Explanation of the hadith (The rider is a devil) and whether it is derived from it that there is a distinction between traveling on beasts in the deserts and traveling today on modern vehicles.
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The questioner : My experience with your excellence is that you are among the most severe in fighting those who divert the hadiths from their apparent meaning without evidence.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But did you not read for us in the series what contradicts that?
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 2607Hasan (Al-Albani) So you say in your explanation of this hadith: "And in these hadiths is the prohibition of a Muslim traveling alone, and likewise if he is with another, due to the apparent prohibition in the hadith before this, and his saying in it 'devil,' meaning one who disobeys." Then you mentioned some of the statements of the scholars, and you concluded by saying: "Perhaps the hadith intended traveling in deserts and wastelands where a traveler rarely sees anyone from among the people, so traveling today on paved roads with many connections does not fall under it." So what is the evidence for the distinction, Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes, first of all, my brother, perhaps you know that the rulings of the Shari'ah are not all presented in a single manner in their understanding. To complete the point, perhaps you know that some of the rulings of the Shari'ah—and peace be upon you—are purely devotional, while others are not purely devotional, but rather the scholars say of them that their meaning is rational. I think this distinction is known to you?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : Good, and it is not sufficient for it to be merely known to you; rather, we should ask, and you are a Muslim who accepts this, is that so?
The questioner : Yes, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Fine, so in that case, is there a rule or criterion for distinguishing a purely devotional ruling of the Shari'ah from another ruling of the Shari'ah whose meaning is rational, or is it opinion and independent legal reasoning and derivation, as you know?
The questioner : Allah knows best, it is opinion and independent legal reasoning.
The Shaykh : Good, so in that case, if you see such an interpretation, it is not to be treated as the kind of interpretation that is spoken of regarding matters of the unseen, and especially what is related to the divine attributes. Rather, this is a ruling related to actions and the rulings of the Shari'ah by which people are tested in performing them. So if it appears to a person that a certain ruling is rational in meaning, and that does not appear to another, it should not be said that this is interpretation in the sense of the dispraised interpretation. Rather, it is said that this is opinion and independent legal reasoning. If he hits the truth in it, he has two rewards; otherwise, he has one reward. So when I extracted this hadith and authenticated it, I reflected on its indication, and it appeared to me that it may be from the category of rational meaning, and not purely devotional where its cause is not known and its purpose is not known. And perhaps you feel that I did not assert that, but rather I said "perhaps."
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So in that case, I do not believe that any criticism is due to me, because I inclined, or nearly inclined, to the view that this ruling is not purely devotional, but rather the benefit of the traveler alone, or with a second man, was considered in it; indeed, a third must be present. So if you have something from which we can benefit to invalidate this "perhaps," may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : Shaykh, I mean, the prohibited thing may actually occur now. The roads are paved, but sometimes there may be two hundred or three hundred kilometers between one city and another. So he may travel alone and his mount may break down, meaning he is exposed to thieves or the like. So the prohibited thing exists. I do not know, what is your opinion, our Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The prohibited thing exists, but not to the extent that it existed in that era.
The questioner : There is a difference, yes.
The Shaykh : There is a difference, and the difference is large and very large. So, in the expression of some countries, "Stay in your place, we are still in the same case." It is merely opinion and independent legal reasoning.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But did you not read for us in the series what contradicts that?
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
A single rider is a devil, and a pair of riders are a pair of devils, but three are a company of riders.
الراكب شيطان والراكبان شيطانان والثلاثة ركبThe Shaykh : Yes, first of all, my brother, perhaps you know that the rulings of the Shari'ah are not all presented in a single manner in their understanding. To complete the point, perhaps you know that some of the rulings of the Shari'ah—and peace be upon you—are purely devotional, while others are not purely devotional, but rather the scholars say of them that their meaning is rational. I think this distinction is known to you?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : Good, and it is not sufficient for it to be merely known to you; rather, we should ask, and you are a Muslim who accepts this, is that so?
The questioner : Yes, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Fine, so in that case, is there a rule or criterion for distinguishing a purely devotional ruling of the Shari'ah from another ruling of the Shari'ah whose meaning is rational, or is it opinion and independent legal reasoning and derivation, as you know?
The questioner : Allah knows best, it is opinion and independent legal reasoning.
The Shaykh : Good, so in that case, if you see such an interpretation, it is not to be treated as the kind of interpretation that is spoken of regarding matters of the unseen, and especially what is related to the divine attributes. Rather, this is a ruling related to actions and the rulings of the Shari'ah by which people are tested in performing them. So if it appears to a person that a certain ruling is rational in meaning, and that does not appear to another, it should not be said that this is interpretation in the sense of the dispraised interpretation. Rather, it is said that this is opinion and independent legal reasoning. If he hits the truth in it, he has two rewards; otherwise, he has one reward. So when I extracted this hadith and authenticated it, I reflected on its indication, and it appeared to me that it may be from the category of rational meaning, and not purely devotional where its cause is not known and its purpose is not known. And perhaps you feel that I did not assert that, but rather I said "perhaps."
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So in that case, I do not believe that any criticism is due to me, because I inclined, or nearly inclined, to the view that this ruling is not purely devotional, but rather the benefit of the traveler alone, or with a second man, was considered in it; indeed, a third must be present. So if you have something from which we can benefit to invalidate this "perhaps," may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : Shaykh, I mean, the prohibited thing may actually occur now. The roads are paved, but sometimes there may be two hundred or three hundred kilometers between one city and another. So he may travel alone and his mount may break down, meaning he is exposed to thieves or the like. So the prohibited thing exists. I do not know, what is your opinion, our Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The prohibited thing exists, but not to the extent that it existed in that era.
The questioner : There is a difference, yes.
The Shaykh : There is a difference, and the difference is large and very large. So, in the expression of some countries, "Stay in your place, we are still in the same case." It is merely opinion and independent legal reasoning.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.