What should be our attittude towards the Sahaba (RA) of the Prophet (SAWS)

           Why have the Muslims always loved the Sahabah?

One of the fundamental beliefs of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama`ah that at times distinguishes them from heretics is their belief in the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and all that has been mentioned about their virtues, merits and characteristics in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Companions are all those who met the Prophet (s.a.w.) and died as Muslims. Scholars have said that they were 114,000 in number [as stated by Abu Zur'ah, the teacher of Imam Muslim, and recorded by as-Suyootee] .

They are praised in many Qur'anic verses: "You are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind, you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah." [3:110]

 "And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajiroon (the Emigrants from Makkah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madeenah who helped the Muhajiroon) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success." [9:100]

"Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave their pledge to you (O Muhammad) under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts and He sent down calmness and tranquility upon them..." [48:18] 

Our Attitude Towards Them 

Our attitude towards the Sahaba should be that of love, respect, peace and purity of our hearts and tongues. 

Allah has described this in His saying: "And those who come after them say: 'Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed.'" [59:10] 

And the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "The sign of faith is love of the Ansar and the sign of hypocrisy is the hatred of Ansar" [al-Bukharee, Muslim]. 

Why should we not be thankful to those who believed in the Prophet, assisted him, strove with their lives and wealth to make the Word of Allah supreme, preserved and transmitted to us our Religion? Who is more deserving that we pray for them and speak of them in the best manner and think of them with the best thoughts? 

We should therefore mention their virtues and remain silent about any mistakes they made and about anything that occurred between them, as the Prophet (s.a.w.) advised us:

"When my Companions are mentioned then withhold" [Saheeh, at-Tabaranee] .

And he also said,

 "Do not abuse my Companions, for if any of you were to spend gold equal to (mountain of) Uhud in charity, it would not equal a handful of one of them or even half of that" [al-Bukharee, Muslim].

And he said,

"Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people" [Saheeh, At-Tabaranee] .

Muslim scholars have also been very strict in regard to the issue of speaking and thinking mistrustfully of the Sahaba.
Imam Malik said that someone who finds in himself an ill-feeling or anger "ghaiDH" about the Companions is a kafir because Allah (s.w.t.) says "li-yagheeDHa bihim ul kuffar" that He may enrage the disbelievers with them, i.e. the Sahaba [48:29].

And the `Ulama' also say if the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) are dishonest or betrayed the Prophet, then the whole religion is undermined. Because how do we know what the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, if the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) were not honest and truthful? We cannot be sure. And this also applies to the Qur'an, as we received the Qur'an through the Sahaba as well.

Indeed, they were truthful and sincere, as Allah described them: "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah and showed not their backs to the disbelievers, of them some have fulfilled their obligations and some of them are still waiting, but they never changed (i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allah) in the least." [33:23]

Hujjat ul Islam, Sufyan ibn `Uyainah said: "He who speaks a single word against the Companions of Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) then he is an innovator." And Imam Ahmad said: "If you see anyone speaking ill of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, doubt his Islam." And Imam Dhahabee said, "Anyone who criticizes them or insults them has gone out of this religion and has segregated himself from the Muslim Ummah. He has disbelieved in what Allah the Most High says concerning them in His Book, and what Allah's Messenger has said concerning their noble qualities and their merits...

It is incumbent upon the Muslims to love Allah; to love His Messenger, to love what the Prophet brought as guidance and as his practice; to love his descendants, his Companions, his wives, his children, his servants, and to love those who love them and hate those who hate them, as this is the meaning of loving for Allah's sake and hating for Allah's sake, and that is the most excellent kind of faith."

In al-Kaba'ir (The Greatest Sins), we find that adh-Dhahabee also said, "The one who loves the Prophet loves and respects each and all of his Companions. To hate any of them is to hate the Prophet."

 Al-Fudayl ibn `Iyyad spoke similarly when he said, "Indeed, I love those whom Allah loves. They are those from whom the Companions of Muhammad (s.a.w.) are safe. I hate those whom Allah hates. They are the people of the deviant sects and innovation."

Ahlus Sunnah also, "accept all the superiorities and grades that have been described about them in the Qur'an, the Hadith and by consensus. They give superiority to those who spent and fought for the sake of Allah before the victory, that is, truce of Hudaibiyah over those who spent and fought after that. They consider al-Muhajireen (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madeenah for Islam) to be superior to al-Ansar (the helpers of al-Madeenah who supported the Muhajireen). They have faith in what Allah has said about the 313 persons on the occasion of the battle of Badr that, 'they are free to do what they like, their sins are pardoned' [al- Bukharee]. And none of those who gave their pledge to the Prophet (s.a.w.) under the tree will get into Fire as the Prophet (s.a.w.) has stated, 'Allah is doubtlessly pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah.' And they were more than 1400 about whom the Prophet (s.a.w.) bore witness that they will be admitted to Paradise [Muslim].

The Ahlus Sunnah also bear witness the admission to Paradise for them such as the ten Companions who have been given glad tiding of Paradise in this world by the Prophet." [Al-aqeedatul Wasitiyyah of Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymeeyah]

The Companions' Noble Deeds

We believe that the Sahaba were not innocent of the minor or major sins, but their qualities and deeds were so virtuous and superior that they cause the pardon of the errors committed by them. 

We believe that if any of the Sahaba committed mistake, he either repented or performed such virtuous deeds that they are either pardoned or will be interceded for by the Prophet (s.a.w.) as they are most deserving of his intercession. Their Jihad, Hijra, knowledge, deeds and support for the Prophet (s.a.w.) will be a cause of pardon of their few mistakes.

As for their Ijtihad, they are rewarded twice when they were correct, and once when their exertion to find the truth resulted in a wrong conclusion.And, as ash-Shafi'ee said, "I have allegiance for them and I seek Allah's forgiveness for them, and for the people of Camel and Siffeen, those who killed and those who were killed, and all the companions of the Prophet in entirety."

The deeds and virtues of the Sahaba, may Allah be pleased with them all, should be what every Muslim should strive to emulate to the best of one's ability. Their behavior and sincerity were praised by Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.) and that suffices as proof.

As Ibn Mas'ood said, "Indeed Allah looked into the hearts of the servants and found the heart of Muhammad (s.a.w.) to be the best of the hearts of His servants and so He chose him for Himself and sent him as a Messenger. Then He looked into the hearts of His servants after Muhammad (s.a.w.) and found the hearts of the Companions to be the best of the hearts of the servants. So He made them ministers of His Messenger (s.a.w.) fighting for His Deen. So whatever the Muslims hold to be good then it is good with Allah and whatever the Muslims hold to be evil it is evil with Allah." [Ahmad, at-Tayalasee]

The Sahaba were undoubtedly the best in terms of understanding the religious obligations, the Sunnah of the Prophet and the way of establishing the Islamic teachings. Their belief is an example for us, as Allah says in the Qur'an: "So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." [2:137]

The Best of People

And they are the best people, to which the Prophet (s.a.w.) referred to in the Hadith: "The best of my people are my generation then those who come after them, then those who come after them, then there will come a people in whom there will be no good." [At-Tabaranee, authenticated by al-Albanee] Also, in al-Bukharee, "The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them..." This is also reported by Muslim, Aboo Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, An-Nasa'ee and others.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said, "...and my Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects." [Aboo Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, Ahmad, authenticated by at-Tirmidhee, al Hakim, ibn Taymeeyah, as-Suyootee, al-Manawee, ash-Shatibee, adh-Dhahabee and al-Albanee]. In another Hadith that is hasan, the Prophet (s.a.w.) explained which one is the saved sect: "Al- Jama`ah" [Ibn Majah]. In another Hasan Hadith the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "The tribes of Israel broke into seventy- two sects. My Ummah shall break up into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire, except one: what I am upon and my Companions." [At-Tirmidhee]

Eid Greetings of the Sahaba

Eid Greetings of the Sahaba (Companions of the Holy Prophet SAWS):

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalani (rahimahullah) said:“We have related in “Mahaamiliyaat” with a chain of narration that is authentic (hasan), from Jabyr ibn Nufayr who said:‘When the companions of Allah’s Messenger (sulAllahu alaihi wa salaam) met on the day of ‘Eid, they would say to each other,

‘Taqaballahu minna wa minkum (may Allah accept from you and us ).” [Al M...ahamiliyyat; hasan isnad; see Fath ul Bari 2:446]

Ibn Qudaamah mentioned in al-Mughnee (2/259) that Muhammad ibn Ziyad said: I was with Abu Umamah al Bahili (rahimahullah) and some other companions of the Prophet (sulAllahu alaihi wa salaam).When they returned from the eid, they said to each other, ‘Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept it from you and us).”

It is preferable to say " "تقبل الله منا ومنكم “Taqab-balallahu-Minnaa-Wa-Minkum” .

(Shami Vol 2 Pg 169, Umdat-ul-Fiqh Vol 2 Pg 460 )

Nothing wrong with "Eid Mubarak", but what the sahabah said is a better practice.

How Moderation is Gained by Following the Teachings of Islam -Maulana Ashraf ali Thanvi (RA)

Moderation in the Teachings of Islam

-Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (RA)

The kalam of Allah (Qur’an) is the most perfect because the Knowledge of Allah regarding conditions and circumstances is complete. He is the Possessor of choice, has control over everything and the One who makes everything effective. No attribute or condition overpowers Him. Thus, every law coming from Him will be perfect.

Never can His laws be too strict for He is not overpowered by His attribute of Wrath, nor are they absolutely lenient, for He is not overpowered by His attribute of Mercy, but He is the Possessor of choice and is Qahhar (One who has control over things) and is Rahim (merciful) and Karim (generous) when He wishes to be. He is not overpowered or compelled by any attribute.

We learn from this that His kalam (Qur’an) and all His laws are free from extremism. This is exactly why it is compulsory for every human- being to subjugate himself to the Shari’a. The Shari’a carries within itself all benefits and wisdom.

Experience has proven to us that we become overwhelmed by difficult conditions. This makes it more necessary to follow the Shari’a of Allah so that we can preserve moderation.

Undoubtedly, there is tremendous moderation in the Shari’a.

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Stance On The Usage Of Weak Ahaadith

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Stance On The Usage Of Weak Ahaadith

 

   Respected readers, what I would like to discuss here inshallah is an issue which causes a lot of controversy, that is the issue of usage of weak ahaadith. We have some people who go the extreme of saying that weak ahaadith should be rejected entirely.

I will state the obvious here, and mention that other that the sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim) every other book of hadith, be it the sunan of Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Abu Dawud, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi, the mustadrak of Imam Haakim, musannaf of Imam ibn Abi shaybah and others all contain some weak as well as sahih ahaadith.

What we must understand is that there is a difference between a weak and a fabricated hadith but unfortunately and sadly we have certain ignorant people who don’t differentiate between the two.
They treat a weak hadith like a fabricated hadith and totally disregard it.

I am not saying for a second that fabricated ahaadith should be entertained, we all know the severity of attributing a lie to the messenger of Allah sallalaho alayhi wasallam who himself said ‘whoever attributes a lie to me has reserved his space in the fire of hell’ (Bukhari).

Some people who are even regarded as scholars have this attitude that weak ahaadith should not be used at all, and if this approach was adopted then the majority of the books of hadith would be rendered useless and only Bukhari and Muslim could be applied thus making life extremely difficult.

The majority view of the ulema is that a WEAK hadith is permissible for usage in non-fiqh issues. The following are some great scholars who hold this view : Imam Nawawi, Ibn Salah, Sufyan Thawri, Ahmed bin Hanbal, Ibn uyaynah, Ibn Mubarak, Ibn mahdi, ibn ma’een, khateeb Baghdadi, Bukhari, mullah Ali Qari, ibn Hajr al Asqalani, ibn Taymiyah, ibn Qayim, imam Sakhawi, abu Dawud.

Even Imam Bukhari RA himself has compiled weak narrations in his book ‘Al Adab Al Mufrad’ which shows that he accepted weak narrations in regards to virtues of good deeds, so we can see here that the majority of muhaditheen accepted the usage of weak ahaadith and did not have this attitude that the salafis of today have.

I will now present work from none other than imam Ibn Taymiyah RA from his famous book ‘al qaedah jaleelah fit tawassul wal waseelah.’ The reason I chose to use Ibn Taymiyah RA on this occasion is because those people today who like to reject weak ahaadith and condemn others for using them are those who use Ibn Taymiyah RA as a reference and would always accept any ruling of his without hesitation.

The imam states:
“But Ahmad ibn Hanbal and other scholars permitted the narration [of hadith] regarding the virtues of good what is not sure as long as it is not known that it is a lie.” [laakinna Ahmad ibn Hanbal wa ghayruh min al-'ulama jawwazu an yurwa fee fada'il al-'aamal maa lam yu'lam annahu thaabit idha lam yu'lam annahu kadhib.]

Ibn Taymiyya goes into a full chapter of discussion of this subject from here, Chapter 8 of “al-qaida al-jaleela fit-tawwasuli wal-waseela“, where he presents the views of the majority of the ‘ulama of Islam and he presents his own views of the subject. And here we will examine this in detail.

To continue, Ibn Taymiyya says, in para 478:
“and that is the action which is known to be lawful with a shari’ah evidence, and there has been narrated in its virtue hadith that is not known to be a lie, it is possible that the reward will be true and none of the Imams have said that it is permissible to consider something required [waajib] or recommended [mustahabb] by way of a weak hadith, and whoever said so differed from the consensus [ijma'a].”

So here we see that Ibn Taymiyah RA is explaining that if there is a hadith, even though it has not been judged to be authentic, if it encourages what is known as a good deed in Islamic shari’ah, something of virtue, a praiseworthy action, or idea, then it is fully acceptable to refer to such a hadith as an encouragement for that deed.

And here also, Ibn Taymiyah RA refers to the ijma’a, the consensus, which is a clear reference to the concept of ijma’a of scholars of Islam as being a fully accepted concept and one which *he* accepts. And this is a clear proof that Ibn Taymiyah RA, though he considered himself a mujtahid mutlaq, capable of independent reasoning, nevertheless depended on the consensus [ijma'a] of scholars as a proof for the opinions he considered acceptable. And this is the position of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’at.

Then he continues in para 479:
“And just like it is not permissible to forbid something without a shari’ah evidence, [daleel shar'ee] but if it something is known to be forbidden and a hadith has been narrated in warning the one who commits such an action, and it is not known that it is a lie, it is permissible to narrate it. And it is permissible to narrate it in the manner of encouraging and discouraging [at-tarheeb wat-targheeb] what is not known that it is a lie. but in what is known that Allah has encouraged or discouraged with another evidence besides this [weak] hadith whose authenticity is unknown [majhoul haaluh].”

So from this we see that Ibn Taymiyah RA is using the weak hadith [ahadith da'eef], to discourage people from doing an evil deed, as long as this deed is known to be forbidden in the shari’ah. If the deed is forbidden in the shari’ah, it is acceptable to use a hadith whose authenticity is unknown, as long as the hadith is known not to have been an actual lie. This principle is acceptable, in anything that it is known that Allah expressed its forbiddance.

Ibn Taymiyah RA continues to explain this concept in para 480:
“This is like the [situation] of the Isra’iliyyaat [stories related by the Jews]. It is permissible to be narrated as long as we know that it is not a lie, for encouraging or discouraging in what we know that Allah has ordered in our law [shar'] or forbade in our law [shar'].”

Here we see that Ibn Taymiyah RA is not only accepting that the weak are acceptable in the case of encouraging good deeds and discouraging evil ones, but he is showing clearly that he accepted the use of Isra’iliyyaat, stories related from the Jews, which many Salafis reject today as unacceptable. And this is verified in the hadith of the Prophet (saws), “narrate from the hadith of Bani Isra’il and there is no harm in doing it.” (Bukhari)

So respected brothers and sisters, we see from the above evidences that Imam Ibn Taymiyah RA himself accepted the usage of weak ahaadith.

Taken from  http://haq2012.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/imam-ibn-taymiyyahs-stance-on-the-usage-of-weak-ahaadith/#more-256

60 Ways to keep Wife's Love

A virtuous wife is a beautiful gift from Allah. A man is accountable before Allah for what he does with Allah's most delicate gift.

 A woman came out of a man's rib (According to a sahih Hadith). Not from his Feet to be walked on. Not from his Head to be superior over, but from his Side to be Equal, under the Arm to be Protected, and next to the Heart to be Loved.

 

60 Ways to keep Wife's Love

---

1. Let her always feel secure. (No threats of divorce or violence)
2. Always greet her As Salamu Alaikum Wa Arahmatullah
3. Be Gentle. 
4. Advice her in privacy
5. Be Generous
6. "Let her have the seat"
7. Avoid Anger (eg. by doing wudu)
8. Looking Good, Smelling Great -even at home!
9. Don't be Rigid (eg. I'm a man).Respect her choice with in boundaries of shariah.
10. Be a good listener

11. Yes to flattering, no arguing
12. Call Wife with best names
13. Pleasant Surprise
14. Preserve the Time
15. Expect & Accept Shortcomings
16. Say Thanks, Appreciate
17. Encourage to be kind to kin
18. Speak about her topic of interest
19. Show that she is wonderful infront of her Family
20. Give each other Gifts
21. Get rid of rust/routine (eg. vacation)
22. Think good of her
23. Pretend you don't see small problem
24. Drop of Patience (eg. during period, pregnant)
25. Expect & Respect Jealousy
26. Be Humble
27. Don't make home miserable
28. Help out at home
29. Help her to respect parents
30. Make her feel she is ideal wife
31. Remember Wife in Dua
32. Leave alone her past (eg. negative event)
33. Don't show her that you are doing her a favour
34. Satan is the enemy, not the wife
35. Place food in her mouth (in intimacy)
36. Protect her from the envy like a Pearl
37. Show her your Pearls (eg. smile)
38. Deal with small matters
39. Avoid being harsh/moody
40. Respect her thinking
41. Help her to dig within to discover skills/success
42. Respecting intimate relationship and boundries
43. Help her to take care of your children
44. Gifts of Tongue (eg. sweet talk etc)
45. Sit and eat with her
46. Let her know if you are travelling, leaving/coming
47. Don't just leave home for no reason
48. Keep the secrecy
49. Encouraging worship
50. Know her rights, not just from the paper
51. Be the best for your wife in good/bad times
52. Kiss your wife, it's the messenger's sunnah!
53. Don't share disputes with others
54. Care for her health
55. Realize you are not perfect or always right
56. Share happiness/sadness
57. Have mercy on her in weakness/strength
58. Let be the one to lean on
59. Accept her as she is
60. Have good intention for wife all-times

This is from Shaykh Ahmed Shehab

Learning from a Teacher & the Importance of Isnad

Learning from a Teacher & the Importance of Isnad

.

Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari (db)

Question:

I have read one of your recent articles and I wanted to know, what is the legal requirement for someone to be considered a knowledgeable scholar whom we can take knowledge from? Is Isnad(chain of transmission) one of the requirements and is there any evidence for this deduced from the sources?

Also, I have noticed that Isnad is not usually mentioned by the scholars as a prerequisite for someone to be considered a Mujtahid. Can one therefore be self taught?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

There are two aspects to your question. The first is regarding the importance of the chain of transmission (Isnad/Sanad) in relating Islamic knowledge, and the second concerns the status of learning from a qualified teacher. I will attempt to shed some light, Insha Allah, on both of these topics in the light of the Qur'an, Sunnah and the statements of classical scholars.

Isnad (chain of transmission) of knowledgeAllah Almighty has honoured the Ummah of the best of creation, our master Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) with many special characteristics that were not given to any other nation before us.

From among these favours is the unrivalled and unique feature ofIsnad in relating the various sciences of Islamic knowledge. Isnadwas regarded by the early Muslims (salaf) as the first and primary condition in relating any aspect of Shariah even if it was merely relating one word.

With this, Allah Most High fulfilled his promise of preserving the Deen which includes the book of Allah, Sunnah of the beloved of Allah and the various Islamic sciences that are indispensable in understanding the former two.

Allah Most High says:

“We have without doubt, sent down the Message; and we will assuredly guard it.” (Surah al-Hijr, V.9)

The “message” here refers to the book of Allah and also the Sunnah of his blessed Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace), for whatever the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) says is from Allah Almighty, as Allah Most High says:

“Nor does he (the Messenger of Allah) say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than revelation (wahi) sent down to him.” (al-Najm, V. 3-4)

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) explained both verbally and practically the contents of the book of Allah. The Qur’an is quite ambiguous and limited in stating the laws of Shariah, and the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) duty was to explain these injunctions.

Allah Most High says to his Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace):

“And We have sent down unto you the Message (Qur’an); that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them.” (al-Nahl, V. 44)

So the promise of preserving the Deen is not restricted to the Qur’an, rather it encompasses the Sunnah and also the Companion’s (Allah be pleased with them all) understanding of the Sunnah and the understanding of those who took from them.

Isnad is a unique feature of the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him & give him peace) Ummah. No other nation, religion or community can claim or boast to have such rigorous analysis of the various aspects of their faith.

Early Muslim scholars examined and analysed each and every statement that came to them, whether it was the statement of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), his companions (Allah be pleased with them all) or anyone else. They studied the life and character of those who were part of the transmitting chain (isnad) in the strictest way possible.

Thus, the Ummah witnessed an amazing introduction of the “science of studying the reporters of Hadith” (rijal al-Hadith) which was unprecedented and is unrivalled till today. The recording of the names, dates of birth, dates of demise, qualities and characteristics of thousands and thousands of people is something that only Muslims possess.

Books such as, Tahzib al-Kamal by al-Mizzi, Tahzib al-Tahzib by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Mizan al-I’tidal by Dhahabi and Lisan al-Mizan by Ibn Hajar are just some examples of this amazing phenomenon. There are also books that are dedicated to preserving the biographies of the Sahaba, such as Tabqat of Ibn Sa’d, al-Isti’abby Ibn Abd al-Barr, Usd al-Ghaba by Ibn al-Athir and al-Isaba by Ibn Hajar, in which the biographies of approximately ten thousand companions (Allah be pleased with them all) have been covered.

Imam Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak (Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Isnad is part of religion (deen), and if it was not for Isnad, one would have said whatever one desired. When it is said (to the one who speaks without an Isnad): “Who informed you? He remains silent and bewildered.” (See: Introduction to Sahih Muslim, 1/87, al-Jami’ li akhlaq al-rawi wa adab al-sami’ and others)

He (Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak) also stated:

"The one who seeks matters of his deen without an Isnad is similar to the one who climbs to the roof without a ladder.”

Sufyan al-Thawri (Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Isnad is the weapon of a believer. When one does not possess a weapon, then with what will he combat?.”

Sayyiduna Imam Shafi'i (Allah have mercy on him) says:

“The example of the one who seeks Hadith without an Isnad is of a person who gathers wood in the night. He carries a bundle of sticks not knowing that there is a snake in it.” (meaning, he gathers and collects all types of narrations, the genuine and spurious, ).

Baqiyya ibn al-Walid (Allah have mercy on him) once related to Hammad ibn Zaid (Allah have mercy on him) certain narrations that were void of Isnad. So Hammad said: “If only they had wings.”

Imam Ibn Taymiyya (Allah have mercy on him) states:

“Isnad is a unique feature of this Ummah and Islam. Then from among the Muslims, it is a specialty of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.”

(The above statements have been recorded by Shaykh Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda [Allah have mercy on him] in his excellent work, al-Isnad min al-Din P. 18-20)

These and many other similar statements of the predecessors imply that the early Muslims held Isnad to be indispensable in order to acquire Knowledge. So much so, that in order to relate even one word in their books, they would mention a whole chain of transmission that covered three or four lines.

Isnad was not only mentioned in order to narrate Prophetic traditions (hadith), rather, it was related for every form of knowledge, such as the exegesis (tafsir) of the Qur’an, stories of the pious and worshippers, incidents of history, etc.

After the Prophetic traditions were gathered in the great compilations, such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and others, and other compilations in various other Islamic sciences, it was not deemed necessary to relate every statement with a chain of transmission going back to its original authority. Rather, it was sufficient to have an Isnad or Sanad going back to the author. TheIsnad of the author going back to the original authority would be mentioned in his book.

Till this very day, we have scholars from around the globe relating Prophetic traditions and other branches of Islamic knowledge with a chain that goes all the way back to the authors of the respective books.

The six major books of Hadith are generally taught with an Isnadthat goes back to their authors, and from them to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). Many scholars are seen to travel and make distant journeys in order to acquire Ijazah[authorization] and a higher form of Isnad.

In terms of Isnad with regards to prophetic traditions (hadith), the scholars of the Indian subcontinent are (perhaps) at the forefront. The science of Hadith is given special attention there and almost every student that studies in the various Islamic institutions (Dar al-Ulooms) is blessed with an Isnad in each of the major books of Hadith. Even major Arab scholars are seen to travel to Indo/Pak in order to acquire Ijazah and Isnad from the great Hadith masters.

In terms of other branches of knowledge, such as the science of Tajweed, Fiqh, etc, we see the Arab scholars at the forefront in relating and teaching the various books with Isnad. Major scholars in Syria and elsewhere have a chain in the recitation and memorization of the Qur’an that goes back to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) via the angel Jibril to Allah Almighty Himself.

The major books in Hanafi Fiqh (and other Madhhabs) are taught with a Isnad/Sanad going back to their authors and to Sayyiduna Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah be pleased with him) himself. Books in other sciences are also taught and related in a similar manner.

In conclusion, Isnad (or Sanad) is a unique feature with which our Ummah has been blessed. It has always been regarded to be indispensable in teaching and seeking knowledge. Scholars mention, that even today, one should acquire knowledge from a scholar who has an Isnad or at least a teacher who he studied with. Having a complete chain of transmission is not a pre-requisite for teaching. However, what is necessary, is that the one from whom one takes his/her knowledge, is amongst those who studied by other shuyukh. This is discussed further in the following section.

Learning from a qualified teacher

Allah Most High created man different from animals. Animals are not in need of a teacher or trainer in a way man is. We see for example that, when a fish is born, it automatically begins to swim without being taught how to do so. If a man was to take the example of the fish and throw his new-born baby into the river thinking that he will swim, then he is without doubt insane, for a fish is not in need of an instructor who instructs it how to swim, while a man needs a tutor to teach him to swim.

Take the example of the new-born chick; the moment it comes out of the egg, it begins to nibble at food without being taught. However, a human baby will not know how to eat unless it is taught practically how to consume the various types of foods.

It is the Sunnah (way) of Allah Almighty that he fashioned human beings in such a way that they are in need of practical instruction from a teacher in order to learn any science, technique or craft. From the moment one is born, one is in need of practical teaching and guidance in all aspects of life.

There is almost consensus on the fact that it is virtually impossible for one to master any science or art in the world without the guidance and tutelage of a qualified teacher under whom one practically learns the fundamentals of that science. It is not possible to gain expertise in any field unless one submits himself to the guidance of a teacher.

Take for example the science of medicine. If one was to think that I will read and study the books on medical science in the comfort of my home, thus become a medical practitioner, then he will be considered to be insane by almost everybody. If this individual was to perform surgery on a patient or begins to treat people, then his patients will not end up anywhere other than the graveyard!

Even if this individual is very talented and knowledgeable, the guidance of a tutor is indispensable. Suppose this individual is able to understand the books of medical science and he masters the language in which the books are written, he will still not be permitted to work as a physician or surgeon unless he studies under the guidance of a qualified person in the field of medical science. No government will ever allow this individual to take up the medical profession, due to the fact that he did not pursue the method necessary in order to take up this profession.

It is the same with all the other sciences of the world in that the guidance of a teacher is necessary. No body would allow you to practice law until you don’t attend a law school and learn form a qualified barrister. Let alone the major sciences, even the simple art of cooking is not achieved by merely reading a book. There are several books published explaining the methods of cooking different types of food. If an individual who had never cooked in his life before, cooked by merely reading the procedure of cooking mentioned in the book, then you can imagined what the outcome would be!

So, it is the nature of man that he can not acquire knowledge merely from books unless he has a teacher and mentor to train and guide him. He needs to stay in the company of a qualified teacher who will help and assist him on every step and save him from the errors that may be committed. This applies to every science, art and craft, and sacred and religious knowledge is of no exception. It is not possible for one to acquire sacred knowledge unless one is trained by a qualified teacher and mentor.

This is the secret behind a book or scripture never being revealed except Allah Almighty sent a Messenger to explain its contents. There are many examples where a Prophet was sent by Allah Almighty and no book or scripture was revealed unto him, but there is not a single case where a book was revealed without a Prophet carrying it.

The simple reason behind this is that if a book was sent on its own, man would not possess the capability to understand it without the teaching of a Prophet. If Allah wished, He could have sent the book on its own. Every individual could have found a book when he woke up in the morning, and a voice from the heavens would have declared: “Obey what is in this book” but Allah, the Creator of mankind, who is fully aware of the human instincts, chose to send the book with a teacher who would explain the contents of the book, both practically and verbally.

Allah Most High explains this concept in the following verse:

“Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent amongst them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting upon them verses (of the book), sanctifying them, and teaching them the scripture (book) and wisdom, while before that, they had been in manifest error.” (Surah Ali Imran, V. 164)

Similarly, Allah Most High says:

“And We have sent down unto you (O Messenger) the message, that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them.” (al-Nahl, V. 44)

Therefore, it is the Sunnah of Allah Almighty that He has kept two means for the guidance of mankind. One is through the medium of His books (kitab Allah) and the other is the Prophets and their successors. Hence, both, the book of Allah (kitab Allah) and men of Allah (rijal Allah) are necessary for one’s guidance. Sufficing with one of the two will surely lead to deviation.

At this point, it would be useful to quote the great scholar of Usul, Imam al-Shatbi (Allah have mercy on him). The following is the crux of what he stated on this issue in his renowned treatise al-Muwafaqat:

“The most beneficial and effectual way of gaining knowledge is by learning it from those who are masters in their fields. It is necessary to have a teacher in aspects of knowledge that need explanation and interpretation. It is not impossible for one to gain knowledge without a teacher; however, normally it is observed that a teacher is of utmost importance. This is, somewhat, agreed upon by the scholars.

Scholars said: “Sacred knowledge was in the hearts of men, then it moved into the books and the keys to these books are in the hands of scholars (rijal).” This implies the necessity of acquiring knowledge from the people who master it.

The basis for this is the Hadith which states:

“Verily Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people appoint ignorant as their leaders. They are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray.” (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)

If this is so, then the scholars are without doubt the keys for this knowledge.” (al-Muwafaqat)

Imam al-Shatbi (Allah have mercy on him) further mentions three signs and characteristics of a expert qualified teacher:

1) He practices what he teaches,

2) He himself has been trained by a qualified scholar,

3) His students follow and pursue in his footsteps, for if his students generally tend to not follow him, then this is a sign that there is something inherently wrong with him. (ibid)

There are many benefits and wisdoms in learning from a teacher:Sound understanding of the texts, its correct interpretation, being saved from making errors in understanding the texts (for each science has its own special terminologies) , getting questions and queries that may arise answered, practical application of the knowledge and obtaining the Baraka and light of guidance from that special teacher-student relationship are just a few to mention.

In conclusion, it is necessary for one that he learns his knowledge from a scholar of knowledge, piety and wisdom, and who himself has been taught and trained by a similar scholar. That does not mean it is incumbent for an individual that each time he picks up a book, he must find a scholar to teach him, rather one needs to study the fundamentals of each science with those who are qualified, thus become acquainted with the different terminologies, terms and expressions used. Thereafter, one may study a book on his own with always referring to senior scholars whenever something is unclear.

And Allah Knows Best

Mufti Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam Al Kawthari

Darul Iftaa

Leicester , UK

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Conditions for Debating in Fiqh- by Imam Ghazali

Disputation (Debating) in Fiqh

Disputation, according to Imam Ghazali, is only valid if the following conditions are met:

1. Disputation is a communal obligation (fard kifaya); before one may practice it he must have already fulfilled the individual obligations (fard  `ayn).
2. The purpose of disputation is to seek the truth; and it is justified only when there is not a more important community obligation that should be performed.
3. Disputation is justified only in the case of a mujtahid, capable of arriving at his own legal opinion and who is not bound by the opinions of any school of law.
4. Disputation is justified only in cases that are likely to be of actual occurrence.
5. Disputation should be held privately, rather than in public assemblies in the presence of notables and men of power and influence.
6. In disputation the aim should be to seek the truth regardless of which of the two adversaries finds it.
7. Disputation should be free of certain restrictive rules of dialectic, such as preventing the adversaries shifting from one argument to another.
8. A disputant should dispute with an opponent from whose knowledge he expects to benefit, one who occupies himself with legitimate religious knowledge.

After presenting his eight conditions Imam Ghazali states that there are others of minor importance, “but in these eight conditions there is that which will show you the difference between those who dispute for the sake of Allah, and those who do so for an ulterior motive.”