being overwhelmed with this Great Quran and his soul got nourished by what is in it from wisdom and guidance to the extent that he became from himself a voice of wisdom and interpretation of the Quran.

He would explain it by thousands of words, actions, reports, and responses that came of him in his life.

The Sirah (life story) of the Prophet in all these matter is nothing but mere truth because truth might be either revealed to him or he is guided to it.

If it happened and he misjudged the high revelation would not verify his error and that�s why it is impossible for the Sunna to contain anything that might violate the Quran.

And we regret so much because a lot of Muslims haven�t comprehended well the understanding of Sunna under the light of what we explained and they diverted from the way of their kind predecessors.

You would find some of them- because they are so negligent to Quran- circle on their tongues some Ahadeeth they would never have mentioned at all if their hearts and minds where attached firstly with their Holy Book.

Take for example this partial rule in one of a common occasion among the common people; the occasion is in of the half of the Arabic month Sha�ban!

Some interpreters went to explain it that this is the blessed night mentioned in the Quran:

We sent it down during a blessed night: for We (ever) wish to warn (against Evil). 4:3

Then they mentioned number of Ahadeeth that shows the difference of the great matters so Ibn Jareer and Ibn Al-Monzer and Ibn Abi Hatem narrated by way of Muhammad Bin Soqeh from Akramah:

In that (night) is made distinct every affair of Wisdom 4:4

They said:
�In the night of the half of Sha�ban the matters of the Sunna are accredited, those alive are taken from the dead, the one who will go to pilgrimage is written, without increase or decrease.�

Ibn Zanjeway and Al-Dailami brought that Abi Hurairah narrated that the Prophet pbuh said, �Life spans are set from Sha�ban to Sha�ban that a man gets married and his child is born to him while he is written among the dead.�

Abu Ya�la said that Aicha narrated that the Prophet pbuh used to fast the whole of Sha�ban so she asked him about that so he said:
�Allah writes in it every soul that is going to die in that year so I like my time of death to be written while I�m fasting.�

We say:
The correct explanation that verifies with the Quran is that this blessed night is �the night of Al-Qadr�.

Ibn Katheer said, �The blessed night is the Qadr night and those who said that it is the night of the middle of Sha�ban are far from right because the Quran states that it is in Ramadan.�

The Quran is openly saying that Ramadan not Sha�ban is the month the Quran descended down to earth.

So in what face do they tell Ahadeeth that violates this fact? And which mind is it that allows the circling of these Ahadeeth? The weird thing is that Ibn Katheer instead of accusing these Ahadeeth of being true lies he brought some light expression to express against them.

We know that the subject of this example is a silly one but we mentioned it for a more important matter. This mental separation from the guidance of the Quran is a result of a lot of narration in things that are greatly serious like the relationship between a believer and this life, man and woman, Muslim with Kafer (atheist)�etc.

What ethical and physical destruction would fall on our nation when within it what the Tabarani told that the Prophet pbuh said,
�I was sent with the destruction of this life not with its building!�

The relation a Mou�min (believer) has with this life is not built over this destructive axle and we have reported previously from the Quran and Sunna what directs the souls to other than this.

Is damaging life an end for a man who understands the Quran and listened to what Allah say in it:
It is We Who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein with means for the fulfillment of your life: small are the thanks that ye give! 7:10

But this senseless talk was an axle for the gathering of a group of unemployed who desired to run away from hard work and the building of the earth to roam with issues of faith in all the countries so what happened to the nation came as a result of that.

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Also in the relationships of men and women a lot of false rules spread through. On the other hand a lot of correct rules were not taken seriously.

Our great scholar Abu Al- Aa�la Al-Maoududi wrote a book about the Hijab (women�s wear) in which he was so strict on women and gave great value to the face cover.

He even made it part of Deen (religion) and he refused for any one to see any of the accessories of a woman even her closest relatives. He brings this Hadeeth:
It was narrated from Ibn Jareer Al Tabari that Aicha said, �I went to see my nephew Abdullah bin Al-Tufail wearing makeup, but the Propjet pbuh didn�t like that.
I said, Oh messenger of Allah he is my nephew?
He said, �If a woman reached the age of having menses it is not allowed for her to show anything except her face and what is below this and he gripped his arm and left between his fist and hand another grip.

Our great researcher in Sunna Professor Naser Al-Deen Al-Albani traced this Hadeeth and found it weak from the direction of those who narrated it then he pointed out that women inner decoration are allowed to be seen by her nephews frankly in the Quran so this Hadeeth is false!

And if we brought forth the directions of the Quran from the beginning we wouldn�t have to argue about the narration of the Hadeeth and it would be enough for the subject of the Hadeeth to violate the Quran in order for us to reject this Hadeeth completely.

Naser Al-Deen said and there is an interruption in the narration of this Hadeeth from the narration of Ibn Jareej to Aicha since between Aicha and Ibn Jareej there has been a long time. In addition this Hadeeth is against the Holy Quran when saying:

And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss. 24:31

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Another Hadeeth Ahmad bin Hanbal narrated that the prophet pbuh said:
�I was sent with the sword between the hands of the last hour until Allah is worshipped alone and my Rizq (sustenance) was under the shadow of my spear.�

Though I know that the sword might be a kind of mercy from Allah to discipline the oppressors and harness the cruel.

Despite that I couldn�t extract from the Hadeeth this noble picture that imprints in your heart when you read Allah�s say:
We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures. 21:107

This Hadeeth, even if it were a correct one, shouldn�t be placed except in its right and suitable position. This knowledge doesn�t come except after complete understanding in the Book of Allah, the life of the Prophet, the truth about his way of life and the essence of his Sunna.

The Hadeeth �I was sent with the sword�� might suggest some rules that none of the scholars has talked about.

Because making the aim of Jihad is for all the people to believe and that war shouldn�t stop before that is a false belief.

This rule was never established in Islamic legislation. On the contrary it violates the Quranic text in dealing with the people of the book.

That is those who are hostile to Islam no matter how harmful and ingratitious they were, it is enough when defeating them to impose upon them some financial penalties without forcing them to change their religion.

Those with creeds other than Christianity and Judaism are treated the same.

This was the policy of Omar ibn Al-Khatab with the Majous (fire worshippers) as an execution to the well of the Prophet pbuh. As for idol worshippers they remained for 20 years under the rule:
To you be your Way, and to me mine.

They were even granted the right to renegade from Islam if they didn�t want to stay in it!

When this treatment resulted in nothing but for them to become more hostile and awaiting for the chance to betray the religion that gave them life chapter 9 �Bara�ah� came with the rule that any of them who doesn�t repent should be killed.

This order for killing them was for a limited time and didn�t exceed a few months and with certain types of people who where incurable and refused any reconciliation with their enemies. Should then we consider the sword-in this case- the symbol of the message?

Any Hadeeth that violates the spirit or text of the Quran is a false Hadeeth automatically.

Inconclusive evidence when it violates the conclusive falls from consideration at once. For example, the Hadeeth narrated by Muslim and others that Abu Hurairah said that the Prophet pbuh took my hand and said:
�Allah created the soil on Saturday, mountains on Sunday, trees on Monday, harm on Tuesday, light on Wednesday, animals on Thursday, and He created Adam After Aser on Friday the last of his creation and in the last hour of Friday between Aser and night.�

Though this Hadeeth is in the correct book of Muslim the scholars neglected it because it violates what came in the Quran that Allah has created the heavens and the earth and what�s between them in 6 days not seven.

They said that this narration came to Abu Hurairah through Ka�eb Al-Ahbar (a jewish monk who accepted Islam) and can�t be from the Prophet pbuh because the Prophet doesn�t violate the Quran but explains it.

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To conclude we say:

Sunna is the second pillar in religion but it needs people who know those who narrate it and its subjects well.

Prior and after that a person who knows the Holy Book and its meanings and aims.

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