Benefits of the Hadith: (… so he came to Ibn Abbas and asked him about the witr of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Ibn Abbas said:
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Yes, this is evidence that it is recommended for a scholar to direct people to one who is more knowledgeable than he is, either absolutely or in a specific issue. So when Sa'd ibn Hisham ibn Amir asked Ibn Abbas about the witr of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he directed him to one who was more knowledgeable than he was. Who was it?
The student: Aisha.
The Shaykh : Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Aisha and all the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were the most knowledgeable people about the condition of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in private, meaning in what he did in his home, because those outside the house did not see it.
It is also evidence for the permissibility of describing a person as the most knowledgeable, so one may say "the most knowledgeable people," but not in an absolute sense. One does not say "the most knowledgeable people" absolutely, but rather "the most knowledgeable people in inheritance," "the most knowledgeable people in prayer," "the most knowledgeable people in the rulings of purification," "the most knowledgeable people in the rulings of Hajj," and the like. It must be qualified, because absolute knowledge belongs to whom? To Allah, Lord of the worlds (Mighty and Majestic). As for the created being, his knowledge is qualified. For this reason, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Shall I direct you to the most knowledgeable person on earth regarding the witr of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?"
It is also evidence for ruling based on the preponderance of probability, because Ibn Abbas did not investigate every scholar on earth until it became clear to him that Aisha was the most knowledgeable. But this is what is most likely in his opinion. Addressing people based on the preponderance of probability is permissible, even an oath based on the preponderance of probability is permissible. Is it not the case that the man who had intercourse with his wife said, "By Allah, there is no household between the two hills poorer than mine"? He swore that there was no household between the two hills, meaning in Medina, poorer than his. If we asked a questioner, "Did the man walk to every house, knock on it, and look inside?" we would say,
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : No, but based on the preponderance of probability. So this indicates that it is permissible for a person to swear an oath based on the preponderance of probability. And when the matter turns out to be contrary to what he swore to, does he break his oath?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, if it is in the past, then no, and that is clear. If it is in the future, there is a difference of opinion. An example of this is if a man says, "By Allah, so-and-so arrived in the town yesterday," and it turns out he did not arrive. Does he have to pay an expiation? Does he have to pay an intentional expiation?
The student: No expiation…
Another student: He does not have to pay.
The Shaykh : Do you answer?
The student: He owes nothing.
The Shaykh : He does not have to pay an expiation. Good. And if he said, "By Allah, Zayd will definitely arrive tomorrow," but Zayd did not arrive.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : He owes an expiation?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Hm? Some scholars hold that he has to pay an expiation, but the correct view is that there is no expiation if his intention was to inform. If his intention was to inform, and he said, "By Allah, he will definitely arrive tomorrow," informing of this based on his preponderance of probability, but he did not arrive, we say, "Nothing is upon you, because you swore based on your preponderance of probability, and you were truthful, for this is your preponderance of probability." But if he intended the action, such that this man has authority over the absent one and says, "By Allah, he will definitely arrive," but he did not arrive, then he has to pay an expiation. Do you understand the difference?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : You do not understand the difference.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : If he says, "By Allah, Zayd will definitely arrive tomorrow," and Zayd has a relationship with him, but it is his preponderance of probability that he will arrive tomorrow, and he does not arrive. Hm? Does he have to pay an expiation?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Be patient. No, nothing is upon him. He does not have to pay an expiation. Why? Because he did not break his oath. He only swore based on what was in his heart, and as for now, and tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, he is saying, "This is what is in my heart." So does he have to pay an expiation or not?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : He does not have to pay an expiation. Clear. But if Zayd was his slave, a slave of the one who swore, and he said, "By Allah, he will definitely arrive tomorrow," intending to compel him to arrive, but he did not arrive.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Does he have to pay an expiation or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : He has to pay an expiation, because his oath now intends to compel attendance tomorrow. The parallel to this is what I told you before: if a person says, "By Allah, I will definitely do such-and-such tomorrow," based on the certainty in his heart, and he did not say "if Allah wills."
The student: He owes an expiation.
The Shaykh : No.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Then he does not sin and does not contradict the saying of the Exalted[Al-Kahf 18:23-24] because he is only, what? Informing about what is in his soul and his determination. But if he said, "By Allah, I will definitely do such-and-such tomorrow," intending the action, then here we say, do not say this unless you pair it
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : with the will, meaning[Al-Kahf 18:23-24]. Pay attention to these subtle differences, because many people do not notice the subtle differences and think that the rulings do not differ, but the ruling differs at the slightest thing. And Hajjaj says that the time is over, and until the next lesson, if Allah wills.
The reader: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon His servant and our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the Book of the Prayer of the Traveler and its Shortening.
The Chapter on the Prayer of the Penitents when the young camels are scorched by the heat. And it was narrated to us…
The Shaykh : ... .
The reader: Five hundred and fifteen.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The reader: Five hundred.
The Shaykh : The chapter?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: In the chapter on the Night Prayer.
Another student: The first hadith.
Another student: The first hadith, the comprehensive chapter on the Night Prayer and whoever slept through it or was ill.
The Shaykh : Yes, good.
The reciter: Shall I read?
The Shaykh : Read.
The student: Aisha.
The Shaykh : Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Aisha and all the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were the most knowledgeable people about the condition of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in private, meaning in what he did in his home, because those outside the house did not see it.
It is also evidence for the permissibility of describing a person as the most knowledgeable, so one may say "the most knowledgeable people," but not in an absolute sense. One does not say "the most knowledgeable people" absolutely, but rather "the most knowledgeable people in inheritance," "the most knowledgeable people in prayer," "the most knowledgeable people in the rulings of purification," "the most knowledgeable people in the rulings of Hajj," and the like. It must be qualified, because absolute knowledge belongs to whom? To Allah, Lord of the worlds (Mighty and Majestic). As for the created being, his knowledge is qualified. For this reason, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Shall I direct you to the most knowledgeable person on earth regarding the witr of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?"
It is also evidence for ruling based on the preponderance of probability, because Ibn Abbas did not investigate every scholar on earth until it became clear to him that Aisha was the most knowledgeable. But this is what is most likely in his opinion. Addressing people based on the preponderance of probability is permissible, even an oath based on the preponderance of probability is permissible. Is it not the case that the man who had intercourse with his wife said, "By Allah, there is no household between the two hills poorer than mine"? He swore that there was no household between the two hills, meaning in Medina, poorer than his. If we asked a questioner, "Did the man walk to every house, knock on it, and look inside?" we would say,
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : No, but based on the preponderance of probability. So this indicates that it is permissible for a person to swear an oath based on the preponderance of probability. And when the matter turns out to be contrary to what he swore to, does he break his oath?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, if it is in the past, then no, and that is clear. If it is in the future, there is a difference of opinion. An example of this is if a man says, "By Allah, so-and-so arrived in the town yesterday," and it turns out he did not arrive. Does he have to pay an expiation? Does he have to pay an intentional expiation?
The student: No expiation…
Another student: He does not have to pay.
The Shaykh : Do you answer?
The student: He owes nothing.
The Shaykh : He does not have to pay an expiation. Good. And if he said, "By Allah, Zayd will definitely arrive tomorrow," but Zayd did not arrive.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : He owes an expiation?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Hm? Some scholars hold that he has to pay an expiation, but the correct view is that there is no expiation if his intention was to inform. If his intention was to inform, and he said, "By Allah, he will definitely arrive tomorrow," informing of this based on his preponderance of probability, but he did not arrive, we say, "Nothing is upon you, because you swore based on your preponderance of probability, and you were truthful, for this is your preponderance of probability." But if he intended the action, such that this man has authority over the absent one and says, "By Allah, he will definitely arrive," but he did not arrive, then he has to pay an expiation. Do you understand the difference?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : You do not understand the difference.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : If he says, "By Allah, Zayd will definitely arrive tomorrow," and Zayd has a relationship with him, but it is his preponderance of probability that he will arrive tomorrow, and he does not arrive. Hm? Does he have to pay an expiation?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Be patient. No, nothing is upon him. He does not have to pay an expiation. Why? Because he did not break his oath. He only swore based on what was in his heart, and as for now, and tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, he is saying, "This is what is in my heart." So does he have to pay an expiation or not?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : He does not have to pay an expiation. Clear. But if Zayd was his slave, a slave of the one who swore, and he said, "By Allah, he will definitely arrive tomorrow," intending to compel him to arrive, but he did not arrive.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Does he have to pay an expiation or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : He has to pay an expiation, because his oath now intends to compel attendance tomorrow. The parallel to this is what I told you before: if a person says, "By Allah, I will definitely do such-and-such tomorrow," based on the certainty in his heart, and he did not say "if Allah wills."
The student: He owes an expiation.
The Shaykh : No.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Then he does not sin and does not contradict the saying of the Exalted
(23) And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
وَلا تَقولَنَّ لِشَيءٍ إِنّي فاعِلٌ ذلِكَ غَدًا * إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : with the will, meaning
"Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
إِنّي فاعِلٌ ذلِكَ غَدًا * إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُThe reader: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon His servant and our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the Book of the Prayer of the Traveler and its Shortening.
The Chapter on the Prayer of the Penitents when the young camels are scorched by the heat. And it was narrated to us…
The Shaykh : ... .
The reader: Five hundred and fifteen.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The reader: Five hundred.
The Shaykh : The chapter?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: In the chapter on the Night Prayer.
Another student: The first hadith.
Another student: The first hadith, the comprehensive chapter on the Night Prayer and whoever slept through it or was ill.
The Shaykh : Yes, good.
The reciter: Shall I read?
The Shaykh : Read.