Discussion of the correct, praiseworthy knowledge in the religion of Islam, with a note on the importance of the science of hadith.

The Shaykh : It has become clear to you that it is the truth, so follow it, if Allah wills.

The questioner : If Allah wills.

The Shaykh : Are you studying something of Islamic jurisprudence and the principles of jurisprudence?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : ... ؟

The questioner : ... followers of a school of thought.

The Shaykh : Okay, yes? Followers of a school of thought in everything.
Okay, if you and I disagree on a legal issue; what is the path by which you and I become convinced?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Be patient, I am one of the issues on which you and I disagree.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : One of the issues, for example, is smoking forbidden or lawful? You say: forbidden, and I say: lawful.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : You have become someone who does not want to research, you have become someone who does not want to research; therefore, is someone recording his speech?

Another questioner: Of course.
[Replaying the previous speech above from a recorded tape].

The Shaykh : I am asking you what is the path, you say... I am only asking you a question: if you... covering the 'awrah from below; meaning we lower our hands until it is as if we are praying naked, or some of them do it this way, and some of them let it hang completely, ask this question, then you will know that this is a man of knowledge or a man of ignorance. I tell you in advance: hold onto whom you wish from those you know from the people of knowledge, and our meeting will be after a month or two, if Allah wills.

The questioner : After a month.

The Shaykh : What are you giving us? The answer to this question, these people do it this way, and some of us do it this way, and some of us do it this way, and some of us let it hang and do not do this or that or that. Did the Messenger (peace be upon him) pray this way? We want, Professor, for you to guide us to the prayer of the Messenger (peace be upon him). Of course, you will not guide us to "The Description of the Prophet's Prayer," its author being Al-Albani, the deviant, the misguided, the one who misguides!! Tell him: then guide us to a book that teaches us the description of the Prophet's prayer, so that we may be free from confusion. One does it this way, one this way, one that way, one absolutely the three in the three; meaning not on the chest, not below the navel, and not on the heart. I ask this very simple question, and my hope is that if you are sincere, as I hope in the research, the truth will become clear to you from this question alone, and you will know that knowledge is not studying the school of thought of so-and-so and the school of thought of so-and-so, but rather knowledge is knowing the evidence of the school of thought of so-and-so, and the evidence of the school of thought of so-and-so, and the evidence of the school of thought of so-and-so. And it is not just this, as they do in the faculties of Shari'ah, they tell you: comparative jurisprudence, they tell you: the evidence of the Hanafi is such, the evidence of the Shafi'i is such, Malik and Ahmad are such and such, and then the student comes out confused, bewildered, and lost between the four schools of thought!! Why? Because the one who lacks a thing cannot give it. The one who is teaching comparative jurisprudence is himself confused.
And therefore, in experience—if you heard my word and asked this question—you will find the answer: "We do not know." These are established issues, and everyone must follow a school of thought. So you will know that the statement of "Ibn al-Humam": "The follower of a school of thought is not a scholar, but rather he is ignorant"; it is the truth. And you will know, as a result, the meaning of the authentic hadith: . Unfortunately, how many jurists do you have here in the country? Despite your not studying jurisprudence; because if we asked a student of knowledge, he would say: in the tens, if not in the hundreds. But you might say: I know five or fifteen; is that not so? Less than that, meaning? Something like that. Okay, how many hadith scholars do you have here in your country? You do not know. I do not deny it, be patient, but I want to tell you that you do not know. What is the reason, do you think? Because of their fewness or their manyness? Do you know how to answer me this question? Yes? You did not hear?

Those present : Because of their fewness.

The Shaykh : No, is this not forbidden in the religion of Allah?! The hadith, which is the second foundation after the Qur'an, and to which all the jurists refer, all of them, there is no disagreement among them after the Qur'an and the hadith. There are not more scholars in your place than the jurists. The common market person in the market knows them for their fame; because they are the lamps, the lamps of guidance, by them people are guided. They know the prayer of the Messenger, his fasting, his standing, his ablution, his bath, his morals, and so on. These are the people of hadith who know this thing. So if there are not in Aleppo, the second capital of the land of Syria, scholars in hadith—I do not say to you: a scholar in hadith, there may be hidden corners as it is said, but that is not our research. Our research is that it must have been, it should have been here in Aleppo, in the middle of Aleppo, there must be tens of hadith scholars, more than the jurists that you know, more than the jurists that the regular students of jurisprudence know. If you know this truth, you will know that the matter today is as he said (peace and blessings be upon him), in your hadith that you cited but in the wrong place: . Where are these scholars? The scholars of hadith, by your admission, you do not know them, not one of them!

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh. I do not want to tell you: there are no hadith scholars in Syria; because you might say this is someone praising himself. But ask the people of knowledge, ask the magazines that write, and you will hear what is shameful. You will hear that in the Muslim world there are not five or fifteen hadith scholars. You will know the calamity of the Muslims today in their scholars of hadith. Yes, . Ignorant in what? In the statement of Abu Hanifa, in the statement of the Shafi'i? No, these are many, by your admission and my admission, but they are ignorant in the Book and the Sunnah together; because the Sunnah clarifies the Book.
. And if there had been ample time, we would have brought you tens of examples that are directed today to those whom some call scholars; you will hear the astonishing. These statements were not said by Abu Hanifa, nor the Shafi'i, nor Malik, nor nor nor, and so on. Nor was it said by the callers to clarity in religion, like us. Who said it? It was said by those whom people deceived by saying these are the people of knowledge. And when one of them dies, this authentic hadith is recited in the condolence: and so on.
In summary—my brother—it must be that in the Muslim world there are tens, indeed hundreds, of hadith scholars. And these are the ones who must verify the previous verse: . I know that among these are scattered individuals like the white spot on the black bull, as it came in some authentic hadiths on other occasions. Perhaps we have digressed a lot, but perhaps there is benefit in that for whoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. And indeed, in that is a reminder for whoever has a heart or lends an ear while being a witness.

Another questioner : ... do you allow me ... the brother?

The Shaykh: Yes.

Another questioner : In a book...