The Shaykh : O dear brothers, it is agreed upon by all the early Muslims that the Prophetic Sunnah, may Allah send prayers and blessings upon its possessor, is the second and final source of reference in the Islamic Shari'ah in all aspects of life, whether in matters of unseen beliefs, practical rulings, Islamic affairs, or educational matters. And it is not permissible to contradict it in any of these matters with opinion, independent legal reasoning, or analogical reasoning. As Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said at the end of his *Risalah*:
"It is not permissible to use analogical reasoning when a report exists". Similarly, what is well-known among the later scholars of the principles of jurisprudence is:
"When a report comes, reasoning is invalid" and
"There is no independent legal reasoning in the place of an explicit text". Their basis for this is the Noble Book and the pure Sunnah. As for the Book, it contains many verses; we will suffice in this introduction with mentioning some of them by way of reminder, and the reminder benefits the believers.
Allah the Exalted said:
It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.
وما كان لمؤمن ولا مؤمنة إذا قضى الله ورسوله أمرا أن يكون لهم الخيرة من أمرهم ومن يعص الله ورسوله فقد ضل ضلالا مبينا
And He the Mighty and Majestic said:
O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
يا أيها الذين أمنوا لا تقدموا بين يدي الله ورسوله واتقوا الله إن الله سميع عليم
And He said:
Say, "Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.
قل أطيعوا الله والرسول فإن تولوا فإن الله لا يحب الكافرين
And He the Mighty in speech said:
And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness. (80) He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away - We have not sent you over them as a guardian.
وأرسلناك للناس رسولا وكفى بالله شهيدا من يطع الرسول فقد أطاع الله ومن تولى فما أرسلناك عليهم حفيظا
And He said:
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
يا أيها الذين أمنوا أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولي الأمر منكم فإن تنازعتم في شيء فردوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر ذلك خير وأحسن تأويلا
And He said:
And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
وأطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول ولا تنازعوا فتفشلوا وتذهب ريحكم واصبوا إن الله مع الصابرين
And He said:
And obey Allah and obey the Messenger and beware. And if you turn away - then know that upon Our Messenger is only [the responsibility for] clear notification.
وأطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول واحذروا فإن توليتهم فاعلموا أنما على رسولنا البلاغ المبين
And He said:
Do not make [your] calling of the Messenger among yourselves as the call of one of you to another. Already Allah knows those of you who slip away, concealed by others. So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest fitnah strike them or a painful punishment.
لا تجعلوا دعاء الرسول بينكم كدعاء بعضكم بعضا قد يعلم الله الذين يتسللون منكم لواذا فليحذر الذين يخالفون عن أمره أن تصيبهم فتنة أو يصيبهم عذاب أليم
And He said:
O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered.
يا أيها الذين أمنوا استجيبوا لله وللرسول إذا دعاكم لما يحييكم واعلموا أن الله يحول بين المرء وقلبه وأنه إليه تحشرون
And He said:
(13) These are the limits [set by] Allah, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted by Him to gardens [in Paradise] under which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein; and that is the great attainment. (14) And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment.
ومن يطع الله ورسوله يدخله جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها وذلك الفوز العظيم ومن يعص الله ورسوله ويتعد حدوده يدخله نارا خالدا فيها وله عذاب مهين
And He said:
(60) Have you not seen those who claim to have believed in what was revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation to Taghut, while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray. (61) And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger," you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.
ألم تر إلى الذين يزعمون أنهم أمنوا بما أنزل إليك وما أنزل من قبلك يريدون أن يتحاكموا إلى الطاغوت وقد أمروا أن يكفروا به ويريد الشيطان أن يضلهم ضلالا بعيدا وإذا قيل لهم تعالوا إلى ما أنزل الله وإلى الرسول رأيت المنافقين يصدون عنك صدودا
And He the Exalted said:
(51) The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful. (52) And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and is conscious of Him - it is those who are the attainers.
إنما كان قول المؤمنين إذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم أن يقولوا سمعنا وأطعنا وأولئك هم المفلحون ومن يطع الله ورسوله ويخش الله ويتقه فأولئك هم الفائزون
And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
وما أتاكم الرسول فخذوه وما نهاكم عنه فانتهوا واتقوا الله إن الله شديد العقاب
There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.
لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنة لمن كان يرجوا الله واليوم الآخر وذكر الله كثيرا
(1) By the star when it descends, (2) Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred, (3) Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. (4) It is not but a revelation revealed,
والنجم إذا هوى ما ضل صاحبكم وما غوى وما ينطق عن الهوى إن هو إلا وحي يوحى
And He Blessed and Exalted is He said:
And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.
وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نزل إليهم ولعلهم يتفكروا
and other such blessed verses.
