The Meaning of Ijma' and Is It Possible for It to Be Realized in the Era of the Companions and After Them?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : We have returned to Shaykh Ghazi.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings. In fact, it is obligatory that we define the intentThe questioner : of the word ijma' (scholarly consensus), because this ijma' can be interpreted in multiple ways.
The questioner : We did not hear the question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : First, the ijma' of the Ummah (the Muslim community).
Another questioner : Ijma'.
The Shaykh : Unity, unity, what does that mean?
The questioner : I mean the definition.
The Shaykh : But, but, may Allah guide you, the word and its coverage. I presented a statement that before answering the questionThe questioner : we must know the opinionThe questioner : regarding the word ijma', what does it mean? Because it means many things to the scholars. The first of these is: the ijma' of the Ummah. And even if it is established, do you mean this ijma' in this sense?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So let us complete the rest.
The questioner : Why don't we complete it?
The Shaykh : Because you are not the questioner. You are not the questioner for the rest. And I say that the ijma' of the Ummah in this sense is an impossible occurrence...
The questioner : After the Companions.
The Shaykh : And among the Companions.
The questioner : Well, for example, I.
The Shaykh : And among the Companions, this is not possible. But the ijma' of a large group of the Companions is possible, and likewise for those after them. As for the ijma' of the Ummah, meaning every individual of the Ummah... we have set it aside.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : 'Ata ibn Wasil, or Wasil ibn 'Ata?
Another questioner : This is Wasil and 'Ata.
The Shaykh : The ijma' of the Ummah, my brother, in this sense is impossible. How can you realize the ijma' of the Companions? Is it easier to realize the ijma' of the Companions or the realization of the ijma' of the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions)?
The questioner : The Companions.
The Shaykh : Good. Is it easier to realize the ijma' of the Tabi'un or their followers?
The questioner : The Tabi'un.
The Shaykh : Good, and chain it. Today, is it possible to realize the ijma' of the Ummah?
The questioner : Difficult.
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : Difficult or impossible?
The questioner : Be patient, do not give examples. Wait.
The Shaykh : I mean, difficult or impossible?
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : Impossible. So let us return to how you imagine the realization of the easiest ijma' that can occur, which is the ijma' of the Companions, knowing with us that they were dispersed in the lands. How can you know this ijma'?
The questioner : The ijma' in the era of Abu Bakr and 'Umar.
The Shaykh : Do not deviate from the question.
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : I am telling you how, how can you know the ijma' of the easiest one, which is the ijma' of the Companions.
The questioner : It is transmitted from the Imams.
The Shaykh : Which Imams?
The questioner : For example, the Shaykh al-Islam said, "The Ummah agreed on the preference of Abu Bakr, then 'Umar."
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. The question, in other words, who is the first transmitter you imagine for the ijma' of the Companions? Can it be a Tabi'i (a member of the generation after the Companions)?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Okay. Can it be a Tabi'i?
The questioner: No.
The questioner : A transmitter of the ijma'?
The Shaykh : Ah.
The questioner : Yes, you may.
The Shaykh : Is it possible?
The questioner : Yes, you may.
The Shaykh : How can this Tabi'i meet all the Companions while they are dispersed in all lands?
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : Impossible. So there is no ijma'. We have one thing left: the Tabi'i is finished with us. The Tabi'i of the Tabi'i, is it possible for a Companion to transmit the ijma' of the Companions?
The questioner: It is not impossible.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner: It is not impossible.
The Shaykh : You are saying it is not impossible, meaning it is possible, right? You are saying it is not impossible.
The questioner : There is no impossibility.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah.
The questioner : New to the craft, Professor, excuse me.
The Shaykh : The point is that you said it is not impossible. So the word "not impossible" is synonymous with "possible," right or wrong?
The questioner : Correct.
The Shaykh : Okay, how is it possible...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Due to lack of knowledge...
The Shaykh : So this is the ijma' that you want?
The questioner : No, he intends.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Is this the ijma' that you want?
The questioner : Yes, of course. This is the other type: the absence of a dissenter and the presence of a confirmer.
The questioner : Let us speak. I want to ask you, O Shaykh. The absence of a dissenter, does that make it ijma'...
We consider it a sub-question.
The Shaykh : We wanted to say at the beginning that ijma' has several meanings for the scholars. The first is the ijma' of the Ummah. And even if we do not lengthen the explanation, I asked him, "Do you want this?" He said, "Yes."
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, it ended up with him meaning by ijma' that no dissenter is known. Meaning two, three, four, five, ten, twenty of the scholars of the Companions said a statement and no dissenter was known for it. And this is what you call ijma'.
The questioner : No, no, plus the absence of a confirmer.
Another questioner : It is because of the confirmer that the dissenter is known.
The Shaykh : What? I told you, ten confirmers, are they sufficient? I will make it easy for you, twenty, is that sufficient?
The questioner : Whatever their number, there is no dissenter.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : You have no stable position, and this is one of the benefits, of course, of the universities, meaning.
Another questioner : Hehehe.
The Shaykh : Do you mean by ijma' the lack of knowledge of a dissenter for those who agreed? In other words, do you mean by ijma' agreement?
The questioner : Yes, agreement.
The Shaykh : Yes, agreement.
The questioner : ... more precisely.
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Your uncle did not greet us.
The questioner : By Allah, he is longing for you, my master.
The Shaykh : My master, may Allah bless you, but you have distanced yourself from us.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Welcome, excuse me, excuse me. How are you? I hope you are well. I intended to greet all our brothers. Meaning, this handshake suffices for all conversation, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is a great virtue.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The questioner : May Allah give you life.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, Shaykh.
The questioner : My teacher, I read a complete research on ijma' and I remained, meaning...
The questioner : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : We have returned to Shaykh Ghazi.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings. In fact, it is obligatory that we define the intentThe questioner : of the word ijma' (scholarly consensus), because this ijma' can be interpreted in multiple ways.
The questioner : We did not hear the question, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : First, the ijma' of the Ummah (the Muslim community).
Another questioner : Ijma'.
The Shaykh : Unity, unity, what does that mean?
The questioner : I mean the definition.
The Shaykh : But, but, may Allah guide you, the word and its coverage. I presented a statement that before answering the questionThe questioner : we must know the opinionThe questioner : regarding the word ijma', what does it mean? Because it means many things to the scholars. The first of these is: the ijma' of the Ummah. And even if it is established, do you mean this ijma' in this sense?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So let us complete the rest.
The questioner : Why don't we complete it?
The Shaykh : Because you are not the questioner. You are not the questioner for the rest. And I say that the ijma' of the Ummah in this sense is an impossible occurrence...
The questioner : After the Companions.
The Shaykh : And among the Companions.
The questioner : Well, for example, I.
The Shaykh : And among the Companions, this is not possible. But the ijma' of a large group of the Companions is possible, and likewise for those after them. As for the ijma' of the Ummah, meaning every individual of the Ummah... we have set it aside.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : 'Ata ibn Wasil, or Wasil ibn 'Ata?
Another questioner : This is Wasil and 'Ata.
The Shaykh : The ijma' of the Ummah, my brother, in this sense is impossible. How can you realize the ijma' of the Companions? Is it easier to realize the ijma' of the Companions or the realization of the ijma' of the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions)?
The questioner : The Companions.
The Shaykh : Good. Is it easier to realize the ijma' of the Tabi'un or their followers?
The questioner : The Tabi'un.
The Shaykh : Good, and chain it. Today, is it possible to realize the ijma' of the Ummah?
The questioner : Difficult.
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : Difficult or impossible?
The questioner : Be patient, do not give examples. Wait.
The Shaykh : I mean, difficult or impossible?
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : Impossible. So let us return to how you imagine the realization of the easiest ijma' that can occur, which is the ijma' of the Companions, knowing with us that they were dispersed in the lands. How can you know this ijma'?
The questioner : The ijma' in the era of Abu Bakr and 'Umar.
The Shaykh : Do not deviate from the question.
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : I am telling you how, how can you know the ijma' of the easiest one, which is the ijma' of the Companions.
The questioner : It is transmitted from the Imams.
The Shaykh : Which Imams?
The questioner : For example, the Shaykh al-Islam said, "The Ummah agreed on the preference of Abu Bakr, then 'Umar."
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. The question, in other words, who is the first transmitter you imagine for the ijma' of the Companions? Can it be a Tabi'i (a member of the generation after the Companions)?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : Okay. Can it be a Tabi'i?
The questioner: No.
The questioner : A transmitter of the ijma'?
The Shaykh : Ah.
The questioner : Yes, you may.
The Shaykh : Is it possible?
The questioner : Yes, you may.
The Shaykh : How can this Tabi'i meet all the Companions while they are dispersed in all lands?
The questioner : Impossible.
The Shaykh : Impossible. So there is no ijma'. We have one thing left: the Tabi'i is finished with us. The Tabi'i of the Tabi'i, is it possible for a Companion to transmit the ijma' of the Companions?
The questioner: It is not impossible.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner: It is not impossible.
The Shaykh : You are saying it is not impossible, meaning it is possible, right? You are saying it is not impossible.
The questioner : There is no impossibility.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah.
The questioner : New to the craft, Professor, excuse me.
The Shaykh : The point is that you said it is not impossible. So the word "not impossible" is synonymous with "possible," right or wrong?
The questioner : Correct.
The Shaykh : Okay, how is it possible...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Due to lack of knowledge...
The Shaykh : So this is the ijma' that you want?
The questioner : No, he intends.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Is this the ijma' that you want?
The questioner : Yes, of course. This is the other type: the absence of a dissenter and the presence of a confirmer.
The questioner : Let us speak. I want to ask you, O Shaykh. The absence of a dissenter, does that make it ijma'...
We consider it a sub-question.
The Shaykh : We wanted to say at the beginning that ijma' has several meanings for the scholars. The first is the ijma' of the Ummah. And even if we do not lengthen the explanation, I asked him, "Do you want this?" He said, "Yes."
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, it ended up with him meaning by ijma' that no dissenter is known. Meaning two, three, four, five, ten, twenty of the scholars of the Companions said a statement and no dissenter was known for it. And this is what you call ijma'.
The questioner : No, no, plus the absence of a confirmer.
Another questioner : It is because of the confirmer that the dissenter is known.
The Shaykh : What? I told you, ten confirmers, are they sufficient? I will make it easy for you, twenty, is that sufficient?
The questioner : Whatever their number, there is no dissenter.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : You have no stable position, and this is one of the benefits, of course, of the universities, meaning.
Another questioner : Hehehe.
The Shaykh : Do you mean by ijma' the lack of knowledge of a dissenter for those who agreed? In other words, do you mean by ijma' agreement?
The questioner : Yes, agreement.
The Shaykh : Yes, agreement.
The questioner : ... more precisely.
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Your uncle did not greet us.
The questioner : By Allah, he is longing for you, my master.
The Shaykh : My master, may Allah bless you, but you have distanced yourself from us.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Welcome, excuse me, excuse me. How are you? I hope you are well. I intended to greet all our brothers. Meaning, this handshake suffices for all conversation, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
No two Muslims meet and shake hands except that their sins fall off them as leaves fall from trees in autumn.
ما من مسلمين يلتقيان فيتصافحان إلا تحاتت عنهما ذنوبهما كما يتحات الورق عن الشجر في الخريفThe questioner : May Allah reward you.
The questioner : May Allah give you life.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, Shaykh.
The questioner : My teacher, I read a complete research on ijma' and I remained, meaning...
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.