The opinions of the scholars differ regarding the Prophetic Sunnah in terms of recommendation and obligation; what is the difference between them, and what is the criterion for the practical Sunnah?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : The opinions of the scholars differ regarding the Prophetic Sunnah in terms of recommendation and obligation. What is the difference between them, and what is its criterion? And what is the criterion for the practical Sunnah?
The Shaykh : As for the practical Sunnah, it is in reality divided into categories; that is, the actions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are divided into categories:
The first category is that it serves as an explanation of a general statement in the Qur'an. In this case, it follows the explicit text: if the text is obligatory, the action is obligatory; if the text is recommended, the action is recommended.
Second: that he performed it as an act of worship without it being accompanied by speech. This is recommended and not obligatory. An example is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), when he entered his house, would begin with the miswak. We say this is a Sunnah and not obligatory, because an action devoid of contextual indicators indicates recommendation rather than obligation.
Third: what he did as a matter of custom. The Sunnah in this case is to follow custom, not to follow the custom that was known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Pay attention to this point: what he did as a matter of custom, the Sunnah in it is to follow custom, not the custom that was known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because conforming to custom is what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did. An example of this is the izar and the rida'. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to wear an izar and a rida'. Do we say that it is prescribed for us to wear an izar and a rida'?
The answer is: No, because the Messenger only wore that because people were wearing it at that time. Therefore, the Sunnah in clothing is to follow what has become customary, provided it is not forbidden. If it is forbidden, it is not permissible for a person to wear it. For example, if a man's garment hangs below the ankles, then if it hangs below the ankles, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding it:Sunan Ibn Majah 3573Sahih (Darussalam) And if he drags it out of arrogance, his sin is greater, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 17:195.
As for speech: if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commands something, the default ruling is obligation. It may shift from obligation to recommendation, and it may shift from recommendation to guidance, becoming direction rather than legislation. It may also shift from that to permissibility, becoming permissible rather than prescribed in any case. The place for detailing this is in the principles of jurisprudence. Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the practical Sunnah, it is in reality divided into categories; that is, the actions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are divided into categories:
The first category is that it serves as an explanation of a general statement in the Qur'an. In this case, it follows the explicit text: if the text is obligatory, the action is obligatory; if the text is recommended, the action is recommended.
Second: that he performed it as an act of worship without it being accompanied by speech. This is recommended and not obligatory. An example is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), when he entered his house, would begin with the miswak. We say this is a Sunnah and not obligatory, because an action devoid of contextual indicators indicates recommendation rather than obligation.
Third: what he did as a matter of custom. The Sunnah in this case is to follow custom, not to follow the custom that was known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Pay attention to this point: what he did as a matter of custom, the Sunnah in it is to follow custom, not the custom that was known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because conforming to custom is what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did. An example of this is the izar and the rida'. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to wear an izar and a rida'. Do we say that it is prescribed for us to wear an izar and a rida'?
The answer is: No, because the Messenger only wore that because people were wearing it at that time. Therefore, the Sunnah in clothing is to follow what has become customary, provided it is not forbidden. If it is forbidden, it is not permissible for a person to wear it. For example, if a man's garment hangs below the ankles, then if it hangs below the ankles, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding it:
But whatever is lower than the ankle is in the Fire
ما أسفل من الكعبين ففي النارThree people whom Allah will not speak to on the Day of Resurrection, nor look at them, nor purify them, and for them is a painful punishment: the one who drags his garment, the one who is stingy in giving, and the one who swears falsely to sell his goods.
ثلاثة لا يكلمهم الله يوم القيامة ولا ينظر إليهم ولا يزكيهم ولهم عذاب أليم المسبل والمنان والمنفق سلعته بالحلف الكاذبAs for speech: if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commands something, the default ruling is obligation. It may shift from obligation to recommendation, and it may shift from recommendation to guidance, becoming direction rather than legislation. It may also shift from that to permissibility, becoming permissible rather than prescribed in any case. The place for detailing this is in the principles of jurisprudence. Yes.