Regarding the conditions for narrating by meaning, does the Hanafi condition not apply: that one must be a jurist?
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The questioner : All right, regarding the two previous conditions for narrating by meaning, does the Hanafi condition not apply: that one must be a jurist? Because if he narrates by...
The Shaykh : No, being a jurist is not a condition. The condition is that he understands the meaning.
The questioner : All right, does understanding the meaning not include jurisprudence?
The Shaykh : It may be so, because the scope of jurisprudence is not hidden from you, and it is narrower than the scope of meaning. Perhaps you can recall with me the story of Abu Hanifah’s student; it is not Abu Yusuf, but the second student of Abu Hanifah.
The questioner : Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.
The Shaykh : Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani. They mention that he stayed as a guest with Imam al-Shafi'i, or perhaps the other way around; I do not recall it clearly right now. The point is that Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani was praying at night, and al-Shafi'i was in his bed. When morning came, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani mentioned al-Shafi'i, seemingly hinting that he had not gotten up to pray at night, as if taking him to task for it. He said: "I spent the night reflecting on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 4969Sahih (Al-Albani) and I derived from it such and such a ruling. Now, Abu 'Amir, what is the *naghayr*?" The phrase is understandable, but it may be difficult for some foreigners like us. What is the *naghayr*? Do you see? If one knows what the *naghayr* is, one knows the meaning of the hadith. But did he know the jurisprudence that Imam al-Shafi'i understood? No. Therefore, there is no necessary connection between being a jurist, as the Hanafis require, and being knowledgeable about what leads to the meaning, which is the fundamental condition. Is the difference clear?
The Shaykh : No, being a jurist is not a condition. The condition is that he understands the meaning.
The questioner : All right, does understanding the meaning not include jurisprudence?
The Shaykh : It may be so, because the scope of jurisprudence is not hidden from you, and it is narrower than the scope of meaning. Perhaps you can recall with me the story of Abu Hanifah’s student; it is not Abu Yusuf, but the second student of Abu Hanifah.
The questioner : Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.
The Shaykh : Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani. They mention that he stayed as a guest with Imam al-Shafi'i, or perhaps the other way around; I do not recall it clearly right now. The point is that Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani was praying at night, and al-Shafi'i was in his bed. When morning came, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani mentioned al-Shafi'i, seemingly hinting that he had not gotten up to pray at night, as if taking him to task for it. He said: "I spent the night reflecting on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):