To Follow the Sunnah

To Follow the Sunnah

By Ibn Daqiq Al-`Id

On the authority of Abu Najih Al-`Irbad ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us’. He said,

‘I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your Amir (leader). Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bid`ah (innovation) is misguidance.’” (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)

Explanation of Hadith

In some versions of this hadith, it says: "Verily this is a farewell sermon, so what do you charge/entrust us with?" to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, "Verily I have left you upon a White Plain [i.e., Clear Guidance], its Night is like its Day, and none deviates from it except that he is destroyed".

The Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "listen and obey [your leader]" refers the ruler, even if he may be a slave. Some of the scholars have said that a slave cannot be the ruler, and that this has been mentioned by way of an example or supposition. This is similar to his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "whosoever builds for Allah a masjid like a bird's nest, Allah builds for him a house in Paradise". And a bird's nest cannot be a masjid, but this is given simply by way of an example.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered us with clinging to the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden.

And his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy" is from amongst his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) miracles, as he informed his Companions of that which was to occur after him of differences and the spreading of evil. And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was aware of this in complete detail, but he did not reveal all these details to every individual. Rather he used to warn about it in a general fashion, but also explained it in detail to some individuals such as Hudhayfah and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with both of them), and this is evidence to show their great position and status.

As for his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "so you must keep to my Sunnah" then the word 'sunnah' means the straight, correct and sound way which proceeds upon his normal/customary way, and that is the Clear Path. And "the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), those who guide to the right way" are those in whom the Guidance was contained, and they are the Four by consensus of the Muslims - Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, and `Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered us with clinging to the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden for two reasons: The First is in the form of taqlid (following without evidence) for the one who is incapable of making his own discernment/judgment and the Second is in the form of deciding that which is more correct when faced with a difference of opinion amongst the Sahabah (Companions) themselves.

In all cases of difference, it is obligatory to stick to the Sunnah, the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

As for his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "beware of newly invented matters [in the religion]", it should be know that such newly invented matters are of two types: 1) a matter which has no basis in the Shari`ah, and this is batil [rejected] and blameworthy, and 2) a matter which has a parallel or similarity in the Shari`ah, then this is not blameworthy. This is because the words 'newly invented matter' and bid`ah are not deemed blameworthy purely on the basis of the words themselves, but due to their indicating opposition to the Sunnah and calling towards misguidance, and so they are not considered to be unrestrictedly wrong. For example, `Umar reinstated the Tarawih Prayer and said, "What an excellent bid`ah is this." It is to be noted here that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had led the Tarawih Prayer in congregation for a few days, but then discontinued it due to his fear that the people would think it obligatory. This condition remained throughout the reign of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), until `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) restarted what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had already laid a precedent for. Thus, he used the word bid`ah in a purely linguistic sense, and not in the Shari`ah sense that is used for blameworthy things.

Summary:

• One should speak in a way, when it is needed, that reaches the very hearts of the people.
• The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) cried when listening to the sermon, and hence it is not wrong to cry during sermons.
• The advice given in this hadith is parting advice from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
• The first thing advised is to fear Allah (i.e., to have taqwa).
• One should obey the Amir ul-Mu'minin as long he fulfills its conditions.
• In all cases of difference, it is obligatory to stick to the Sunnah, the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to the way of the First Four Rightly Guided Caliphs.
• One must be extremely careful about new things in the Deen (religion).
• One must ensure that everything that one does as part of his religion indeed has proof for it in the Qur'an and Sunnah.