The Shaykh’s warning on the issue that it is not permissible to interpret the Qur'an except in light of the Sunnah

And on this occasion, I wish to conclude this session with this benefit, which is to clarify the evidence that the Qur'an is not to be interpreted except in light of the Sunnah. Allah the Exalted said: Now, even if you are not specialists in the science of language or the science of the Shari'ah, but praise be to Allah, you are Arabs. What does the verse mean? Every time you want to stand up to pray, you must perform wudu. But one of us might already be in a state of wudu; we prayed Maghrib at that hour and we also prayed 'Isha with the wudu of 'Asr. So if we stand up to pray Maghrib and 'Isha and do not apply the verse, what does the verse mean? Here the Sunnah clarifies and explains. And you are in a state of impurity, so wash your faces. Where did we get this phrase from? From the Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray five prayers with one wudu, as reported in *Sahih Muslim*. So the verbal Sunnah, like the practical Sunnah, is what clarifies the meanings of the Qur'anic verses for Muslims. So when Allah says: It is not permissible to interpret it in Arabic alone; we must add to it the practical Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), like the last example: "When you stand up to pray, wash [your faces]." In Arabic, this means: every time you stand up to pray, perform wudu. But the Shari'ah is not like that. How? If you stand up to pray and you are in a state of impurity, then wash [your faces], meaning perform wudu. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

The questioner : The reading of the genitive case (al-jarr) in the recitation of al-Kisa'i is based on what came in the Sunnah regarding wiping.

Another questioner : Because I was listening when the brother was asking, I heard him say touching a non-mahram woman.

The Shaykh : There is no difference between touching a non-mahram woman or his lawful wife. Yes, I mean, whoever says that touching invalidates wudu, even if he touches his lawful wife, must perform wudu, but he did not intend this specific limitation.

The questioner : For example, his sister or his mother are not among the mahram.

The Shaykh : This is not among the mahram. Yes, in any case, our Lord has relieved us through the Sunnah, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.