Sun 10 Feb 2019
Lesson 18: Hadith 9 (Part 1-8)
Hadith 9
- On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “What I have forbidden for you, then refrain from it. And whatever I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you are able. For indeed, it was only the excessive questioning and their differing with their Prophets that destroyed those who were before you.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
- The explanation of this hadith is split into 8 parts
Part 1: The context of this narration
- Why did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) make this statement?
- The hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) [Sahih Muslim]
- Sufficing with what the Prophet (ﷺ) has left with us
Part 2: The statement of the Prophet (ﷺ) “What I have forbidden for you, then refrain from it. And whatever I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you are able”
- We find in this statement that:
- What the Prophet (ﷺ) has commanding, then you do this but it has a condition. You should only do what you have the ability to do. Command is tied to ability
- What the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited, then there is no condition or limitation on this at all
- Why is this so?
Part 3: Leaving off the prohibited matters
- Prohibited matters are refrained from and remain prohibited and nothing is an exception to this unless there is a necessity#
- Example
- NOTE: the Prophet (ﷺ) did not say “what I have forbidden you then leave it” rather he used the words “refrain from it”, what is the difference?
Part 4: Haraam vs Makruuh
- When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) informs us not to do something then it could either be Haraam (prohibited) or makruuh (disliked)
- It becomes obligatory to keep away from matters when they are haraam (prohibited)
- When a matter is makruuh (disliked), then it is better for you not to do it, but it is not obligatory
Part 5: Ability
- What a person has been commanded to do, then he does this within his capacity
- Example
Part 6: The statement of the Prophet (ﷺ) “For indeed, it was only the excessive questioning and their differing with their Prophets that destroyed those who were before you”
- What was the form of questioning that the Prophet (ﷺ) was prohibiting?
- Excessive, unnecessary questioning during the life of the Prophet (ﷺ) and after his death
Part 7: Ibn Rajab’s statement
- People, as far as questioning is concerned, can be divided into groups:
- Those who go to the extreme by closing the door to all forms of questioning
- Those who go to the extreme by going into excessive questioning
- Ibn Rajab’s statement regarding this issue of questioning and sufficing with what the Prophet has left us (ﷺ)
- Excessive questioning in our time
- Regarding Allah’s attributes
- Regarding the Qur’an
- Regarding tyrannical, oppressive rulers
- The one who is satisfied with the sunnah, then it is enough for him