What is your opinion on the fact that the actions reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are obligatory if they serve to clarify a general text, unless there is evidence that excludes them from being obligatory?
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The questioner : The general actions that are clarified are considered obligatory... obligatory in the sense that the command implies obligation, so all actions are obligatory unless there is evidence that excludes them from being obligatory.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : So applying this rule to the actions of prayer that we learned from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I find that Ibn Hazm, meaning in his book, at the beginning of his book on the principles of jurisprudence, mentions this rule, but in the issue of prayer, he says, meaning regarding certain actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he says: "The action does not imply obligation; it does not necessitate obligation."
The Shaykh: The action.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The action does not imply obligation?
The questioner : The one in prayer, for example, this is an action and not a command.
The Shaykh : No, it is not said that way. The action does not imply obligation. He does not say this; this is your interpretation...
The questioner : I am applying it that some...
The Shaykh : This is your interpretation; do not repeat the statement.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But consider what you are being criticized for. Either you stand by your statement and defend your viewpoint, or you retract your error. I say: It is impossible for Ibn Hazm to say this, to say that the action does not imply obligation. This is your expression, not his.
The questioner : I mean, do you intend that in some... where I claim he says...
The Shaykh : What business do you have with my intention?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What business do you have with my intention? My intention is not what matters to you. Look at your own intention. How can you imagine that a scholar would say that a specific action does not imply obligation? This is a well-known rule.
The questioner : A well-known rule, without a doubt.
The Shaykh : Well, how do you say that in some details of prayer he says the action does not imply obligation? He does not say that. I am certain he does not say that. So what does he say? Do you understand?
The questioner : I understand now.
The Shaykh : Then correct your wording.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : So applying this rule to the actions of prayer that we learned from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I find that Ibn Hazm, meaning in his book, at the beginning of his book on the principles of jurisprudence, mentions this rule, but in the issue of prayer, he says, meaning regarding certain actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he says: "The action does not imply obligation; it does not necessitate obligation."
The Shaykh: The action.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The action does not imply obligation?
The questioner : The one in prayer, for example, this is an action and not a command.
The Shaykh : No, it is not said that way. The action does not imply obligation. He does not say this; this is your interpretation...
The questioner : I am applying it that some...
The Shaykh : This is your interpretation; do not repeat the statement.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But consider what you are being criticized for. Either you stand by your statement and defend your viewpoint, or you retract your error. I say: It is impossible for Ibn Hazm to say this, to say that the action does not imply obligation. This is your expression, not his.
The questioner : I mean, do you intend that in some... where I claim he says...
The Shaykh : What business do you have with my intention?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What business do you have with my intention? My intention is not what matters to you. Look at your own intention. How can you imagine that a scholar would say that a specific action does not imply obligation? This is a well-known rule.
The questioner : A well-known rule, without a doubt.
The Shaykh : Well, how do you say that in some details of prayer he says the action does not imply obligation? He does not say that. I am certain he does not say that. So what does he say? Do you understand?
The questioner : I understand now.
The Shaykh : Then correct your wording.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.