Reading from the author's text with commentary and collation of manuscripts
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The reader: As for after: The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the book *Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim*: "This hadith indicates the abundance of what Allah prescribed for His Prophet in terms of differing from the Jews, indeed that he differed from them in most of their matters, until they said: 'He does not intend to leave any of our matters without differing from us in it.'
Then, as we will explain, the difference sometimes lies in the original ruling and sometimes in its description.
And regarding avoiding the menstruating woman: They did not differ in its original ruling, but they were differed from in its description, where Allah prescribed approaching the menstruating woman in other than the place of harm. So when some of the Companions wanted to transgress in the difference by leaving what Allah prescribed, the face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) changed. And this chapter—the chapter of purity—was upon the Jews with great shackles, so the Christians innovated leaving all of that, until they do not "..
The Shaykh : all of it
The reader: "so the Christians innovated leaving all of that, until they do not consider anything impure, without any prescription from Allah. So Allah guided the middle nation with what He prescribed for them to a middle ground in that, even though what the Jews were upon was also prescribed. So avoiding what Allah did not prescribe avoiding is approaching the Jews, and touching what Allah prescribed avoiding is approaching the Christians, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)".
The Shaykh : The Jews and the Christians are two opposite extremes in the issue of purity. The Jews are extremely strict, so they do not approach the menstruating woman nor eat with her, and the Christians are the opposite. It is also said that the Jews do not wash clothes when impurity touches them, but rather they cut them with scissors, and water does not purify them in their view. The Christians are the opposite; they pray while their clothes are stained with harm and dirt, and they do not purify themselves. This nation, praise be to Allah, became a middle ground between these two groups. And on this basis, whoever is negligent in the chapter of purity becomes close to whom? To the Christians. And whoever is strict becomes close to the Jews. And the middle is the best of matters. Yes.
Then, as we will explain, the difference sometimes lies in the original ruling and sometimes in its description.
And regarding avoiding the menstruating woman: They did not differ in its original ruling, but they were differed from in its description, where Allah prescribed approaching the menstruating woman in other than the place of harm. So when some of the Companions wanted to transgress in the difference by leaving what Allah prescribed, the face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) changed. And this chapter—the chapter of purity—was upon the Jews with great shackles, so the Christians innovated leaving all of that, until they do not "..
The Shaykh : all of it
The reader: "so the Christians innovated leaving all of that, until they do not consider anything impure, without any prescription from Allah. So Allah guided the middle nation with what He prescribed for them to a middle ground in that, even though what the Jews were upon was also prescribed. So avoiding what Allah did not prescribe avoiding is approaching the Jews, and touching what Allah prescribed avoiding is approaching the Christians, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)".
The Shaykh : The Jews and the Christians are two opposite extremes in the issue of purity. The Jews are extremely strict, so they do not approach the menstruating woman nor eat with her, and the Christians are the opposite. It is also said that the Jews do not wash clothes when impurity touches them, but rather they cut them with scissors, and water does not purify them in their view. The Christians are the opposite; they pray while their clothes are stained with harm and dirt, and they do not purify themselves. This nation, praise be to Allah, became a middle ground between these two groups. And on this basis, whoever is negligent in the chapter of purity becomes close to whom? To the Christians. And whoever is strict becomes close to the Jews. And the middle is the best of matters. Yes.