Observing the Etiquette of Disagreement
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Your Eminence! When there is a disagreement in a fiqh issue or in a matter of belief based on a difference of opinion regarding the authenticity or weakness of a hadith, is it permissible for one who considers the hadith weak to label the one who considers it authentic and acts upon it as an innovator, or to say that his action is an innovation? Does anyone have the right to accuse another of innovation or open sinfulness simply because he disagrees with him?
Who is it that holds people accountable for their religions? It is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). If a hadith comes and people differ regarding its authenticity, and some consider it an authentic hadith, then he must act in accordance with what this hadith indicates, whether in practice or in belief.Because he will be held accountable: [al-Qasas: 65] He will be held accountable for the knowledge he possesses, and likewise for the understanding he has. A hadith may be authentic, yet people may differ in their understanding of it as well; some may understand it in one way, while others understand it in another. If one person understands it in one way and another in a different way, it is obligatory for each of them to act in accordance with his own understanding of the hadith. However, there is no harm in one of them discussing the matter with the other until they reach a unified opinion.
As for describing a person who disagrees with one’s opinion regarding the authenticity of a hadith or its implication as being misguided or an innovator, this is not permissible. This is the practice of the people of desires. For this reason, we find that the Muslims, from the time of the Companions to this day, have excused one another regarding their understanding of the text. For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions when he returned from the Battle of the Trench, after Jibril ordered him to go out to Banu Quraizah, who had broken their treaty,He said to his companions: (None of you should pray the 'Asr prayer except in Banu Quraizah) So they set out, and the time for prayer caught up with them.So some of them said: We will not pray except in Banu Quraizah, even if the sun sets, and they delayed the prayer.And some of them said: We will pray within its time.And those who said: We will not pray except in Banu Quraizah.They said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (None of you should pray the 'Asr prayer except in Banu Quraizah) So we say: We hear and we obey.
And those who said: We will pray within its time.They said: The Messenger (peace be upon him) did not intend for us to delay the prayer, but rather intended for us to hasten our departure. So when the time for prayer arrives, we pray on the way and continue our journey.
So these people did this and those people did that, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became aware of them and did not rebuke any of them, even though the disagreement was over a great matter: a prayer that is delayed beyond its time or prayed within its time.
Likewise, they differed on many issues.Among them: A pregnant woman whose husband died, and she gave birth before four months had passed. The Sunnah states that if she gives birth after her husband’s death, even if it is by minutes, her waiting period ends and her mourning period ends, as in the hadith of Subay'ah al-Aslamiyyah, whose husband died and she gave birth a few nights later, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted her to marry.
And among them are those who say: No.
If she gives birth before four months and ten days have passed, she waits until four months and ten days are completed. If four months and ten days are completed before she gives birth, she waits until she gives birth.It is said: Yes.
If four months and ten days have passed and she has not given birth, she waits until she gives birth; there is no doubt about this. But if she gives birth before four months and ten days, her waiting period ends.And the one who differed on this: 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, both of whom were jurists and scholars, yet we return to the Sunnah and leave aside the opinion of 'Ali and the opinion of Ibn 'Abbas. The Sunnah states that if she gives birth before four months and ten days, her waiting period ends and she becomes lawful for marriage, even if it is assumed that she gave birth while her husband was being washed and no one had prayed over him, her waiting period still ends.Meaning: Her waiting period ends before her husband’s funeral is taken to the cemetery.
So I say: O my brothers! It is not permissible for us to force people to accept what we understand from the evidence, nor is it permissible for us to compel people to authenticate what they do not consider authentic. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) holds people accountable and will question them on the Day of Resurrection: [al-Qasas: 65].
Who is it that holds people accountable for their religions? It is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). If a hadith comes and people differ regarding its authenticity, and some consider it an authentic hadith, then he must act in accordance with what this hadith indicates, whether in practice or in belief.Because he will be held accountable:
And [mention] the Day He will call them and say, "What did you answer the messengers?"
وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أَجَبْتُمْ الْمُرْسَلِينَAs for describing a person who disagrees with one’s opinion regarding the authenticity of a hadith or its implication as being misguided or an innovator, this is not permissible. This is the practice of the people of desires. For this reason, we find that the Muslims, from the time of the Companions to this day, have excused one another regarding their understanding of the text. For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions when he returned from the Battle of the Trench, after Jibril ordered him to go out to Banu Quraizah, who had broken their treaty,He said to his companions: (None of you should pray the 'Asr prayer except in Banu Quraizah) So they set out, and the time for prayer caught up with them.So some of them said: We will not pray except in Banu Quraizah, even if the sun sets, and they delayed the prayer.And some of them said: We will pray within its time.And those who said: We will not pray except in Banu Quraizah.They said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (None of you should pray the 'Asr prayer except in Banu Quraizah) So we say: We hear and we obey.
And those who said: We will pray within its time.They said: The Messenger (peace be upon him) did not intend for us to delay the prayer, but rather intended for us to hasten our departure. So when the time for prayer arrives, we pray on the way and continue our journey.
So these people did this and those people did that, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became aware of them and did not rebuke any of them, even though the disagreement was over a great matter: a prayer that is delayed beyond its time or prayed within its time.
Likewise, they differed on many issues.Among them: A pregnant woman whose husband died, and she gave birth before four months had passed. The Sunnah states that if she gives birth after her husband’s death, even if it is by minutes, her waiting period ends and her mourning period ends, as in the hadith of Subay'ah al-Aslamiyyah, whose husband died and she gave birth a few nights later, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted her to marry.
And among them are those who say: No.
If she gives birth before four months and ten days have passed, she waits until four months and ten days are completed. If four months and ten days are completed before she gives birth, she waits until she gives birth.It is said: Yes.
If four months and ten days have passed and she has not given birth, she waits until she gives birth; there is no doubt about this. But if she gives birth before four months and ten days, her waiting period ends.And the one who differed on this: 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, both of whom were jurists and scholars, yet we return to the Sunnah and leave aside the opinion of 'Ali and the opinion of Ibn 'Abbas. The Sunnah states that if she gives birth before four months and ten days, her waiting period ends and she becomes lawful for marriage, even if it is assumed that she gave birth while her husband was being washed and no one had prayed over him, her waiting period still ends.Meaning: Her waiting period ends before her husband’s funeral is taken to the cemetery.
So I say: O my brothers! It is not permissible for us to force people to accept what we understand from the evidence, nor is it permissible for us to compel people to authenticate what they do not consider authentic. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) holds people accountable and will question them on the Day of Resurrection: