What is your opinion on the fact that the actions reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are obligatory if they serve to clarify a general text, unless there is evidence that excludes them from being obligatory?
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The questioner : The general actions that are clarified are considered obligatory... obligatory in the sense that the command is for obligation, so all actions are obligatory unless there is evidence that excludes them from being obligatory.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : So applying this rule to the actions of prayer that we learned from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I find that Ibn Hazm, I mean, in his book, in the beginning of his book on the principles of jurisprudence, mentions this rule, but in the issue of prayer, he says, I mean, regarding certain actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he says: "And the action is not for obligation; it does not imply obligation."
The Shaykh : The action
The questioner : Ah?
The Shaykh : Does the action not imply obligation?
The questioner : The one that is in prayer, I mean, for example, this is an action and not a command.
The Shaykh : No, it is not said like that. "The action does not imply obligation." He does not say this; this is your interpretation.
The questioner : I am applying that some...
The Shaykh : This is your interpretation; do not repeat the words.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : But reflect on what is being criticized. Either you stand by your statement and defend your viewpoint, or you retract your error. I say: It is not possible for Ibn Hazm to say this, to say "the action does not imply obligation." This is your expression, not his.
The questioner : I mean, do you intend that in some... regarding the part that I claim he says...
The Shaykh : What business is it of yours what I intend?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What business is it of yours what I intend? My intention is not your concern. Look at your own intention. How can you imagine that a scholar would say "a specific action does not imply obligation"? This is a well-known rule.
The questioner : A well-known rule, without doubt.
The Shaykh : Well, how do you say that in some details of prayer he says "the action does not imply obligation"? He does not say that. I am certain he does not say that. So what does he say? Do you understand?
The questioner : I understand now.
The Shaykh : So correct your wording.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : So applying this rule to the actions of prayer that we learned from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I find that Ibn Hazm, I mean, in his book, in the beginning of his book on the principles of jurisprudence, mentions this rule, but in the issue of prayer, he says, I mean, regarding certain actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he says: "And the action is not for obligation; it does not imply obligation."
The Shaykh : The action
The questioner : Ah?
The Shaykh : Does the action not imply obligation?
The questioner : The one that is in prayer, I mean, for example, this is an action and not a command.
The Shaykh : No, it is not said like that. "The action does not imply obligation." He does not say this; this is your interpretation.
The questioner : I am applying that some...
The Shaykh : This is your interpretation; do not repeat the words.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : But reflect on what is being criticized. Either you stand by your statement and defend your viewpoint, or you retract your error. I say: It is not possible for Ibn Hazm to say this, to say "the action does not imply obligation." This is your expression, not his.
The questioner : I mean, do you intend that in some... regarding the part that I claim he says...
The Shaykh : What business is it of yours what I intend?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What business is it of yours what I intend? My intention is not your concern. Look at your own intention. How can you imagine that a scholar would say "a specific action does not imply obligation"? This is a well-known rule.
The questioner : A well-known rule, without doubt.
The Shaykh : Well, how do you say that in some details of prayer he says "the action does not imply obligation"? He does not say that. I am certain he does not say that. So what does he say? Do you understand?
The questioner : I understand now.
The Shaykh : So correct your wording.