Explanation of the author's statement: "And He guided them to a path, so they were the most deserving of people to be followed after their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and after them, the leaders of religion who
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The Shaykh : Now, they are "He guided them to a path", is that correct or not? Truly, He guided the Ummah to a path through the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) without dispute. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted them absolute excellence, saying: Sahih al-Bukhari 3651
He said: "So they were the most deserving of people to be followed after their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and after them, the leaders of religion who were known for guidance and righteousness". In the era of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the major innovations did not emerge. The innovations that spread, such as the innovation of the Jahmiyyah and similar ones, did not appear then. It is true that the innovation of the Khawarij emerged in the era of the Companions, and the innovation of the Qadariyyah and the Mu'tazilah emerged in the era of the Companions, who say: "The matter is new; there is no writing or anything [predestined]". But the major innovations that emerged later were after the era of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). For this reason, the Companions are not known to have spoken on many of the issues of the attributes that became subject to debate later. Why? Because there was no cause for them to speak, so they proceeded according to the apparent meaning of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, following their apparent meanings.
For this reason, if someone were to ask us, for example, about some matters that did not occur until later, "What did the Companions say about them?" we would say: We believe with certainty that the Companions' position on them was to follow what? They followed the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah. They followed the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah, because if they had had anything to contradict it, it would have been transmitted. So they proceeded, with the Qur'an before them and the Sunnah before them, and they followed it. Yes. For this reason, those who were present in their time were informed of the ruling.
But, praise be to Allah, the Shari'ah is preserved.
When the Companions died and their era ended, the era of the Tabi'un and those after them came. Allah, praise be to Him, provided leaders who guide by the command of Allah, such as Imam Ahmad and others. And Allah preserved the Sunnah through them. Allah preserved the Sunnah through them.
Then matters developed, and debate and dispute increased. But, praise be to Allah, as we said in the introduction, no innovation was introduced without Allah providing from the people of the Sunnah someone to refute it and explain it to the utmost extent. Yes. And innovations cannot spread except when the Sunnahs are obscured. For this reason, it is obligatory for the brothers who hold fast to the Sunnahs to make them apparent and explain them. They should not say, "By Allah, this is something you criticize us for." It is true that people criticize at first, but when they become reassured of the matter, yes, they proceed with it. In many things, they were initially criticized, and it was absolutely impossible to do them, but now people have become accustomed to them. Who would say, for example, twenty years ago or more, that anyone would dare to pray tarawih for eleven rak'ahs? If someone prayed eleven rak'ahs of tarawih, they would say, "This is disbelief after Islam." Yes, there is no doubt among people that twenty-three rak'ahs are like the obligatory prayer. Who would say that anyone would dare to pray in sandals? No one dared to pray in sandals, nor to enter the mosque with their sandals on, right? Who would say that anyone would dare to perform the prostration for forgetfulness after the taslim? But the Sunnahs are implemented gradually, and people become reassured of them through speech and explanation, then through action. And the Sunnahs are established and become firmly rooted. Yes?
The questioner : The Companions, are they considered in terms of the general or in terms of the specific?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : Are they considered in terms of the general or in terms of the specific?
The Shaykh : Not in terms of the general, meaning knowledge. Not all the Companions were scholars.
The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter
خير الناس قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهمHe said: "So they were the most deserving of people to be followed after their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and after them, the leaders of religion who were known for guidance and righteousness". In the era of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the major innovations did not emerge. The innovations that spread, such as the innovation of the Jahmiyyah and similar ones, did not appear then. It is true that the innovation of the Khawarij emerged in the era of the Companions, and the innovation of the Qadariyyah and the Mu'tazilah emerged in the era of the Companions, who say: "The matter is new; there is no writing or anything [predestined]". But the major innovations that emerged later were after the era of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). For this reason, the Companions are not known to have spoken on many of the issues of the attributes that became subject to debate later. Why? Because there was no cause for them to speak, so they proceeded according to the apparent meaning of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, following their apparent meanings.
For this reason, if someone were to ask us, for example, about some matters that did not occur until later, "What did the Companions say about them?" we would say: We believe with certainty that the Companions' position on them was to follow what? They followed the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah. They followed the apparent meaning of the Book and the Sunnah, because if they had had anything to contradict it, it would have been transmitted. So they proceeded, with the Qur'an before them and the Sunnah before them, and they followed it. Yes. For this reason, those who were present in their time were informed of the ruling.
Ibn 'Umar, when he was informed about those who deny divine decree, said: Inform them that they are not believers, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Faith is that you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree, its good and its evil.
ابن عمر لما أخبر عن الذين ينكرون القدر قال أخبرهم أنهم ليسوا بمؤمنين لأن الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام قال الإيمان أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر والقدر خيره وشرهWhen the Companions died and their era ended, the era of the Tabi'un and those after them came. Allah, praise be to Him, provided leaders who guide by the command of Allah, such as Imam Ahmad and others. And Allah preserved the Sunnah through them. Allah preserved the Sunnah through them.
Then matters developed, and debate and dispute increased. But, praise be to Allah, as we said in the introduction, no innovation was introduced without Allah providing from the people of the Sunnah someone to refute it and explain it to the utmost extent. Yes. And innovations cannot spread except when the Sunnahs are obscured. For this reason, it is obligatory for the brothers who hold fast to the Sunnahs to make them apparent and explain them. They should not say, "By Allah, this is something you criticize us for." It is true that people criticize at first, but when they become reassured of the matter, yes, they proceed with it. In many things, they were initially criticized, and it was absolutely impossible to do them, but now people have become accustomed to them. Who would say, for example, twenty years ago or more, that anyone would dare to pray tarawih for eleven rak'ahs? If someone prayed eleven rak'ahs of tarawih, they would say, "This is disbelief after Islam." Yes, there is no doubt among people that twenty-three rak'ahs are like the obligatory prayer. Who would say that anyone would dare to pray in sandals? No one dared to pray in sandals, nor to enter the mosque with their sandals on, right? Who would say that anyone would dare to perform the prostration for forgetfulness after the taslim? But the Sunnahs are implemented gradually, and people become reassured of them through speech and explanation, then through action. And the Sunnahs are established and become firmly rooted. Yes?
The questioner : The Companions, are they considered in terms of the general or in terms of the specific?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : Are they considered in terms of the general or in terms of the specific?
The Shaykh : Not in terms of the general, meaning knowledge. Not all the Companions were scholars.