Explaining the error in the following question: Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not interpret the Qur'an?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh: ... in the hadiths.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : Why did the Prophet not interpret the Qur'an...?
The Shaykh : No, excuse me. He had a question about the message and prophethood. What is the difference between the message and prophethood? Do you want this question or not?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Someone else, please.
The questioner : Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not interpret the Qur'an, and why did the Prophet pray for his cousin al-Abbas, saying:Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 29:588.
The Shaykh : The Messenger, as we said earlier—this question concerns you—
The questioner: Yes ... .
The Shaykh : The Messenger (peace be upon him), as we said earlier, Allah revealed to him[An-Nahl 16:44]. Explanation is interpretation. So the question is either an error or ignorance. The answer to the one who asks why he did not interpret the Qur'an is: The Messenger did interpret the Qur'an, and that is his duty. Allah did not send him except to interpret the Qur'an. [An-Nahl 16:44]
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Be patient, be patient. But how many people can there be in the world? Millions, is that not so? Is there a mind that is like another mind?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : So the one who asks the question out of ignorance wants an interpretation for every breath of the creatures, because every person has a mind and a logic. Especially if we go beyond the Arabs to whom the Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language, and come to the non-Arabs. Of course, the Messenger did not interpret the Qur'an for the non-Arabs. He interpreted it for whom? For the Arabs. But among the Arabs, there are things that do not need interpretation, for example:[Al-Masad 111:1]. But the non-Arab, when he hears "tab and tab," might feel that atomic bombs are falling on him. But he must learn the Arabic language in order to understand the Arabic speech. So the Messenger (peace be upon him) did not interpret these. But he interpreted things that needed interpretation, , [Al-Baqarah 2:43]. How to give zakah? How to establish the prayer? How to bow with those who are bowing? The Messenger (peace be upon him) explained all of this, and so on. So this interpretation that the Messenger (peace be upon him) explained cannot be understood by every individual in the world first, and it cannot match every mind of the individuals in the world, because this is impossible. Is that correct or not?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : So when we say "interpreted," for whom did he interpret the Qur'an? For the people of knowledge or for the people of ignorance?
The questioner : The people of ignorance do not understand it, of course.
The Shaykh : For the people of knowledge. So those who ask these questions must ask the people of knowledge if a verse is difficult for them, what is its meaning? Because the Messenger interpreted every verse that needed interpretation. As for a verse that does not need interpretation, it is like the sun in the fourth hour of the day; it does not need interpretation other than itself.
The questioner : And why did the Prophet pray for his uncle al-AbbasMusannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 29:588?
The Shaykh : What is wrong with that? I say, "O Allah, give Abu Sulayman understanding in the religion and teach him interpretation." Who has the right—may Allah have mercy on you—to say why he did not make this prayer for so-and-so and so-and-so and so-and-so? What is this question? It has no taste, O Abu Sulayman.
The questioner : He is his uncle al-Abbas.
The Shaykh : Not his uncle, his cousin.
The questioner : It seems thatThe questioner : he thought that Ibn Abbas... Ibn Abbas's words in interpretation... were elevated? Did he hear it from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for certain?
The Shaykh : What is difficult for you about the hadith? Why are you saying in the question why he prayed for his cousin Abdullah ibn Abbas? It is said, why did the Messenger pray for so-and-so and so-and-so.
The Shaykh : This is not what I am saying.
The Shaykh : So leave it. You look at what he is saying? Are you not among the questions now? It has become ten?
The questioner : ... Is it true that the moon split?
The Shaykh : Allah said[Al-Qamar 54:1]. The moon split.
The questioner : It split, meaning.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : Why did the Prophet not interpret the Qur'an...?
The Shaykh : No, excuse me. He had a question about the message and prophethood. What is the difference between the message and prophethood? Do you want this question or not?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Someone else, please.
The questioner : Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not interpret the Qur'an, and why did the Prophet pray for his cousin al-Abbas, saying:
O Allah, give him understanding in the religion and teach him interpretation
اللهم فقهه في الدين وعلمه التأويلThe Shaykh : The Messenger, as we said earlier—this question concerns you—
The questioner: Yes ... .
The Shaykh : The Messenger (peace be upon him), as we said earlier, Allah revealed to him
And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them
وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نزل إليهمAnd We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them
وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نزل إليهمThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Be patient, be patient. But how many people can there be in the world? Millions, is that not so? Is there a mind that is like another mind?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : So the one who asks the question out of ignorance wants an interpretation for every breath of the creatures, because every person has a mind and a logic. Especially if we go beyond the Arabs to whom the Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language, and come to the non-Arabs. Of course, the Messenger did not interpret the Qur'an for the non-Arabs. He interpreted it for whom? For the Arabs. But among the Arabs, there are things that do not need interpretation, for example:
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he.
تبت يدا أبي لهب وتبEstablish prayer
أقيموا الصلاةAnd give the zakah.
وآتو الزكاةand bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].
واركعوا مع الراكعينThe questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : So when we say "interpreted," for whom did he interpret the Qur'an? For the people of knowledge or for the people of ignorance?
The questioner : The people of ignorance do not understand it, of course.
The Shaykh : For the people of knowledge. So those who ask these questions must ask the people of knowledge if a verse is difficult for them, what is its meaning? Because the Messenger interpreted every verse that needed interpretation. As for a verse that does not need interpretation, it is like the sun in the fourth hour of the day; it does not need interpretation other than itself.
The questioner : And why did the Prophet pray for his uncle al-Abbas
O Allah, give him understanding in the religion and teach him interpretation.
اللهم فقه في الدين وعلمه التأويلThe Shaykh : What is wrong with that? I say, "O Allah, give Abu Sulayman understanding in the religion and teach him interpretation." Who has the right—may Allah have mercy on you—to say why he did not make this prayer for so-and-so and so-and-so and so-and-so? What is this question? It has no taste, O Abu Sulayman.
The questioner : He is his uncle al-Abbas.
The Shaykh : Not his uncle, his cousin.
The questioner : It seems thatThe questioner : he thought that Ibn Abbas... Ibn Abbas's words in interpretation... were elevated? Did he hear it from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for certain?
The Shaykh : What is difficult for you about the hadith? Why are you saying in the question why he prayed for his cousin Abdullah ibn Abbas? It is said, why did the Messenger pray for so-and-so and so-and-so.
The Shaykh : This is not what I am saying.
The Shaykh : So leave it. You look at what he is saying? Are you not among the questions now? It has become ten?
The questioner : ... Is it true that the moon split?
The Shaykh : Allah said
The Hour has come near, and the moon has split [in two].
اقتربت الساعة وانشق القمرThe questioner : It split, meaning.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.