The Shaykh’s mention of the story of 'Umar with the Jewish scholar on the occasion of the verse in al-Ma'idah (Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and chosen for you Islam as your religion)
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The Shaykh : And I do not know if I have mentioned to you how that man, who was one of the Jewish scholars, felt and became aware of the gravity and magnitude of this blessing for the Muslims when he came to the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), and said: “O Commander of the Faithful, if this verse had been revealed to us, the Jews, we would have made the day of its revelation a festival.” He asked, “What is it?” He said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:3]. Then 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It was indeed revealed on a festival day; it was revealed on a Friday, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was at 'Arafah.” The meaning of this statement by this Jewish scholar is that he recognized the great importance of this blessing which Allah bestowed upon His believing servants, whereby He perfected their religion. This is because it frees them to work on the affairs of their lives, allowing them to devote themselves to these after fulfilling their obligations to their Lord. Thus, He made them rich by this complete legislation, so they did not need to turn to legislation and codification, which is not their specialty nor within their capabilities. This is because man, as our Lord described him in the Qur'an, [Al-Isra 17:85], does not look, regarding what concerns his future interests, beyond the tip of his nose, as the Arabic proverb says. Therefore, we find that all those who are called legislators and imitators in every land of the world bring us a constitution every day and a law every day, because it has become clear to them through practical experience that these laws, indeed these constitutions, do not serve the interests of the people.
That Jewish scholar was truly among the scholars when he recognized this blessing and valued it, so he came to say to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, “If this verse had been revealed to us, the Jews, we would have made the day of its revelation a festival.” So 'Umar informed him that it was indeed revealed on a festival day.
Were the Muslims not more deserving and more entitled to know the virtue of this blessing than that Jew? Indeed, that was the case, and it was so for the earliest generations (the Salaf), for they were the furthest of people from introducing innovations in the religion... to this extent did the concern of the Salaf reach in rejecting religious innovation. What would these people say if they were resurrected in our time and looked at these innovations which cannot be counted because they are in the thousands? No doubt their rejection would be very, very severe toward those who introduce these innovations, and they would remind them that this innovation in the religion is legislation, and legislation is only among the rights of the Lord of the Worlds (Blessed and Exalted is He).
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام ديناًmankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."
أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ العِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًاThat Jewish scholar was truly among the scholars when he recognized this blessing and valued it, so he came to say to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, “If this verse had been revealed to us, the Jews, we would have made the day of its revelation a festival.” So 'Umar informed him that it was indeed revealed on a festival day.
Were the Muslims not more deserving and more entitled to know the virtue of this blessing than that Jew? Indeed, that was the case, and it was so for the earliest generations (the Salaf), for they were the furthest of people from introducing innovations in the religion... to this extent did the concern of the Salaf reach in rejecting religious innovation. What would these people say if they were resurrected in our time and looked at these innovations which cannot be counted because they are in the thousands? No doubt their rejection would be very, very severe toward those who introduce these innovations, and they would remind them that this innovation in the religion is legislation, and legislation is only among the rights of the Lord of the Worlds (Blessed and Exalted is He).