The Shaykh of Islam said: "And if it is said that the principles are the definitive issues, it is said to him: Many of the issues of practice are definitive, and many of the issues of knowledge are not definitive.
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The reader: "And if it is said that the principles are the definitive issues, it is said to him: Many of the issues of practice are definitive, and many of the issues of knowledge are not definitive. And whether an issue is definitive or probable is among the relative matters. An issue may be definitive for a person due to the clarity of the decisive evidence for him, such as one who heard the text from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and was certain of his intended meaning from it. And for another person, it may not be probable, let alone definitive, because the text did not reach him, or because it was not established for him, or because he was not able to know its indication."
The Shaykh : This is correct. If someone says that the principles are the definitive issues, the refutation is to say: Many of the issues of practice are definitive, are they not, O people? There is no doubt in them, and no one disputes them. And many of the issues of knowledge are not definitive, but rather they are probable, and a person acts on his opinion in them. And Allah does not burden a soul except with what it can bear.
Then, whether something is definitive or probable varies according to people's knowledge and understanding. How many people have not had knowledge reach them regarding an issue, so it is not definitive for them, nor does it even exist in their minds? And how many people have it reach them through a clear and distinct path, so it is definitive for them? So the issue is relative, as the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) said. The meaning of relative is that in relation to one person, it has a ruling, and in relation to another person, it has a different ruling. He gave an example of this: one who heard the text from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and was certain of his intended meaning from it. So the issue is definitive for him, is it not? It is definitive because he reached the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) directly, with no intermediary between them, so he does not even need to investigate whether the intermediary is trustworthy or not. Did you understand? They understood the Messenger's (peace and blessings be upon him) intended meaning and were certain of it. So this is definitive. If there is an intermediary between him and the Messenger, it becomes probable in principle. His opinion in it may be weak, and it may reach the level of certainty. Therefore, we say that a report from a single narrator may contain what is definitive by circumstantial evidence. Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : This is correct. If someone says that the principles are the definitive issues, the refutation is to say: Many of the issues of practice are definitive, are they not, O people? There is no doubt in them, and no one disputes them. And many of the issues of knowledge are not definitive, but rather they are probable, and a person acts on his opinion in them. And Allah does not burden a soul except with what it can bear.
Then, whether something is definitive or probable varies according to people's knowledge and understanding. How many people have not had knowledge reach them regarding an issue, so it is not definitive for them, nor does it even exist in their minds? And how many people have it reach them through a clear and distinct path, so it is definitive for them? So the issue is relative, as the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) said. The meaning of relative is that in relation to one person, it has a ruling, and in relation to another person, it has a different ruling. He gave an example of this: one who heard the text from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and was certain of his intended meaning from it. So the issue is definitive for him, is it not? It is definitive because he reached the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) directly, with no intermediary between them, so he does not even need to investigate whether the intermediary is trustworthy or not. Did you understand? They understood the Messenger's (peace and blessings be upon him) intended meaning and were certain of it. So this is definitive. If there is an intermediary between him and the Messenger, it becomes probable in principle. His opinion in it may be weak, and it may reach the level of certainty. Therefore, we say that a report from a single narrator may contain what is definitive by circumstantial evidence. Yes, that is right.