part [1]

The Requirements for the Testimony that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah

 

إنَّ الحَمْدَ لله، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرورِ أنْفُسِنا وَسَـيِّئاتِ أعْمالِنا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلا هادِيَ لَهُ، وَأشْهَدُ أنْ لا إلهَ إلَّا الله، وَحْدَهُ لا شَريكَ لَهُ، وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسولُهُ،

All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, we ask for His help, and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our souls and from our bad actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, no one can misguide, and whomsoever Allah misguides, no one can guide. And I bear witness that there is no true God except Allah and that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

أمَّا بَعْدُ، فَلا يَكونُ الْمَرْءُ مُسْلِمًا حَـتَّى يَشْهَدَ أنْ لا إلَهَ إلَّا الله، وَ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسولُ اللهِ، فَماذا تَسْـتَلْزِمُ شَهادَةُ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - رَسولُ اللهِ؟

Next, the person does not become a Muslim until he testifies that there is no true God except Allah, and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah. The testimony that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah has certain requirements.

أوَّلاً: الـتَّصْديقُ بِكُلِّ ما أخْـبَرَ بِهِ؛ فَرَسولُ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - لا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوى، وَإنـَّما هُوَ مُبَلِّغٌ عَنْ رَبِّ العالَمينَ، قالَ - تَعالى - : {وَما يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوى (3) إنْ هُوَ إلّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى} [الـنَّجْم 3-4]، وَقالَ - سُبْحانَهُ - : {أمْ يَقُولونَ افْـتَراهُ بَلْ هُوَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ} [السَّجْدَة 3]، وَقالَ أيْضًا: {فَوَرَبِّ السَّماءِ وَالأرْضِ إنـَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِّثْـلَما أنـَّكُمْ تَـنْطِقونَ} [الذَّارِيات 23].

First, this testimony requires us to believe everything the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) said because he does not speak from his own desire. Rather, he is a narrator from Allah; Allah said: "Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only a revelation that is revealed” (Surah An-Najm: 53/3-4). He also said: "Or they say he [Mohammad] has fabricated it?! Nay, it is the truth from your Lord” (Surah As-Sajdah 32/3), and: "Then, by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is the truth, just like it is a fact that you can speak” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51/23).

وَلَمَّا سَألَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَمْرِوِ بْنِ العاصِ - رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُما - رَسولَ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - عَنْ كِتابَةِ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَنْهُ، أشارَ رَسولُ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – إلى فَمِهِ الشَّريفِ، وَ قالَ: ((اكْـتُبْ؛ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ إِلَّا حَقٌّ)) [رَواهُ أبو داودَ، وَهُوَ صَحيح].

Abd-Allah ibn Amr ibn Al-A’aas used to write everything the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) used to say. When he asked the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) about writing everything he says, the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) pointed to his noble mouth and said: "Write! For, by the One who has my soul in His Hand, nothing comes out of it except the truth” [Narrated by Abu Daoud, and it is Saheeh].

وَالقُرْآنُ وَالسُّـنَّةُ – كِلاهُما – وَحْيٌ مِنْ رَبِّ العَالَمينَ، قالَ - تعالى - : {وَأنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ الكِتابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ} [النـِّساء 113]، وَمَعْـنَى {الْحِكْمَةَ} هُنا: السُّـنَّة، وَهِيَ: ما وَرَدَ عَنْ رَسولِ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – مِنْ قَوْلٍ، أوْ فِعْلٍ، أوْ تَقْريرٍ، أوْ صِفَةٍ خَلْقِيَّةٍ، أوْ خُلُقِيَّةٍ.

The Quran and the Sunnah are both revelations from Allah; Allah says: "Allah has sent down to you the Book [Quran] and the Wisdom [Sunnah]” (Surah An-Nisaa’: 4/113). The meaning of ‘the Sunnah’ is all that was authentically narrated from the words, actions, sanctioning, or descriptions of the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam).

وَالسُّـنَّةُ جَاءَتْ لِبَيانِ وَتَفْصيلِ وَتَـفْسيرِ مَعانِي القُرْآن، كَما قالَ اللهُ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ -: {وَأنْزَلْنا إلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِـتُـبَـيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إلَيْهِمْ} [النّحل 44]، فَكَلامُ وَأفْعالُ وَتَقْريراتُ وَصِفاتُ رَسولِ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - هِيَ الَّتي تُبَـيِّنُ لِلنَّاسِ ما أنْزَلَ اللهُ إلَيْهِمْ في القُرْآنِ؛ وَلِهذا لَمَّا سُئلَتْ عائشَةُ - رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْها - عَنْ رَسولِ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -، قالَتْ: ((كانَ خُلُقُهُ القُرْآن)) [رَواهُ مُسْلِمٌ في (صَحيحِهِ)].

The Sunnah came to explain, detail, and interpret the meanings of the Quran; Allah said: "And we have sent down on you the Quran that you may explain to the people what is sent down to them” (Surah An-Nahl: 16/44). So, the words, actions, sanctioning, and descriptions of the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) explain to the people what Allah sent down to them in the Quran. This is why, when A’aisha was asked about the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam), she said: "His manner was the Quran” (Narrated in Saheeh Muslim).

وَمِثالُ ذلِكَ ما رَواهُ الإمامانِ البُخارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ في (صَحيحَـيْهِما) مِنْ حَديثِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعودٍ - رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ -، قَالَ: "لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ: {الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ} [الأنْعام 82]، شَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ؛ فَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ! أيـُّنا لَا يَظْلِمُ نَفْسَهُ؟ قَالَ: ((لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ الشِّرْكُ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ: {يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ} [لُقْمان 13]؟))". فَالصَّحابَةُ فَهِموا مِنَ الآيَةِ أنَّها تَشْمَلُ كُلَّ أنْواعِ الظُّلْمِ، حَـتَّى بَـيَّنَ لَهُمْ رَسولُ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – أنَّ الْمَقْصودَ هُوَ الشِّرْكُ.

An example of this is what was narrated by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their authentic books. From the hadeeth of Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ood, who said: "When the verse "it is those who believe and do not mix their belief with oppression” (Surah Al-An’aam: 6/82) was sent down, the Muslims said: Oh Messenger of Allah, which of us does not oppress himself (meaning commit minor sins)? He (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) said: "It is not that, it is Shirk (associating partners with Allah), did you not hear what Luqman told his son while he was advising him "Verily Shirk (associating partners with Allah) is a great oppression”(Surah Luqman: 31/13).”” Thus, the companions understood from the verse that it meant all types of oppression, until the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) clarified to them that it actually meant Shirk.

وَكَذلِكَ فَاللهُ - سُبْحانَهُ وَتَعالى - أمَرَنا في القُرْآنِ بِالصَّلاةِ وَالزَّكاةِ وَالصِّيامِ وَالحَجِّ وَغَيْرِها مِنَ الطَّاعاتِ، ثُمَّ فَصَّل لَنا رسولُ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أحْكامَها وَشُروطَها وَكَيْفِيَّاتِها في السُّـنَّةِ.

Also, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) ordered us in the Quran to pray, pay zakat, fast, and perform hajj, etc. However, the details of performing those actions were explained to us by the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) in his Sunnah.

وَقالَ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مُؤَكِّدًا هذا الْمَعْنى - أنَّ السُّـنَّةَ وَحْيٌ كَالقُرْآن -: ((ألا إنِّي أوتيتُ الكِتابَ، وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ)) [رَواهُ أبو داودَ، وَهُوَ صَحيح]، يَعْني: السُّـنَّةَ، وَقالَ أيْضًا: ((تَرَكْتُ فيكُمْ شَيْـئَيْنِ، لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَهُما: كِتابَ اللهِ، وَسُنـَّتي)) [رَواهُ الحاكِمُ في (الْمُسْـتَدْرَك) ، وَهُوَ صَحيح].

The Messenger (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam), confirming that the Sunnah is a revelation like the Quran, said: "I swear that I was given the Book [Quran] and its equivalent [Sunnah]” (Narrated by Abu Daoud, and it is Saheeh). He also said: "I have left you with two things that will protect you from being misguided if you abide by them: The Book of Allah, and My Sunnah” (Narrated by Al-Haakim, and it is Saheeh).

وَهذا الجَدْوَلُ يُـبَـيِّنُ وُجوهَ الشَّـبَهِ وَالاخْتِلافِ بَيْنَ القُرْآنِ والسُّـنَّةِ:

القُــــــــرآنالسُّـــــــنَّــة
كِلاهُما وَحْيٌ مِنَ اللهِ
كِلاهُما يَجِبُ التَّصْديقُ بِهِ
كِلاهُما يَجِبُ العَمَلُ بِهِ
الْمَعْنى مِنْ اللهِ
اللَّفْظُ مِنَ اللهِاللَّفْظُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاةُ وَالسَّلام -، إلَّا الحَديثَ القُدسِيّ
مُتَعَبَّدٌ بِتِلاوَتِهِلَيْسَ مُتَعَبَّدًا بِتِلاوَتِهِ
يُتْلى في الصَّلاةِلا يَجوزُ أنْ يُقْرَأ في الصَّلاةِ بَدَلًا مَنِ القُرْآن
لا يَجوزُ رِوايَتُهُ بِالْمَعْنىيَجوزُ رِوايَتُها بِالْمَعْنى

This table shows the similarities and differences between the Quran and Sunnah:

QuranSunnah
Both are revelation
We have to believe in both
We have to act according to both
The meaning is from Allah
The words are from AllahThe words are from the Prophet (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam), except Al-hadeeth Al-Qudusi
Reciting it is an act of worshipReciting it is not an act of worship
Recited in the prayerCannot be recited in the prayer instead of the Quran
We cannot say it in the close meaningIt can be said in the close meaning

مُلاحَظَة: لا بُدَّ مِنَ التَّأكُّدِ مِنْ صِحَّةِ الحَديثِ عَنْ رَسولِ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - قَبْلَ أنْ يُعْطى هذِهِ الأحْكام؛ لِأنَّ هُناكَ الكَثيرَ مِنَ الأحاديثِ الَّتي نُسِبَتْ إلى رَسولِ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – وَهِيَ لا تَصِحُّ عَنْهُ، فَلا يَجوزُ أنْ نَنْسِبَها إلَيْهِ؛ لِقَوْلِهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: ((إنَّ كَذِبًا عَلَيَّ لَيْسَ كَكَذِبٍ عَلى أحَدٍ؛ مَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ)) [رَواهُ البُخارِيُّ في (صَحيحِهِ)]، وَقوْلِهِ: ((مَنْ حَدَّثَ عَنِّي بِحَديثٍ يُرَى أنـَّهُ كَذِبٌ، فَهُوَ أحَدُ الكاذِبينَ)) [رَواهُ مُسْلِمٌ في مُقَدِّمَةِ (صَحيحِهِ)]؛ فَلا يَجوزُ أنْ نَقولَ في حَديثٍ: قالَ رَسولُ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - إلَّا إذا صَحَّ عَنْهُ.

Note: We have to verify the authenticity of any hadeeth from the Sunnah before it is given these rulings; as there are a lot of narrations that were related to the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) that are not authentic. Therefore, we cannot relate them to him (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) because he said: "Do not tell a lie against me, for whoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then let him take his seat in the Fire” (Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari), and he said: "Whomsoever relates a hadeeth to me that is not true, he is one of the liars” (Narrated in the introduction of Saheeh Muslim). As a result, we cannot say "the Messenger of Allah said” without confirming its authenticity.

فالْمُسْلِمُ الَّذي يَشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسولُ اللهِ، يُصَدِّقُهُ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - في كُلِّ ما أخْـبَرَ بِهِ، وَأنـَّهُ ما جاءَ بِشَيْءٍ إلَّا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ رَبِّ العالَمين، الَّذي بَعَثَهُ بِالْحَقِّ والكِتابِ الْمُبينِ.

Hence, the Muslim who testifies that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah believes in everything he has said. He also believes that Mohammad (sallah Allah alayhee wa sallam) did not bring anything except from Allah.

وَلِلْحَديثِ بَقِيَّةٌ - إنْ شاءَ اللهُ -

To be continued…