Hajjaj
9th March 2008, 01:09 AM
The Etiquette of Disagreeing
Taken from the booklet "Bayân wa tawdîh hawl ba'd mâ yajrî fî sâhat al-da'wah fî al-Kuwait" By Ibn al-Qayyim
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, says:
"The correct position is what the leading scholars of the 'ummah adopt, namely, that ijtihad regarding matters about which there is no evidence requiring action in a certain and clear manner, such as an authentic hadîth which is not contradicted by a similarly authentic hadîth, is permissible, because of the absence of any evidence on the points at issue or because of the contradictory or obscure nature of the evidences regarding them. And the saying of the scholar that this issue is absolute or certain and that no ijtihâd is permissible about it is not an invective against anyone who opposes it, nor an imputation to him of having intentionally adopted a view contrary to the correct one." ('A'lâm al-Muwqqa'în, vol. 3, p. 360)
Those who differ in their views about such matters are to discuss these in the spirit of consultation and advice without attacking the dissident, and it is not permissible to be fanatic and to incite hatred and division on account of these differences.
This is in addition to the fact that a mujtahid committing error in intellectual issues according to the rules governing that, is excusable, inshâ'Allah, as in matters of practising. The religion of Islam consists of knowledge ('ilm) and deed ('amal); and deed is the purpose and objective of knowledge. Allah, Subhânahu wa Ta'âlâ, says:
"Indeed there do dread Allah those of His servants that have knowledge." (Sûrat Fâtir, 28).
Knowledge is the basis and foundation of deed. And perhaps at times the one who errs in deed ('amal) is worse in sin that the one who errs in knowledge. And perhaps at times the mujtahid who errs in some intellectual matters does have to his credit good deeds of the types of worship, jihâd and dissemination of knowledge by which he surpasses the one who does not commit an error like that of his but does not have to his credit the like of the former's deed and jihâd. And on this consideration scholars praise Imâm al-Nawawî, Ibn Daqîq al-'Îd, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalânî and others like them. Rather the scholars love them and forbid attacking them. May Allah bestow His mercy on them.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, says:
"Whoever among the Muslims is a mujtahid in seeking the truth and then makes a mistake, Allah Subhânahu wa Ta'âlâ will forgive his mistake, whether it be in theoretical or practical matters. This was the position taken by the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him."
(Al-Masâ'il al-Mâradîniyyah, p. 66)
If any dissension or disagreement occurs among Muslims wherein the parties follow their self-interests, each party supporting its leaders, maligning the others, injuring the others' characters, looking down upon them, lying in wait for their mistakes to take revenge and preying on their slips for slandering, it is a bounden duty to effect a reconciliation between them, and if not feasible, to refrain from participating in those disputes and to hold one's tongue from them, to keep oneself above attendance at those circles or listening to what they are involved in of distress and, instead, to turn to learning the Qur'ân and reciting it, repeating the prayers and invocations traditionally handed down, and making use of the time in worshipping, seeking knowledge of the Qur'ân and sunnah and understanding of the dîn, calling people to it and asking Allah's forgiveness and cure from the trial and dissension.
'Allâma Sa'dî, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, says:
"Striving and inviting to unify the Muslims and to effect reconciliation between them is the best of all deeds. It is better than occupying time in fasting and prayers; and it is the greatest and the most glorious of jihâd in the way of Allah. It is in cumbent upon the Muslims not to allow the differences between them in their views and systems of government and politics to be a bar to their religious brotherhood and their bond of faith. Rather all the differences and petty objectives should be subordinated to this great principle." (Al-Siyâsah al-Shar'iyyah, p. 13)
Taken from the booklet "Bayân wa tawdîh hawl ba'd mâ yajrî fî sâhat al-da'wah fî al-Kuwait" By Ibn al-Qayyim
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, says:
"The correct position is what the leading scholars of the 'ummah adopt, namely, that ijtihad regarding matters about which there is no evidence requiring action in a certain and clear manner, such as an authentic hadîth which is not contradicted by a similarly authentic hadîth, is permissible, because of the absence of any evidence on the points at issue or because of the contradictory or obscure nature of the evidences regarding them. And the saying of the scholar that this issue is absolute or certain and that no ijtihâd is permissible about it is not an invective against anyone who opposes it, nor an imputation to him of having intentionally adopted a view contrary to the correct one." ('A'lâm al-Muwqqa'în, vol. 3, p. 360)
Those who differ in their views about such matters are to discuss these in the spirit of consultation and advice without attacking the dissident, and it is not permissible to be fanatic and to incite hatred and division on account of these differences.
This is in addition to the fact that a mujtahid committing error in intellectual issues according to the rules governing that, is excusable, inshâ'Allah, as in matters of practising. The religion of Islam consists of knowledge ('ilm) and deed ('amal); and deed is the purpose and objective of knowledge. Allah, Subhânahu wa Ta'âlâ, says:
"Indeed there do dread Allah those of His servants that have knowledge." (Sûrat Fâtir, 28).
Knowledge is the basis and foundation of deed. And perhaps at times the one who errs in deed ('amal) is worse in sin that the one who errs in knowledge. And perhaps at times the mujtahid who errs in some intellectual matters does have to his credit good deeds of the types of worship, jihâd and dissemination of knowledge by which he surpasses the one who does not commit an error like that of his but does not have to his credit the like of the former's deed and jihâd. And on this consideration scholars praise Imâm al-Nawawî, Ibn Daqîq al-'Îd, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalânî and others like them. Rather the scholars love them and forbid attacking them. May Allah bestow His mercy on them.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, says:
"Whoever among the Muslims is a mujtahid in seeking the truth and then makes a mistake, Allah Subhânahu wa Ta'âlâ will forgive his mistake, whether it be in theoretical or practical matters. This was the position taken by the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him."
(Al-Masâ'il al-Mâradîniyyah, p. 66)
If any dissension or disagreement occurs among Muslims wherein the parties follow their self-interests, each party supporting its leaders, maligning the others, injuring the others' characters, looking down upon them, lying in wait for their mistakes to take revenge and preying on their slips for slandering, it is a bounden duty to effect a reconciliation between them, and if not feasible, to refrain from participating in those disputes and to hold one's tongue from them, to keep oneself above attendance at those circles or listening to what they are involved in of distress and, instead, to turn to learning the Qur'ân and reciting it, repeating the prayers and invocations traditionally handed down, and making use of the time in worshipping, seeking knowledge of the Qur'ân and sunnah and understanding of the dîn, calling people to it and asking Allah's forgiveness and cure from the trial and dissension.
'Allâma Sa'dî, may Allah bestow His mercy on him, says:
"Striving and inviting to unify the Muslims and to effect reconciliation between them is the best of all deeds. It is better than occupying time in fasting and prayers; and it is the greatest and the most glorious of jihâd in the way of Allah. It is in cumbent upon the Muslims not to allow the differences between them in their views and systems of government and politics to be a bar to their religious brotherhood and their bond of faith. Rather all the differences and petty objectives should be subordinated to this great principle." (Al-Siyâsah al-Shar'iyyah, p. 13)