Who is the renewer, what are his conditions, and is it required that he be at the head of the century? Is it necessary that he be free from any religious innovation?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Here is a question. In fact, we have entered the chapter of da'wah questions. Who is the renewer, what are his conditions, and is it required that he be at the head of the century? Is it required that he be free from any religious innovation?
The Shaykh : Excuse me, let me hear the question, one question at a time. Is it required, first of all?
The questioner : Who is the renewer? What are his conditions? And is it required that he be at the head of the century, the head of a hundred years?
The Shaykh : Stop here for a moment. This condition is necessary because the text of the hadith specifies "at the head of every hundred years." So I do not know what is behind the question, given that the text is well known?
The questioner : I mean, for example, there might be a scholar who appeared, for example, in the year, for example, 1250 AH, and became famous for knowledge, good, and righteousness in that year.
The Shaykh : Not at the head
The questioner : So he is not called a renewer in such a case.
The Shaykh : Not at the head of every hundred years. If he is in the fifties, sixties, seventies, or nineties, it is not enough; he must reach the hundred. He may pass away after that by five, ten, or so on, and this hadith would still apply to him.
The questioner : The starting point, the starting point. The date, from when, from when, for it to be a hundred years? It might be the fifties at the head of a hundred years.
The Shaykh : The beginning of what?
The questioner : The beginning of the date, for example, for it to be a hundred years.
The Shaykh : When is the head of the hundred years?
The questioner : Do you mean the Hijri calendar, or what?
The questioner : No
The Shaykh : Of course, the Hijri calendar. There is no disagreement on this.
The questioner : From the Prophet's mission, from the Hijrah, how?
Famous: The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) informing in the hadith, for example.
The Shaykh : As long as the Muslims have adopted the Hijri calendar as the Islamic calendar, this is the only calendar we can rely on. Please, what do you have? We, you noticed when I said, as long as the Muslims adopted the Hijri calendar, the first year starts from the Hijrah, then the second, the third, and so on. This is actually an example that fits the previous verse mentioned, which is "the way of the believers," and the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) which was narrated as marfu' (traced to the Prophet) but did not become authentic, and came as mawquf (stopping at a Companion) and was established. It is his saying (may Allah be pleased with him): "What the believers see as good, that is good in the sight of Allah." So it is not permissible for us, after this agreement and the practice of the Muslims, the Khalaf following the Salaf, in the Hijri calendar, to doubt when the head of the year begins. There is no way for such doubt given this practical agreement among the Muslims.
The questioner : I mean, for example, a person was born, for example, in the year 1290 or 1280, and started seeking knowledge, but he did not become famous for knowledge and ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) until, for example, 1340. So in such a case, is he called a renewer?
The Shaykh : Here we have entered another issue. I think we have expanded too much and strayed a little or a lot. The original question: if he dies before the hundred, in his nineties or ninety-five, the hadith does not apply to him as a renewer at the head of the hundred years. This is a point we should agree on. As for your last question, it is not hidden from you that there are many issues in which a scholar is perplexed, like the Euphrates river that flows into the salt sea and remains distinct, then it starts to mix and disappear until it is completely gone. Between its first flow into the salt sea and its end, there are degrees. A person doubts: is this in the middle the sweet, clear water, or is it the salt, bitter sea water? He doubts. But we start from the beginning and agree on it. We should agree now that the hadith does not apply to one who dies before the head of the hundred years. But now let us take an example: he died at the head of the forty. Here I remind you of a rule, which is both a linguistic and a legal rule, which says: "What approximates a thing is given its ruling." So now we say: he died at the head of the hundred and five. There is no doubt in our view that this hadith applies to him. Hundred and five, hundred and ten, hundred and twenty, and so on. When you reach the forty, when you pass the fifty and sixty, the example is clear as mentioned earlier. In my knowledge, I want to say a final word: what is the benefit of delving into the details of such an issue? We keep the hadith on its apparent meaning. So whoever it applies to without disagreement, that he renewed the religion at the head of the hundred years, whether he stayed away after that by five or ten or so on, this is a glad tidings for him, and it does not benefit others at all. But the important thing, in truth, is to know the remaining conditions or questions mentioned in your question. As for this expansion, I see it as a kind of luxury of knowledge.
Abu Malik: A question or a reminder. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. In truth, this hadith might be used as a reference for this hadith which is Mishkat al-Masabih 247. So I say "maybe" because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) specified from that time when he said this hadith. So is it not possible that this hadith applies to this hadith just as it applies to that one?
The Shaykh : I mean, it is considered as a corroborating narration. I say, by Allah, this is the apparent view, and this is a good point of attention. And may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And is it required that this renewer who was at the head of the hundred be free from any religious innovation to be called a renewer?
The Shaykh : And who is free from any religious innovation?
The questioner : Even if he was committed to a methodology of the people of innovation and renewed in, I mean, something of the religion or in a branch of the branches of knowledge?
The Shaykh : This, I think, is an issue like the previous one when we entered into its details. But I say that renewal does not happen in one direction. I say
The questioner : Is it a condition for the renewer to be a single individual?
The Shaykh : Let us finish what came to mind to say, and save your question. We do not see that the renewer is in one aspect of the religion. Renewal may be in knowledge, and knowledge has many branches, as you know. Renewal may be in tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), renewal may be in hadith, renewal may be in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), renewal may be in raising the Muslims and repelling the enemy's attack. And he may not have a connection to renewal in a type of the types of knowledge mentioned earlier. So any renewal in the religion that results in strength, honor, and security for the Muslims, he is a renewer, even if he is deficient in some aspects. Yes, please. It is not required that he be a single individual, and my previous answer or detail is the answer to this question.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, let me hear the question, one question at a time. Is it required, first of all?
The questioner : Who is the renewer? What are his conditions? And is it required that he be at the head of the century, the head of a hundred years?
The Shaykh : Stop here for a moment. This condition is necessary because the text of the hadith specifies "at the head of every hundred years." So I do not know what is behind the question, given that the text is well known?
The questioner : I mean, for example, there might be a scholar who appeared, for example, in the year, for example, 1250 AH, and became famous for knowledge, good, and righteousness in that year.
The Shaykh : Not at the head
The questioner : So he is not called a renewer in such a case.
The Shaykh : Not at the head of every hundred years. If he is in the fifties, sixties, seventies, or nineties, it is not enough; he must reach the hundred. He may pass away after that by five, ten, or so on, and this hadith would still apply to him.
The questioner : The starting point, the starting point. The date, from when, from when, for it to be a hundred years? It might be the fifties at the head of a hundred years.
The Shaykh : The beginning of what?
The questioner : The beginning of the date, for example, for it to be a hundred years.
The Shaykh : When is the head of the hundred years?
The questioner : Do you mean the Hijri calendar, or what?
The questioner : No
The Shaykh : Of course, the Hijri calendar. There is no disagreement on this.
The questioner : From the Prophet's mission, from the Hijrah, how?
Famous: The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) informing in the hadith, for example.
The Shaykh : As long as the Muslims have adopted the Hijri calendar as the Islamic calendar, this is the only calendar we can rely on. Please, what do you have? We, you noticed when I said, as long as the Muslims adopted the Hijri calendar, the first year starts from the Hijrah, then the second, the third, and so on. This is actually an example that fits the previous verse mentioned, which is "the way of the believers," and the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) which was narrated as marfu' (traced to the Prophet) but did not become authentic, and came as mawquf (stopping at a Companion) and was established. It is his saying (may Allah be pleased with him): "What the believers see as good, that is good in the sight of Allah." So it is not permissible for us, after this agreement and the practice of the Muslims, the Khalaf following the Salaf, in the Hijri calendar, to doubt when the head of the year begins. There is no way for such doubt given this practical agreement among the Muslims.
The questioner : I mean, for example, a person was born, for example, in the year 1290 or 1280, and started seeking knowledge, but he did not become famous for knowledge and ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) until, for example, 1340. So in such a case, is he called a renewer?
The Shaykh : Here we have entered another issue. I think we have expanded too much and strayed a little or a lot. The original question: if he dies before the hundred, in his nineties or ninety-five, the hadith does not apply to him as a renewer at the head of the hundred years. This is a point we should agree on. As for your last question, it is not hidden from you that there are many issues in which a scholar is perplexed, like the Euphrates river that flows into the salt sea and remains distinct, then it starts to mix and disappear until it is completely gone. Between its first flow into the salt sea and its end, there are degrees. A person doubts: is this in the middle the sweet, clear water, or is it the salt, bitter sea water? He doubts. But we start from the beginning and agree on it. We should agree now that the hadith does not apply to one who dies before the head of the hundred years. But now let us take an example: he died at the head of the forty. Here I remind you of a rule, which is both a linguistic and a legal rule, which says: "What approximates a thing is given its ruling." So now we say: he died at the head of the hundred and five. There is no doubt in our view that this hadith applies to him. Hundred and five, hundred and ten, hundred and twenty, and so on. When you reach the forty, when you pass the fifty and sixty, the example is clear as mentioned earlier. In my knowledge, I want to say a final word: what is the benefit of delving into the details of such an issue? We keep the hadith on its apparent meaning. So whoever it applies to without disagreement, that he renewed the religion at the head of the hundred years, whether he stayed away after that by five or ten or so on, this is a glad tidings for him, and it does not benefit others at all. But the important thing, in truth, is to know the remaining conditions or questions mentioned in your question. As for this expansion, I see it as a kind of luxury of knowledge.
Abu Malik: A question or a reminder. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith
By Myself in Whose Hand is your soul, a hundred years will not pass over my Ummah (Muslim community) while a soul remains on the earth.
والذي نفسي بيده لا يأتي على أمتي مائة عام وعلى الأرض نفس منفوسةAt the beginning of every century God will send one who will renew its religion for this people
إن الله يبعث على رأس كل مائة عام من يجدد لها أمر دينهاThe Shaykh : I mean, it is considered as a corroborating narration. I say, by Allah, this is the apparent view, and this is a good point of attention. And may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And is it required that this renewer who was at the head of the hundred be free from any religious innovation to be called a renewer?
The Shaykh : And who is free from any religious innovation?
The questioner : Even if he was committed to a methodology of the people of innovation and renewed in, I mean, something of the religion or in a branch of the branches of knowledge?
The Shaykh : This, I think, is an issue like the previous one when we entered into its details. But I say that renewal does not happen in one direction. I say
The questioner : Is it a condition for the renewer to be a single individual?
The Shaykh : Let us finish what came to mind to say, and save your question. We do not see that the renewer is in one aspect of the religion. Renewal may be in knowledge, and knowledge has many branches, as you know. Renewal may be in tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), renewal may be in hadith, renewal may be in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), renewal may be in raising the Muslims and repelling the enemy's attack. And he may not have a connection to renewal in a type of the types of knowledge mentioned earlier. So any renewal in the religion that results in strength, honor, and security for the Muslims, he is a renewer, even if he is deficient in some aspects. Yes, please. It is not required that he be a single individual, and my previous answer or detail is the answer to this question.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.