What is the meaning of the statement: (Indeed, he was struck with a stone)?
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The questioner : What is the meaning of the statement: ?
The Shaykh : "Struck" means it left a mark on him, meaning he hit it until he caused it harm. But can we take from this hadith what we do with our children when they stumble over a stone, where we hit the stone in front of them until they stop crying? This is something observed now; for example, a child stumbles over something, and we say we will hit it, then we strike the thing he stumbled over, and he stops. Do we say that perhaps this is the basis for our action?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : There is a valid possibility.
The questioner : Does the stone think it has reason?
The Shaykh : From the story of Musa, meaning?
The questioner : He acted with this action.
The Shaykh : Musa, meaning?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. The stone's action is the action of one who has reason, as it ran away with him and he called out, "O stone, O stone, my clothes!" but it did not care for him. This is evidence that it has reason, meaning it performed the action of a rational being. But the child believes that the thing he stumbled over, or the thing that fell on him, is rational and feels, just as if a stone fell on him or something similar, he assumes it was intentional. In any case, let us leave aside whether it has a basis. Is it good for us, if we see that the child will stop crying if we calm him down by doing this, to do it? It appears so, as long as it comforts his heart and he knows that he is now taking revenge for himself. Did you understand, my brother, that the stronger position, indeed the necessary one, is that the legislation of those before us is legislation for us, unless our legislation comes with a contrary ruling?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : You have done well. This is because the People of the Book come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and say, "We have a legislation such and such," and the Messenger becomes sad about this. So Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:48] And from our methodology is that if our methodology does not come with a contrary ruling to the methodology of the previous nations, then it is for us.
Indeed, he was struck with a stone
إنه لندب بالحجرThe Shaykh : "Struck" means it left a mark on him, meaning he hit it until he caused it harm. But can we take from this hadith what we do with our children when they stumble over a stone, where we hit the stone in front of them until they stop crying? This is something observed now; for example, a child stumbles over something, and we say we will hit it, then we strike the thing he stumbled over, and he stops. Do we say that perhaps this is the basis for our action?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : There is a valid possibility.
The questioner : Does the stone think it has reason?
The Shaykh : From the story of Musa, meaning?
The questioner : He acted with this action.
The Shaykh : Musa, meaning?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. The stone's action is the action of one who has reason, as it ran away with him and he called out, "O stone, O stone, my clothes!" but it did not care for him. This is evidence that it has reason, meaning it performed the action of a rational being. But the child believes that the thing he stumbled over, or the thing that fell on him, is rational and feels, just as if a stone fell on him or something similar, he assumes it was intentional. In any case, let us leave aside whether it has a basis. Is it good for us, if we see that the child will stop crying if we calm him down by doing this, to do it? It appears so, as long as it comforts his heart and he knows that he is now taking revenge for himself. Did you understand, my brother, that the stronger position, indeed the necessary one, is that the legislation of those before us is legislation for us, unless our legislation comes with a contrary ruling?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : You have done well. This is because the People of the Book come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and say, "We have a legislation such and such," and the Messenger becomes sad about this. So Allah the Exalted said: