What is the ruling on naming the finger as the index finger?
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The questioner : Regarding what you mentioned a moment ago about some scholars disliking the naming of the index finger as "al-sababbah," there is a hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): . If the hadith is authentic, then there is no room for the scholars' opinion regarding the dislike of naming this finger "al-sababbah." And Allah knows best.
The Shaykh : First, the hadith you are mentioning differs from the hadith I mentioned earlier, which is about raising the index finger. Did you not notice this? That is the first point... No harm, first of all, I preceded you in citing the hadith that contains the word "al-sababbah."
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : But we want to understand something new. In your hadith, where did the word "al-sababbah" come from or originate?
The questioner : From the narrator of the hadith.
The Shaykh : Okay, if you say the narrator of the hadith said that the Messenger raised the index finger, and you say the same, then what is the issue? However, we say that if the Messenger (peace be upon him) had uttered that word and it was established from him, and I do not rule that out at all, because the Messenger (peace be upon him) was an Arab, so he spoke in the language of the Arabs and in the dialect of the Arabs. This does not contradict the fact that the Messenger (peace be upon him) used some words that the Arabs used, even though he did not use them in the Shari'ah, nor did he recommend or prefer them. For example, as I think you know, he prohibited calling the 'Isha' prayer "al-'atamah" and said, "This is the naming of the Bedouins." Do you know this hadith?
Nevertheless, he named it that in some hadiths. The scholars, in reconciling what he prohibited with what came from him, said that he did so to clarify its permissibility. But it is better that the Muslim not use this word, which is characteristic of Bedouin usage. Similarly, perhaps you remember with me that when the Messenger (peace be upon him) was asked about the 'aqiqah, he said:, even though the 'aqiqah is mentioned in many hadiths. Why? Because this word is Arab usage. But the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as part of the perfection of his Shari'ah, as I say on many occasions, did not come only to rectify the inner aspects, but also to rectify the outer aspects. This includes words. A person should, when speaking, speak with a sweet and beautiful word, and leave other words that convey the same meaning, and choose the beautiful expression. This reached the point where the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 2250a. What does "laqasat" mean? "Laqasat" is equivalent to "khabathat" in the language, but look at the difference between "laqasat," how gentle, soft, and elegant it is, unlike "khabathat," but the meaning is the same and the word changed. And better than this and much greater is: . This is part of rectifying speech, which relates to the outward appearance of a person, whereas the inner aspect is known only to the Knower of the Unseen. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon one day, one of the Companions stood up wanting to say to him, "Hear and obey," but what came out of him was, "What Allah wills and what you will, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." So he said to him: As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 64:1386 Have you made me equal to Allah? Meaning, by your word, not by your heart, because if he had made him equal to Allah in his heart, that would be disbelief. And he told him to renew his faith and renew his covenant with his wife, and so on. But this man erred in his wording and did not err in his creed, so he was satisfied with him improving his wording.
Knowing that if it is established in some hadiths from his saying (peace be upon him) that he mentioned the index finger, there is no harm in that, as it is an Arabic expression as we said earlier. But if one turns to the other word that conveys the meaning of the first, it is better and more appropriate. And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
I and the guardian of the orphan are in Paradise, and he indicated with his two fingers, the index and the middle.
أنا وكافل اليتيم في الجنة وأشار بأصبعيه السبابة والوسطىThe Shaykh : First, the hadith you are mentioning differs from the hadith I mentioned earlier, which is about raising the index finger. Did you not notice this? That is the first point... No harm, first of all, I preceded you in citing the hadith that contains the word "al-sababbah."
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : But we want to understand something new. In your hadith, where did the word "al-sababbah" come from or originate?
The questioner : From the narrator of the hadith.
The Shaykh : Okay, if you say the narrator of the hadith said that the Messenger raised the index finger, and you say the same, then what is the issue? However, we say that if the Messenger (peace be upon him) had uttered that word and it was established from him, and I do not rule that out at all, because the Messenger (peace be upon him) was an Arab, so he spoke in the language of the Arabs and in the dialect of the Arabs. This does not contradict the fact that the Messenger (peace be upon him) used some words that the Arabs used, even though he did not use them in the Shari'ah, nor did he recommend or prefer them. For example, as I think you know, he prohibited calling the 'Isha' prayer "al-'atamah" and said, "This is the naming of the Bedouins." Do you know this hadith?
Nevertheless, he named it that in some hadiths. The scholars, in reconciling what he prohibited with what came from him, said that he did so to clarify its permissibility. But it is better that the Muslim not use this word, which is characteristic of Bedouin usage. Similarly, perhaps you remember with me that when the Messenger (peace be upon him) was asked about the 'aqiqah, he said:
I do not like the 'aqiqah.
إني لا أحب العقوقNone of you should say: "My soul has become evil," but he should say: "My soul has become remorseless."
لا يقولن أحدكم خبثت نفسي ولكن لقست نفسيLet none of you say, "What Allah wills and what Muhammad wills," but let him say, "What Allah wills alone," or let him say, "What Allah wills, then what Muhammad wills."
لا يقولن أحدكم ما شاء الله وشاء محمد, ولكن ليقل ما شاء الله وحده, أو ليقل ما شاء الله ثم ما شاء محمدHave you made me an equal to Allah? Say, "What Allah wills alone."
أجعلتني لله ندا؟ قل ما شاء الله وحدهKnowing that if it is established in some hadiths from his saying (peace be upon him) that he mentioned the index finger, there is no harm in that, as it is an Arabic expression as we said earlier. But if one turns to the other word that conveys the meaning of the first, it is better and more appropriate. And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Source
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The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.