Deriving Legal Rulings from Visions and Dreams
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, are visions now relied upon in clarifying some of the rulings, or was this only in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?
Answer:
No, legal rulings are not derived from visions and dreams; they are derived from the Book and the Sunnah. As for acting upon them in legal rulings, that was in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) through revelation. This was through revelation. As for after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), rulings are not derived from visions and dreams. This is the method of the Sufis. The Sufis are those who legislate for themselves and their followers, saying, "We saw, we saw, and a caller came to us, a caller came to us and told us to do such and such." This is from Shaytan. There is no legislation after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pass away until Allah had completed the religion for him, so nothing is added to it by a vision.
Nor is there a story about so-and-so, nor anything else, nor the "taste" (dhawq) among the Sufis. The "taste" is also considered by them as evidence, or as innate knowledge (‘ilm ladunni), as the innovators claim. They say that a person is given knowledge from his nature, knowledge that is not learned from the Book and the Sunnah, that is cast into his heart, and that knowledge grows in his heart. They say this is all false, from Shaytan. There is no knowledge except from the Book and the Sunnah, ever. And there is no evidence except from the Book and the Sunnah, the consensus of the Muslims, valid analogical reasoning (qiyas), and the evidences mentioned by the scholars of knowledge. These are subsidiary. Consensus must be based on evidence, and analogical reasoning must be built upon evidence, so they are subsidiary to the Book and the Sunnah. Thus, the primary source of legislation is the Book and the Sunnah; it is the original and the fundamental source. As for dreams, visions, and the "taste" and innate knowledge as they call it, all of this is from Shaytan. Yes. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, are visions now relied upon in clarifying some of the rulings, or was this only in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?
Answer:
No, legal rulings are not derived from visions and dreams; they are derived from the Book and the Sunnah. As for acting upon them in legal rulings, that was in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) through revelation. This was through revelation. As for after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), rulings are not derived from visions and dreams. This is the method of the Sufis. The Sufis are those who legislate for themselves and their followers, saying, "We saw, we saw, and a caller came to us, a caller came to us and told us to do such and such." This is from Shaytan. There is no legislation after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْNor is there a story about so-and-so, nor anything else, nor the "taste" (dhawq) among the Sufis. The "taste" is also considered by them as evidence, or as innate knowledge (‘ilm ladunni), as the innovators claim. They say that a person is given knowledge from his nature, knowledge that is not learned from the Book and the Sunnah, that is cast into his heart, and that knowledge grows in his heart. They say this is all false, from Shaytan. There is no knowledge except from the Book and the Sunnah, ever. And there is no evidence except from the Book and the Sunnah, the consensus of the Muslims, valid analogical reasoning (qiyas), and the evidences mentioned by the scholars of knowledge. These are subsidiary. Consensus must be based on evidence, and analogical reasoning must be built upon evidence, so they are subsidiary to the Book and the Sunnah. Thus, the primary source of legislation is the Book and the Sunnah; it is the original and the fundamental source. As for dreams, visions, and the "taste" and innate knowledge as they call it, all of this is from Shaytan. Yes. Yes.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام [ صالح الفوزان ]، بداية من باب الأذان — islamhouse.com (51:24)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.