What is your opinion of the one who says: "The Companions were men, and we are men," given that they differed among themselves? How do we refer to them when they have differed?

The questioner : There are some new questions among the general questions that revolve around the basis—may the Shaykh be respected—that you said we must follow the Book and the Sunnah, but some people say, "What do we have to do with the Companions? They were men, and we are men, and they differed among themselves; so how do we refer to them when they differ among themselves in various matters?"

The Shaykh : I indicated in my previous speech that if the Companions are on one interpretation, it is not permissible to deviate from it. But if, as in the questioner's question, the Companions themselves differed, then it is obligatory for the scholars to verify a text from the texts of the Noble Book, namely His saying—Blessed and Exalted is He: . Our previous discussion was—our brothers, you must understand well what we are presenting to you of advice and knowledge—we say that the verse: was interpreted by the exegetes, the early Companions, the Tabi'un, and the mujtahid imams, and they based some jurisprudential rulings on it, holding that its intended meaning is jihad in the path of Allah. Another opinion is that of Imam Ahmad, who said that it also includes Hajj in the path of Allah. No one among the Companions contradicted this at all. Therefore, this question does not apply to what we are discussing; it may apply elsewhere. The answer is that if they differed, then it is correct at that time to say: "We are men, and they were men." But what is the weight in knowledge of the one who says: "We are men"? Is he the one we said issues fatwas based on what Allah said and what the Messenger of Allah said, studies the sayings of the Salaf, and knows whether this issue has two opinions or only one? If so, it may be permissible for a person to say: "They were men, and we are men." And if this contains some self-praise, which is naturally prohibited by the Shari'ah, but in any case, if he does not say it with his tongue, he can say it with his state. Who is it permissible for to say about himself with his state: "We are men"? And when is it permissible for him to say: "We are men just as they were men"?
Answer: First: It is only permissible for a later person to say, "The Companions were men, and we are men," if he follows their path, their line, and their methodology in not issuing fatwas based on opinion, but only on what came in the Book and the Sunnah. If the one who says, "They were men, and we are men," follows this methodology that those men followed, then it is permissible for him to say, even with his state: "We are men, and they were men." This is the first point.
Second: When does he say this? He says this if they differed. But if they agreed, he is not a man; rather, his saying, "And we are men," is proof that he is not among the men. Because Allah—Mighty and Majestic—mentioned in the previous verse, which I cited as proof that it is not permissible for anyone today to bring a new interpretation of a text from the old Qur'an of Allah that was interpreted in a previous way, that it is not permissible now for us to interpret this text with a new interpretation that has not been preceded.
This would be deviating from what those Companions were upon, and in that, the saying of Allah—Mighty and Majestic—and the saying of the Messenger—peace be upon him—becomes known. As for the saying of Allah, it is the previous verse: . Why did Allah—Mighty and Majestic—mention in this verse: ? Why was the verse not: "And whoever opposes the Messenger after the guidance has become clear to him, We will turn him to what he has turned to"? Why did He add this phrase conjoined to the Messenger, saying: ?
That is for what we mentioned earlier: that the Companions who received the knowledge—namely, the Qur'an and the Hadith—from the Messenger, may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him, directly, were the most understanding of people in intellect, the purest of people in hearts, and the most noble of people in souls. Therefore, they were the first to apply the rulings of Allah—Mighty and Majestic—no matter how severe they were on the self, especially if they were newly converted to Islam. These Companions are the ones who received the Qur'an and the Sunnah, understood it, and applied it. If we come at the end of time and contradict them in their understanding and their practice, that verse applies to us: , and we will have followed a path other than the path of the believers. The example is now before you. If there is no one among the Salaf who said: includes all charitable projects, then the meaning of the one who issues a fatwa and interprets the verse with this generality is that he has contradicted the path of the believers. But if they differed, as mentioned in the question, then at that time we have a second answer, which is also stated in the Noble Qur'an: and what else?

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Yes?

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : .
Yes.
And a new problem today: Many people know that there is actually disagreement in the issue; so how do they adopt an opinion and prefer it over another? Not by relying on this divine command and executing it: . They do not return to Allah and the Messenger. And the meaning of the verse, as is known to everyone, is returning to the Book of Allah and to the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him.
So to what do they return? By Allah, this is the easiest, this is the best, and this means encouraging people to hold fast to the religion. Did the Lord of the Worlds command this in the verse? No, . So whoever does not return to this reference, there is an indication in the verse that there is a defect in his heart and weakness in his faith. Therefore, we, all Muslims, with the two previous categories: whoever is truly among the scholars, his path is to return to the Book of Allah, the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, and what the Companions of the Messenger of Allah agreed upon. If they dispute, he returns to the Book of Allah and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah by the ruling of this verse. And whoever is among the common people and not among the scholars, the previously mentioned verse applies: . Who are the people of knowledge? We know clearly, as Ibn al-Qayyim said: "Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said." The people of knowledge are the people of knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. As for this question, it is about what they disputed. The Companions disputed much in some secondary issues, but they did not differ—praise be to Allah—in anything of the creed, unlike the later generations. When they disputed, the Muslim scholars, especially the mujtahids among them, returned to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and each of them preferred what became clear to him as the stronger position.
So I hope that the matter does not become confused for any of the attendees between the obligation of following the Companions in what they agreed upon and not deviating from them with a new opinion, and the case where they differed, in which we say—or they say—"They were men, and we are men," with the previous condition: that they refer to the Book of Allah and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him and his family.