Does the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs” imply that the actions of the Rightly Guided Caliphs are authoritative?
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The questioner : Does the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Mishkat al-Masabih 165Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i) ... imply that the actions of the Rightly Guided Caliphs are authoritative? We ask for details.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that if the Rightly Guided Caliphs agreed on something, and naturally there was no Sunnah contradicting them, there is no doubt in the authority of their agreement on a matter. However, perhapsThe questioner : or at least some of the attendees might misunderstand the hadith to mean that the statement of one of the Rightly Guided Caliphs is authoritative, even if he is alone. Therefore, I say: the hadith does not mean any of that. To be clearer, his saying (peace be upon him):Mishkat al-Masabih 165Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i) either we assume a deleted modifier, the word “one,” and it is said: “and the Sunnah of one of the Rightly Guided Caliphs,” or we assume the phrase: “the collective of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.” In that case, the difference between the first meaning and the other becomes apparent. The first meaning implies, if it were correct, that if one of the Rightly Guided Caliphs held a unique opinion, it would become authoritative, unlike the other interpretation, which is the correct interpretation. It means that the agreement of the Rightly Guided Caliphs on an opinion is authoritative. As I said, this is the correct view. This Prophetic expression seems to be quoted from the Qur’anic expression, such as His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): [An-Nisa 4:115]. His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [An-Nisa 4:115] carries the two possibilities mentioned in the previous hadith: . Likewise, it can be said: [An-Nisa 4:115] For this reason, Imam al-Shafi'i was among the early predecessors who drew attention to the fact that this verse is evidence for the authority of consensus—the consensus of the Muslims. This means that he did not understand the verse to mean “follow other than the path of one of the believers.” That meaning is not intended. Rather, as al-Shafi'i understood, [An-Nisa 4:115] all of them. Likewise, the hadith is complete, and the Sunnah of all the Rightly Guided Caliphs, not just one of them. This is the meaning of the hadith.
Yes.
You must therefore follow my sunna and that of the rightly guided Caliphs
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدينThe Shaykh : There is no doubt that if the Rightly Guided Caliphs agreed on something, and naturally there was no Sunnah contradicting them, there is no doubt in the authority of their agreement on a matter. However, perhapsThe questioner : or at least some of the attendees might misunderstand the hadith to mean that the statement of one of the Rightly Guided Caliphs is authoritative, even if he is alone. Therefore, I say: the hadith does not mean any of that. To be clearer, his saying (peace be upon him):
You must therefore follow my sunna and that of the rightly guided Caliphs
فعليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدينAnd whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
ومن يشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبين له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنين نوله ما تولى ونصله جهنم وساءت مصيرًاand follows other than the way of the believers
ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينand the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
وسنة الخلفاء الراشدينand follows other than the way of the believers
ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينand follows other than the way of the believers
ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينYes.
Source
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