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﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

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Ibn Dinar said: Ibn 'Abbas recited: "And consult them in some of the matter," the verse, as is known.

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The Shaykh : Ibn Dinar said: Ibn 'Abbas recited: "And consult them in some of the matter," the verse, as is known:
and consult them in the matter وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ
[Ali 'Imran 3:159]
As for Ibn 'Abbas, he recited it as an explanation of the verse, saying: "And consult them in some of the matter," adding the word "some" to the verse. In such cases, scholars have two approaches. One is to say that the reading whose transmission is established is the wording mentioned in the Noble Qur'an:
and consult them in the matter وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ
[Ali 'Imran 3:159]
As for this reading, its chain of transmission is authentic from Ibn 'Abbas, and it contains the word "some": "And consult them in some of the matter." Scholars have two opinions regarding such an addition. One is that it is a reading, meaning that Ibn 'Abbas heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recite the verse with this addition: "And consult them in some of the matter." The other opinion of scholars regarding such a verse is that Ibn 'Abbas mentioned this addition within the context of the verse by way of interpretation and clarification, and it does not mean that it is a fixed word in the Qur'an. In any case, this report from Ibn 'Abbas is an authentic report. Whether the word "some" is part of this verse as Ibn 'Abbas heard it, or whether this word is an interpretive addition from him, the point is that Ibn 'Abbas interpreted the verse at that time by stating that the matter mentioned in this verse:
and consult them in the matter وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ
[Ali 'Imran 3:159]
is only in some of the matter, not in all of the matter. That is, when Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) commanded the Prophet (peace be upon him), when He commanded His Prophet (peace be upon him) to consult his noble companions regarding any matter that arises for him, this command mentioned in the Qur'an
and consult them وَشَاوِرْهُمْ
is not by way of generality and comprehensiveness, but rather it is in some matters. Here, then, there are two issues. The first issue is determining the matter in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) must consult his companions, based on the indication of this verse, and consequently those in authority, i.e., the leaders and rulers, following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They must, in following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), consult those among them who are the people of consultation. So what is this matter in which the one in authority must consult the people of consultation? We must know that the matter mentioned in this verse is certainly not in religious matters, meaning not what is explicitly stated in the Book and the Sunnah. In such cases, it is said:
And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord وَاتَّبِعُوا أَحْسَنَ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ
[Az-Zumar 39:55]
and it is not said:
and consult them in the matter وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ
[Ali 'Imran 3:159]
Rather, this matter in which the Messenger (peace be upon him) and the rulers after him are commanded to consult the people of consultation is the permissible matters, or in other words, the administrative matters that arise for the rulers, and the matters that differ from one time to another and from one place to another. In such matters, which are not what is explicitly stated in the Book of Allah or in the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), it is obligatory for the ruler and the governor to consult the people of consultation. For example, if the Muslim ruler wants to issue a decision to prohibit the trade in hashish narcotics, does he consult the people of consultation in his council on this matter? The answer is no, because this is a forbidden matter, its prohibition is known from the evidence of the Shari'ah, and so infer from this. Rather, he consults, for example, if the Muslim ruler intends to direct an army to a certain direction, he consults them: is it beneficial for the Muslim army to be directed in the winter, or in the autumn, or in the spring, or in another season? This is the place of consultation, because determining the season for jihad or travel is not a matter established in the religion. In such a matter, the ruler consults the people of consultation. Therefore, it is not obligatory in every case for the ruler to consult the people of consultation from his council. This is the meaning of the saying of Ibn 'Abbas, or the recitation of Ibn 'Abbas: "And consult them in some of the matter," meaning not all of it. And so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) proceeded, and his companions after him, meaning they did not consult on every small and large matter.
Source www.al-albany.com

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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