Leaving the Sunnah when it leads to harm and to uniting the people
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, is it not the case that the Sunnah is left when it leads to harm, provided that harm is not severe, such as causing confusion among the common people?
The Shaykh:
First, it should be explained to the Muslims. The Sunnahs should be clarified for them so that they are not surprised by them without knowing them and then object to them. They should be explained and clarified. Second, if fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs, for example, due to a misunderstanding, and fitnah results, then warding off harms takes precedence over seeking benefits. Praise be to Allah.
What takes precedence over performing a virtuous act is when it leads to harm, or leads to disagreement and difference among the praying people. Warding off harms takes precedence over seeking benefits. One may leave a virtuous act and opt for an acceptable one if that is better and more appropriate. As you have seen, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to love to delay the 'Isha' prayer, but when he saw the difficulty of the people, he would bring it forward to accommodate them and to prevent this harm. This is a legal principle. Yes.
Warding off harms takes precedence over seeking benefits. And what is required is removing discord among the Muslims. Some brothers experience discord with the congregation of a mosque.
And there arises between them hatred and enmity, and they speak ill of each other. This is not permissible, all for the sake of attaining a Sunnah. This is not permissible. The imam should strive to unite the people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Mu'adhSahih Ibn Hibban 10:696 when he used to lengthen the prayer? He said: In the prayer, that is fine. But if this leads to hardship for the ma'mum (one praying behind the imam) or if the ma'mum object to this, let it be fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:696? He said, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is uniting the people and accommodating them in a matter that is not forbidden. Praise be to Allah. The matter is that uniting the people is required as much as possible, except in disobedience to Allah, which is not permissible. Leaving an obligatory act or committing a forbidden act is not permissible. As for matters of the Sunnah, benefits and harms are considered in them. Yes.
The questioner:
If it is...
The Shaykh:
(peace and blessings be upon him) He said: Indeed Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, is it not the case that the Sunnah is left when it leads to harm, provided that harm is not severe, such as causing confusion among the common people?
The Shaykh:
First, it should be explained to the Muslims. The Sunnahs should be clarified for them so that they are not surprised by them without knowing them and then object to them. They should be explained and clarified. Second, if fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurs, for example, due to a misunderstanding, and fitnah results, then warding off harms takes precedence over seeking benefits. Praise be to Allah.
What takes precedence over performing a virtuous act is when it leads to harm, or leads to disagreement and difference among the praying people. Warding off harms takes precedence over seeking benefits. One may leave a virtuous act and opt for an acceptable one if that is better and more appropriate. As you have seen, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to love to delay the 'Isha' prayer, but when he saw the difficulty of the people, he would bring it forward to accommodate them and to prevent this harm. This is a legal principle. Yes.
Warding off harms takes precedence over seeking benefits. And what is required is removing discord among the Muslims. Some brothers experience discord with the congregation of a mosque.
And there arises between them hatred and enmity, and they speak ill of each other. This is not permissible, all for the sake of attaining a Sunnah. This is not permissible. The imam should strive to unite the people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Mu'adh
Are you a fitnah (trial), O Mu'adh?
أفتان أنت يا معاذAre you a fitnah (trial), O Mu'adh?
أفتان أنت يا معاذIndeed, among you are those who drive people away. And tell the Companions: "Indeed, among you are those who drive people away. Let the one among you who leads the people shorten the prayer, for among them are the old, the young, the weak, and those in need."
إن منكم منفرين وقل للصحابة إن منكم منفرين أيكم أم الناس فليخفف فإن فيهم الكبير والصغير والضعيف وذا الحاجةThe questioner:
If it is...
The Shaykh:
(peace and blessings be upon him)
Make things easy and do not make them difficult,
يسروا ولا تعسروا،You have been sent as bringers of good news, not as drivers away.
بعثتم مبشرين لا منفرين.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام [ صالح الفوزان ]، تابع باب المواقيت - 1 — islamhouse.com (56:18)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.