Explanation of the statement of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him): "Chapter on the Command to Preserve the Sunnah and Its Etiquettes."
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on the Command to Preserve the Sunnah and Follow It" By the Sunnah is meant: the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), which is his way in his worship, his character, and his dealings. This is the Sunnah. The jurists also use the term Sunnah for an act where doing it is more likely to be correct than leaving it, meaning one is rewarded for doing it and not punished for leaving it. There is no doubt that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent by Allah, the Exalted, with guidance and the religion of truth. Guidance is beneficial knowledge, and the religion of truth is righteous action. Therefore, knowledge is necessary and action is necessary. A person cannot preserve the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) unless he first knows it. Consequently, the command to preserve the Sunnah is a command to seek knowledge. Seeking knowledge is divided into two, or rather three, categories: an individual obligation (fard 'ayn), a collective obligation (fard kifayah), and a recommended practice (sunnah). As for the individual obligation, it is the knowledge upon which worship depends, meaning the knowledge that a Muslim cannot afford to be ignorant of, such as knowledge of ablution, prayer, zakah, fasting, Hajj, and the like. What a Muslim cannot afford to be ignorant of is an individual obligation to learn. For this reason, for example, we obligate this person to learn the rulings of zakah because he possesses wealth, and we do not obligate the other person to learn zakah because he does not possess wealth. Similarly, we obligate this person to learn the rulings of Hajj because he will perform Hajj, and we do not obligate the other person to learn them because he is not a pilgrim. As for the collective obligation, it is the knowledge by which the Shari'ah is preserved, meaning the knowledge that if left, the Shari'ah would be lost. This is a collective obligation; if enough people fulfill it, it drops off the rest. If it is estimated that one person in the town has fulfilled the obligation in this matter, learning it and becoming one who issues fatwas, teaches, and educates people, then seeking knowledge becomes a recommended practice (sunnah) for the others. This is the third category. Thus, the reward of the student of knowledge revolves between the reward of a recommended practice, the reward of a collective obligation, and the reward of an individual obligation. The important point is that it is not possible to preserve the Sunnah and its etiquette except after knowing the Sunnah and its etiquette. Then the author mentioned verses from the Book of Allah, the Glorious, including His saying, the Exalted:[Ali 'Imran 3:31] Some scholars call this verse the Verse of the Trial, meaning the Verse of the Test, because Allah, the Exalted, tested a group of people who claimed to love Allah. They said, "We love Allah," a light claim, but the burden of proof is on the claimant. Allah, the Exalted, said: [Ali 'Imran 3:31] The sign of loving Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is that you follow His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Know that to the extent you fall short in following the Messenger, your love for Allah is deficient. Then what is the answer? When He said: [Ali 'Imran 3:31] The answer is: And this is the fruit. The fruit is that Allah loves you, not that you claim to love Allah. If Allah loves you, He will not love you unless you have done what He loves. This is the fruit. So the matter is not for the one to say, "I love Allah," but the whole matter is that Allah, the Glorious, loves him. We ask Allah to make me and you among His loved ones. This is the matter. And when Allah loves a person, He makes his matters of religion and worldly life easy for him. It is reported in the athar: and he will be an imam for them. So the love of Allah is the goal, but it is a goal for the one whose goal is the one who follows the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), is that not so? Yes, it is a goal for the one who loves the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), a goal for the one who follows the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So whoever follows the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah loves him. The rest of the discussion on the verses will come, if Allah wills.
The reader: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on the Command to Preserve the Sunnah and Its Etiquettes. Allah, the Exalted, said:[Al-Hashr 59:7] And He, the Exalted, said: [An-Najm 53:3-4] And He, the Exalted, said: [Ali 'Imran 3:31] And He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Ahzab 33:21] And He, the Exalted, said: [An-Nisa 4:65] ".
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on the Encouragement to Follow the Sunnah and Its Etiquettes" The Sunnah is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as mentioned before, and it comprises his sayings, his actions, and his approvals. With this detail, it includes both the recommended and the obligatory. Then the author cited verses, including His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Hashr 59:7] This verse is in the context of the distribution of fay' (war spoils), meaning the wealth taken from the disbelievers. Allah, the Glorious, says: meaning what He has given you of wealth do not return it and do not take it. For this reason, So what our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has given us, we take, and what he has forbidden us, we refrain from. And although this verse is in the context of the distribution of fay', it also applies to the rulings of the Shari'ah. What the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has made lawful for us, we accept and act upon it as lawful. And what he has forbidden us, we refrain from it and leave it and do not engage with it. So although it is in the context of fay', it is general and includes both. Then he also mentioned His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab 33:21] The model, the example. The good is the opposite of the bad. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is our model and our example, and in him is a good example. So everything we emulate from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is good and beautiful. And it includes His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab 33:21] It includes two meanings: The first meaning is that whatever he does is good, so emulating him is good. The second is that we are commanded to emulate him with a good emulation, not adding to what was legislated and not subtracting from it, because adding or subtracting is the opposite of good. So we are commanded to emulate him, and everything we emulate from him is good. The scholars derived from this verse that the actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are a proof that is argued with and followed, except for what evidence establishes as specific to him. So what evidence establishes as specific to him is specific to him. For example, His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab 33:50] until He said: [Al-Ahzab 33:50] So what was among his specific attributes is among his specific attributes. And among that is also wasal in fasting, meaning that a person strings together fasting for two days without breaking the fast. And in a wording: Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 5:170 meaning Allah feeds him and gives him drink with what He provides him of remembrance and the attachment of his heart to Him, until he forgets eating and drinking and it does not concern him. And we know now that if a man is occupied with a matter of the worldly life, he forgets eating and drinking. So much so that the poets use this as a metaphor, saying:
"Her stories of your remembrance occupy her *** From drink and distract her from food"
Meaning that if her stories are with you, when they stand up, they distract her from drink and from food. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), due to the strength of his attachment to his Lord, when he stands up at night to perform tahajjud, Allah, the Exalted, gives him strength through what he attains of remembrance, which suffices him from eating and drinking. As for us, we are not in his state. For this reason, wasal was prohibited and it was specified as one of his specific attributes (peace and blessings be upon him). The author also mentioned His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:65] to the end of the verse, and we will speak about it, if Allah wills, in the next lesson, because it is important and contains great benefits.
The reader: The author (may Allah have mercy on him) cited, in the context of mentioning verses in the chapter on the command to preserve the Sunnah, "And He, the Exalted, said:[An-Nisa 4:65] ".
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on the Command to Preserve the Sunnah and Follow It" By the Sunnah is meant: the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), which is his way in his worship, his character, and his dealings. This is the Sunnah. The jurists also use the term Sunnah for an act where doing it is more likely to be correct than leaving it, meaning one is rewarded for doing it and not punished for leaving it. There is no doubt that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent by Allah, the Exalted, with guidance and the religion of truth. Guidance is beneficial knowledge, and the religion of truth is righteous action. Therefore, knowledge is necessary and action is necessary. A person cannot preserve the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) unless he first knows it. Consequently, the command to preserve the Sunnah is a command to seek knowledge. Seeking knowledge is divided into two, or rather three, categories: an individual obligation (fard 'ayn), a collective obligation (fard kifayah), and a recommended practice (sunnah). As for the individual obligation, it is the knowledge upon which worship depends, meaning the knowledge that a Muslim cannot afford to be ignorant of, such as knowledge of ablution, prayer, zakah, fasting, Hajj, and the like. What a Muslim cannot afford to be ignorant of is an individual obligation to learn. For this reason, for example, we obligate this person to learn the rulings of zakah because he possesses wealth, and we do not obligate the other person to learn zakah because he does not possess wealth. Similarly, we obligate this person to learn the rulings of Hajj because he will perform Hajj, and we do not obligate the other person to learn them because he is not a pilgrim. As for the collective obligation, it is the knowledge by which the Shari'ah is preserved, meaning the knowledge that if left, the Shari'ah would be lost. This is a collective obligation; if enough people fulfill it, it drops off the rest. If it is estimated that one person in the town has fulfilled the obligation in this matter, learning it and becoming one who issues fatwas, teaches, and educates people, then seeking knowledge becomes a recommended practice (sunnah) for the others. This is the third category. Thus, the reward of the student of knowledge revolves between the reward of a recommended practice, the reward of a collective obligation, and the reward of an individual obligation. The important point is that it is not possible to preserve the Sunnah and its etiquette except after knowing the Sunnah and its etiquette. Then the author mentioned verses from the Book of Allah, the Glorious, including His saying, the Exalted:
Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you
قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني يحببكم اللهSay, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me
قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعونيSay, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me
قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعونيAllah makes you love
يحببكم اللهThat Allah, the Exalted, when He loves a person, calls out to Jibril, "I love so-and-so, so love him." So Jibril loves him. Then He calls out to the people of the heavens, "Allah loves so-and-so, so love him." So the people of the heavens love him. Then acceptance is placed for him on earth, so the people of the earth love him and accept him.
أن الله تعالى إذا أحب شخصًا نادى جبريل إني أحب فلانًا فأحبه، فيحبه جبريل، ثم ينادي في أهل السموات إن الله يحب فلانًا فأحبوه، فيحبه أهل السموات، ثم يوضع له القبول في الأرض فيحبه أهل الأرض ويقبلونهThe reader: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on the Command to Preserve the Sunnah and Its Etiquettes. Allah, the Exalted, said:
And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from
وما آتاكم الرسول فخذوه وما نهاكم عنه فانتهوا(3) Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. (4) It is not but a revelation revealed,
وما ينطق عن الهوى إن هو إلا وحي يوحىSay, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins
قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني يحببكم الله ويغفر لكم ذنوبكمThere has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day
لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنة لمن كان يرجو الله واليوم الآخرBut no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.
فلا وربك لا يؤمنون حتى يحكموك فيما شجر بينهم ثم لا يجدوا في أنفسهم حرجًا مما قضيت ويسلموا تسليمًاThe Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on the Encouragement to Follow the Sunnah and Its Etiquettes" The Sunnah is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as mentioned before, and it comprises his sayings, his actions, and his approvals. With this detail, it includes both the recommended and the obligatory. Then the author cited verses, including His saying, the Exalted:
And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from
وما آتاكم الرسول فخذوه وما نهاكم عنه فانتهواAnd whatever the Messenger gives you, take it
وما آتاكم الرسولtake it
فخذوهand from what He has forbidden you, refrain
وما نهاكم عنه فانتهواThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) to collect the alms in a certain year. When he returned, the Prophet gave him [a share]. 'Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah, give this in charity to someone poorer than me." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Take what comes to you from this wealth while you are not in need and not asking for it, and do not let your soul follow what you do not have."
بعث النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه على الصدقة في سنة من السنوات فلما رجع أعطاه، فقال يا رسول الله تصدق به على أفقر مني، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ما جاءك من هذا المال وأنت غير مشرف ولا سائل فخذه، وما لا فلا تتبعه نفسكThere has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day
لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنة لمن كان يرجو الله واليوم الآخرThere has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern
لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنةO Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those your right hand possesses from what Allah has returned to you [of captives]
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَاجَكَ اللَّاتِي آتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَand a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers
وَامْرَأَةً مُؤْمِنَةً إِنْ وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ أَنْ يَسْتَنْكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَكَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it. They said, "O Messenger of Allah, you continue fasting, so how can you forbid us?" He said, "I am not like you. I am fed and given drink."
فإن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عنه، قالوا: يا رسول الله إنك تواصل يعني فكيف تنهانا؟ فقال : إني لست كهيأتكم إني أطعم وأسقىI spend the night with my Lord, and He feeds me and gives me drink.
إني أبيت عند ربي يطعمني ويسقيني"Her stories of your remembrance occupy her *** From drink and distract her from food"
Meaning that if her stories are with you, when they stand up, they distract her from drink and from food. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), due to the strength of his attachment to his Lord, when he stands up at night to perform tahajjud, Allah, the Exalted, gives him strength through what he attains of remembrance, which suffices him from eating and drinking. As for us, we are not in his state. For this reason, wasal was prohibited and it was specified as one of his specific attributes (peace and blessings be upon him). The author also mentioned His saying, the Exalted:
But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among
فلا وربك لا يؤمنون حتى يحكموك فيما شجر بينهمThe reader: The author (may Allah have mercy on him) cited, in the context of mentioning verses in the chapter on the command to preserve the Sunnah, "And He, the Exalted, said: