Discussion on whether etiquette is better than compliance?

The Shaykh : The scholars have differed on a matter that many scholars have addressed whenever opinions diverge and ideas differ regarding the implementation or application of a text or instruction based on a Prophetic hadith. Is it preferable to apply this text issued by him (peace and blessings be upon him) as an instruction to the people, or is it preferable and better to delay the execution of the Prophetic instruction or command if the Muslim believes that etiquette is better than compliance with the command? There are two opinions on this matter: some say that etiquette is better than compliance, and some say that compliance is better than etiquette. So one of the intelligent ones reconciled the two opinions and said, "Compliance is the etiquette." I think that whoever is a student of knowledge and has come across such a statement will understand what is meant by it. However, I imagine that not everyone is a student of knowledge, and therefore, this statement must be clarified by giving one or more examples. I say: It is known among Muslims, both the specialists and the general public, that the adhan (call to prayer) which the successors received from the predecessors, and the predecessors received as an instruction from him (peace and blessings be upon him), is the adhan as you hear it, without any addition at the beginning or the end. The point is: in the two testimonies, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," up to the end of the adhan. Our example now, to clarify the previous statement: Is it prescribed for any Muslim, when he says, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah," to say, for example, "Glorified and Exalted is He," "Glorified and Exalted is He," as a way of magnifying Allah (Mighty and Majestic)? This is etiquette with Allah. But the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when he taught Bilal, and taught 'Amr ibn Umm Maktum, and also taught Abu Mahdhura in his well-known story in the Sunan, "Sunan al-Nasa'i" and others, where he heard his voice one day and was pleased with its resonance, so he called him and taught him how to give this adhan which we are now using as an example. Among the things he taught him was that he said to him, "When you give the first adhan for Fajr, say with 'Hayya 'ala al-salah' (Come to prayer), 'Hayya 'ala al-falah' (Come to success), 'Al-salah khayrun min al-nawm' (Prayer is better than sleep), 'Al-salah khayrun min al-nawm' (Prayer is better than sleep)." Thus he commanded him (peace and blessings be upon him), and thus he commanded all the mu'adhdhins (callers to prayer), and thus the Muslims have practiced it in all lands of Islam, and praise be to Allah, despite what has befallen this adhan in the way of additions to its beginning or end in many Islamic lands. As for the core of the adhan, its sanctity and its Prophetic instruction have not been touched, and praise be to Allah. Do you see, if we wanted now to apply one of the two sides of the previous disagreement—whether compliance is better than etiquette or etiquette is better than compliance—how is compliance? The Messenger (peace be upon him) taught Bilal, 'Amr, and Abu Mahdhura, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah." What is etiquette? It is to magnify your Lord and to say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—Mighty and Majestic," or any phrase containing magnification. This is etiquette, and that is compliance. So which is better? There are two opinions on the matter. The one who says etiquette is better than compliance does not see any harm in saying after "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah" to add whatever he wishes from his own side in the context of etiquette with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As for the one who sees that compliance is better than etiquette, indeed it is the etiquette itself, he says, "If it were good, we would have been commanded to do so." This is, of course, an approximation of a matter, and praise be to Allah, it did not occur. But I said this as an introduction to what has unfortunately occurred. Here we are in the first testimony, now we move to the other testimony: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Is it permissible for us to say, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)" in the adhan? This is etiquette. The one who says etiquette is better than compliance says, "There is no harm in saying, 'May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad,' especially since the Messenger said: . Also, this, praise be to Allah, did not occur. But what did occur? "I bear witness that our master Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." This occurred. What is the proof? What is the evidence? "Etiquette is better than compliance." This claim has been applied in many places and is still being applied in places we may not have heard of. These examples are sufficient for you now. For example, I think you have not heard, praise be to Allah, up to now, an adhan or a mu'adhdhin saying, "I bear witness that our master Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." But I ask you: Is there not among you now—and I hope there is not, so we correct the question—has not one of you heard some of the worshippers saying in the tashahhud: "O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad"? Yes, you have heard. But I hope that none of you is one of those who do this. And if one of you is among those who do this, then he is acting on the alleged principle that etiquette is better than compliance. Now it is clear to you what is meant by this statement? Is compliance better than etiquette, or is etiquette better than compliance? When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had Allah reveal to his heart , his Companions asked him, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, we know this peace upon you; so how do we send blessings upon you?" He said: , as you know. So this is a command. He said: . His saying, "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad." If we want to apply the opinion of the one who says compliance is better than etiquette, what do we say? As the Messenger taught us: "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad." And if we want to apply the opinion of the one who says etiquette is better than compliance, we say: "O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad." Now, in the Muslim society, indeed among the worshippers, some follow the command and some follow what? Etiquette. Do you see that the one who followed the command and applied it literally, did he neglect etiquette with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) while he obeys him? Far from it. Here, the scale has tipped in favor of those who obey his command (peace and blessings be upon him). And how could it be otherwise, when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says in the clear text of the Noble Qur'an: . Let us now look at the other side, the one who says, "Yes, the Messenger commanded us to say, 'O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad,' but we, as a matter of etiquette with him, say, 'O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad.'" Is this better? Is this one who claims to be more polite better, or is that one who complies with the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) better? We have no doubt at all that the one who obeys the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as I told you, is the one who is polite. He is the one who is polite. And the one who contradicts the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the one who is lacking in etiquette, even if he claims that he is being polite with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Look now at what leads some people, both in the past and the present, to add a word from their own side to the instruction of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) under the claim that this is etiquette with the Messenger. And Allah said in the Noble Qur'an: ; meaning: Magnify him. And no doubt that it is obligatory upon us to magnify our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to honor him, as our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) instructed us to do in the Noble Qur'an. But first, is the honoring according to our will, in the Levantine expression? Is our honoring and magnifying of the Messenger according to the will of each one of us, or within the limits of the Shari'ah? No doubt the answer will be within the limits of the Shari'ah. This is the first point. The second and most important question: Is the honoring and magnifying by contradicting the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what we are discussing now? Say, "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad." Neglecting the execution of the command and being deluded by the personal opinion of some individuals, who may be scholars in their own estimation, or may be students of knowledge, prioritizing the opinion over the text is what has divided the Muslims into sects.