What is the difference between a Companion’s interpretation of a verse and his statement on an issue?
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The questioner : What is the difference between a Companion’s interpretation of a verse and his statement on an issue?
The Shaykh : This falls under the topic of a Companion’s interpretation, which is related to a Companion’s opinion as well. If it concerns a matter of the unseen, based on a report about the unseen, then in this case, and in the first case you asked about—namely, interpretation—it is more likely that this was not based on his independent reasoning (ijtihad), but rather on what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) taught him. Therefore, a condition is required for such a statement: a Companion’s statement is considered a proof if it is a report about a matter that cannot be stated based on mere opinion. This is not an absolute rule; rather, it is necessary to qualify it by stating that there must be no possibility that it is from the Isra'iliyyat (Jewish or Christian traditions). This is because many of the Isra'iliyyat also speak about matters of the unseen, and it is known that the Companions received many of the Isra'iliyyat from some of the People of the Book who had embraced Islam. So, if a report from a Companion concerns a matter of the unseen and it is not possible that it is from the Isra'iliyyat, then it is said to be in the status of a marfu' (traced to the Prophet) report of this type. It has been said regarding the interpretation of verses that it is in the status of a marfu' report, because interpretation cannot be stated based on mere opinion, especially from the early Companions who heard the Qur'an directly from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his direct explanation of the Qur'an.
The questioner : The Shaykh :
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : This falls under the topic of a Companion’s interpretation, which is related to a Companion’s opinion as well. If it concerns a matter of the unseen, based on a report about the unseen, then in this case, and in the first case you asked about—namely, interpretation—it is more likely that this was not based on his independent reasoning (ijtihad), but rather on what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) taught him. Therefore, a condition is required for such a statement: a Companion’s statement is considered a proof if it is a report about a matter that cannot be stated based on mere opinion. This is not an absolute rule; rather, it is necessary to qualify it by stating that there must be no possibility that it is from the Isra'iliyyat (Jewish or Christian traditions). This is because many of the Isra'iliyyat also speak about matters of the unseen, and it is known that the Companions received many of the Isra'iliyyat from some of the People of the Book who had embraced Islam. So, if a report from a Companion concerns a matter of the unseen and it is not possible that it is from the Isra'iliyyat, then it is said to be in the status of a marfu' (traced to the Prophet) report of this type. It has been said regarding the interpretation of verses that it is in the status of a marfu' report, because interpretation cannot be stated based on mere opinion, especially from the early Companions who heard the Qur'an directly from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his direct explanation of the Qur'an.
The questioner : The Shaykh :
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
Source
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The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.