The Authority of Sunnah

Foreword In October 1989, I was invited to present a paper on the “Authority of Sunnah” in an international conference held in Chicago by an international Islamic organization.



Since long, I had felt the need of a brief English booklet containing basic information on “The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam),” its general features, the nature of its authority and the standard of its authenticity.



I took the opportunity to fulfill this need and wrote on the subject a little more detail than was required in a conference of this type.



The present work is the result of the above endeavor. This book is meant for the general reader who wants to know what the “Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam)” is, how does it have a binding authority over all the Muslims for all times to come, what status has the Holy Qur’ân given to it and what measures has the Ummah adopted to preserve it for the coming generations.



I hope that this humble effort will provide brief, yet clear, answers to questions of similar nature and will help understanding the true status of the “Sunnah” as a source of Islamic Law and as a source of guidance for all Muslims in their practical lives. It will also assist, I hope, in removing certain doubts inculcated by a few contemporary writers in respect of the authority of the Sunnah.



May Almighty Allâh approve of this humble effort, adorn it with His pleasure and make it beneficial to the readers.



Muhammad Taqi Usmani Chapter 1

Sunnah: The Second Source of Islamic Law

The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has been accepted as an important source of Islamic law, next in importance only to the Holy Qur’ân. This status of the sunnah has remained unchallenged and undisputed throughout the centuries. There have been many differences among Muslims in their juristic opinions, but the authority of the Holy Qur’ân and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet () was never denied by any jurist. Leaving aside some scattered individuals who separated themselves from the main stream of the Muslim population, nobody has ever refused to accept the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) as a sacred source of the Islamic law.



The position is still the same, but some non-Muslim orientalists and some of their followers have tried, during the last century to cast some doubts in the authority or the veracity of Hadîth and to develop a suspicious attitude towards the Sunnah. That is why some Muslims who are unable to study Islam through its original sources, when they read such books, often become a bit skeptical in the subject.



The present article intends, therefore, to provide an objective and simple account of the SUNNAH based on the original sources of Islamic learning. The purpose is not to indulge in a hot atmosphere of argumentation which has no bounds or limits, but to narrate the truth as it stands.



Definition of Sunnah

The Sunnah has been defined by the scholars of the science of Hadîth as follows:



“A word spoken, or an act done, or a confirmation given by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).”



“Confirmation” in this definition is termed in Arabic as Taqreer. What is meant by this term is like somebody said something, or acted in a particular manner, and his saying or act came to the knowledge of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and he either confirmed it in express words or remained silent without given any indication of disapproval. Such silence, being an implied approval of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is also included in the term Sunnah.



As the Sunnah, with all its three kinds (saying, act and confirmation) relates to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), its true status in Islamic law cannot be ascertained without ascertaining the status of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) himself.



The Status of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam)

So, the first pertinent question in the subject is: What status does a prophet occupy when he is sent to the people? Has he no higher a status than that or a message-carrier or a postman who, after delivering the letter, has no concern with it whatsoever? The answer is certainly in the negative. The prophets are not sent merely to deliver the word of Allâh. They are also required to explain the divine Book, to interpret it, to expound it, to demonstrate the ways of its application and to present a practical example of its contents. Their duty is not restricted to reciting the words of the Book, rather they are supposed to teach it and to train people to run their lives in accordance with its requirements. The Holy Qur’ân leaves no doubt concerning this point by saying:



Allâh has surely blessed the believers with His favor when He raised in their midst a Messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His verses and makes them pure and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom, while they were, earlier in open error. (3:164)



He (Allâh) is the One who raised up, among the unlettered, a Messenger from among themselves who recites the verses of Allâh, and makes them pure, and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom. (62:2)



The same functions were attributed to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) in the prayer of Sayyidna Ibrahim (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) when, according to the Holy Qur’ân, he prayed:



Our Lord, raise in their midst a messenger from among themselves who recites to them Your verses and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom and purifies them… (2:129)



These are the terms of reference given to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) which include four distinct functions and the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has been entrusted with all of them:



(1) Recitation of the Verses of Allâh.



(2) Teaching the Book of Allâh.



(3) Teaching the Wisdom.



(4) Making the people pure.



Thus, the Holy Qur’ân leaves no ambiguities in the fact that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is not supposed to merely recite the verses and then leave it to the people to interpret and apply them in whatever manner they like. Instead, he is sent to “teach” the Book. Then, since teaching the Book is not enough, he is also required to teach “Wisdom” which is something additional to the “Book.” Still, this is not enough, therefore the Holy Prophet () has also to “make the people pure,” meaning thereby that the theoretical teaching of the Book and the “Wisdom” must be followed by a practical training to enable the people to apply the Book and the Wisdom in the way Allâh requires them to apply.



These verses of the Holy Qur’ân describe the following functions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam):



(a) He is the authority in the way the Holy Book [the Qur’ân] has to be recited.



(b) He has the final word in the interpretation of the Book.



(c) He is the only source at which the wisdom based on divine guidance can be learned.



(d) He is entrusted with the practical training of the people to bring his teachings into practice.



These functions of the Holy Prophet () can never be carried out unless his teachings, both oral and practical, are held to be authoritative for his followers, and the Muslims who are given under his training are made bound to obey and follow him. The functions (b) and (c), namely, the teaching of the Book and Wisdom require that his sayings should be binding on the followers, while the function (d), the practical training, requires that his acts should be an example for the Ummah, and the Ummah should be bound to follow it.



It is not merely a logical inference from the verses of the Holy Qur’ân quoted above, but it is also mentioned in express terms by the Holy Qur’ân in a large number of verses which give the Muslims a mandatory command to obey and follow him. While doing so, the Holy Qur’ân has used two different terms, namely the “itaa’ah” (to obey) and “ittibaa’” (to follow). The first term refers to the orders and sayings of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) while the second relates to his acts and practice. By ordering the Muslims both to “obey” and to “follow” the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), the Holy Qur’ân has given an authority to both his sayings and acts.



The Obedience (Itaa’ah) of the Messenger

It is in this background that the Holy Qur’ân insists repeatedly on “the obedience of the Prophet” so much so that is is mentioned side by side with the obedience of Allâh:



Say: Obey Allâh and the Messenger, but if they turn their backs, Allâh loves not the disbelievers. (3:32)



And obey Allâh and the Messenger so that you may be blessed. (3:132)



O those who believe, obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. (4:59)



And obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and beware. (5:92)



So fear Allâh and set things right between you, and obey Allâh and His Messenger if you are believers. (8:1)



O those who believe, obey Allâh and His Messenger and do not turn away from him, while you are listening. (8:20)



And obey Allâh and His Messenger and do not quarrel with each other, and so lose heart. (8:46)



Say: Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger; then, if you turn away, upon him rests what is laid on him, and upon you rests what is laid on you. If you obey him, you will be guided. (24:54)



O those who believe, obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and do not make your deeds vain. (47:33)



So establish salaah and pay zakaah and obey Allâh and His Messenger. (58:13)



And obey Allâh and obey the Messenger but if you turn your backs, Our Messenger has only to deliver the manifest message. (64:12)



In these verses, “the obedience of the Messenger” has been ordered as an obligatory command. There are other verses in which the results of the “obedience of the Messenger” have been described. Here again the “obedience of the Messenger” has been combined with “the obedience of Allâh:”



And whoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger, Allâh shall admit him in the Gardens underneath which rivers flow. (4:13)



The same words have been repeated in (48:17) also.



And whoever obeys Allâh and the Messenger, they are in the company of those who Allâh has blessed. (4:69)



All that the believers say, when they are called to Allâh and His Messenger that he may judge between them, is that they say, “We hear and we obey”: it is these who are successful. Whoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger and fears Allâh and has awe of Him: it is these who are the winners. (24:52)



And whoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger, he has won a great success. (33:71)



And the believers, men and women, are friends of each other; they bid the fair and forbid the unfair; they establish Salâh and pay zakaah and they obey Allâh and His Messenger. These are those upon whom Allâh shall have mercy; Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (9:71)



If you obey Allâh and His Messenger, He will not diminish you anything of your deeds. (49:14)



The Holy Qur’ân has also made it clear that “the obedience of the prophet” is not a new principle, nor is it limited to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). The same principle applied to all the former prophets who came before him:



And we sent no messenger, but that he should be obeyed by the leave of Allâh. (4:64)



It is also clarified by the Holy Qur’ân that the prophets are the spokesmen of Allâh’s pleasure. Hence, the obedience of the prophet is actually obedience of Allâh Himself.



And whoever obeys the Messenger, thereby obeys Allâh. (4:80)



As the obedience of the Holy Prophet () has been stressed by the Holy Qur’ân and has been combined with the “obedience of Allâh,” in the same way “disobedience” of him has been warned against and is combined with the “disobedience of Allâh:”



And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger and transgresses His limits, He shall admit him to Fire where he shall remain forever. (4:14)



And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger has gone astray into manifest error. (33:36)



And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger, for him there is the fire of Jahannam. There they shall remain forever. (72:23)



And whoever makes a breach with Allâh and His Messenger, then Allâh is severe in punishment. (8:13)



Did they not come to know that whoever opposes Allâh and His Messenger, for him there is the fire of Jahannam? (9:63)



Thus, both positive and negative aspects of the obedience have been dealt with in the Holy Qur’ân and the “obedience of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam)” in each one of these verses has been mentioned separately, alongwith the obedience of Allâh.



It is noteworthy that whenever the “obedience of Allâh” is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân, it is always followed by the “obedience of the Prophet” which has never been missed even in a single verse. There is no verse in the entire Book where the “obedience of Allâh” has been mentioned alone with no reference to the “obedience of the Messenger.”



On the contrary, there are some verses where only the “obedience of the Messenger” has been mentioned, and there is no reference to the obedience of Allâh:



And establish salaah and pay zakaah and obey the Prophet so that you may be blessed. (24:56)



And if you obey him (the Prophet), you shall find the right path. (24:54)



On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish that the earth might be levelled with them. (4:42)



And whoever makes a breach with the Messenger after the right path has become clear to him, and follows a way other than that of the believers, We shall let him own what he chose and shall admit him in the Jahannam, and it is evil as a returning place. (4:115)



The reason for so much stress upon the “obedience of the Prophet” is that the obedience of Allâh cannot be carried out except through the obedience of the Prophet. Allâh does not address each and every individual to tell him what He requires from him, as the Holy Qur’ân puts it:



And it is not possible for a human being that Allâh should speak to him, except by revelation, or from behind a curtain or that He should send a messenger and reveal by His leave what He wills. (42:51)



Therefore Allâh conveys His injunctions only through His prophets and His obedience cannot be carried out except by the obedience of the messengers. So, when a prophet bids something or forbids something, he does not do it in his private capacity, rather he does so in the capacity of a messenger of Allâh. When Allâh Himself has given an express command to “obey the Messenger,” the obedience of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is actually the “obedience of Allâh,” though in an indirect manner. This point has been clearly established by the Holy Qur’ân in the following words:



And whoever obeys the Messenger, thereby obeys Allâh. (4:80)



So, whenever only the “obedience of the Messenger” has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân, it includes, without saying, the “obedience of Allâh” because the Messenger does not say anything in the capacity of a Messenger unless he is guided by a revelation from Allâh:



And he (the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) does not speak out of his own desire. It is not but a revelation revealed (to him). (53:3-4)



Looked at from this angle, the obedience of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) represents the obedience of Allâh and the reference to the former always includes the latter. That is why the Holy Qur’ân in some verses deemed it sufficient to refer to the obedience of the Messenger only, for the practical way to obey Allâh is only to obey the prophet.



On the contrary, the Holy Qur’ân did not deem it sufficient to refer to the “obedience of Allâh” without referring to the “obedience of the Messenger,” to remove even the remotest excuse for ignoring the “obedience of the Prophet” and to leave no doubt whatsoever in the fact that the obedience of Allâh is not complete unless the obedience of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is fully observed with all its implications.



Ittibaa’ (Following) of the Prophet

The second term used by the Holy Qur’ân in respect of the prophets is the ittibaa’, i.e. to follow:



Say, if you love Allâh, follow me and Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. (3:31)



Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Injeel… (7:157)



Believe, then, in Allâh and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allâh and His words, and follow him so that you may be on the right path. (7:158)



Allâh has surely relented towards the Prophet and the Emigrants and the Helpers who followed him in an hour of difficulty. (9:117)



O Prophet, sufficient for you is Allâh and those who followed you of the believers. (8:64)



(The believers say:) Our Lord, we have come to believe in what You revealed and followed the Messenger. So write us among those who bear witness. (3:53)



Say: This is my way. I call to Allâh with sure knowledge, I and whoever follows me. (12:108)



The closest of the people to Ibrahim are those who follow him. (3:68)



And We set in the hearts of those who followed him (Jesus) tenderness and mercy. (57:27)



And warn the people of the day when the punishment comes on them and those who did evil shall say: Our Lord, defer us to a near term and we shall respond to Your call and shall follow the messengers. (14:44)



And We did not appoint the Qiblah on which you were earlier, but that We might know the people who follow the Messenger as distinct from those who turn back on their heels. (2:143)



He said: My people, follow the messenger! (36:20)



(Hârûn said:) And your Lord is the Rahmaan (the All-Merciful), so follow me and obey my command. (20:90)



So they (the disbelievers) said: Shall we follow a single human being from among us? Then, indeed we should be in error and insanity. (54:24)



All these verses, with different styles and connotations, lay a strong emphasis on the necessity of “following the prophets” and indicate that whoever believes in a prophet is bound to “follow” him. The reason is obvious. The prophets are sent to the people to set a practical example of what they teach and preach. Their message is not confined to their oral teachings. Their acts are equally important in any effort to discover, learn and follow the right way of living. The Holy Qur’ân is quite explicit on this point when it was said in Surah al-Ahzaab:



There is surely a good example for you in the Messenger of Allâh, for the one who hopes (to meet) Allâh and the Hereafter and remembers Allâh abundantly. (33:21)



It is an established fact that mere theoretical education cannot be sufficient for reforming a people. The natural way of reformation is to set a practical example which people may follow. Mere reading of books cannot make a person perfect in a science or art, unless he is simultaneously trained by a senior scholar or a skillful artist of that field. If somebody studies the books of medical science, but does not work under the supervision of an experienced doctor, he, despite his thorough study, cannot claim to serve as a doctor, nor can such a person be allowed to play with the lives of the patients.



If somebody studies books of law, he cannot claim to be a lawyer unless he acquires a practical training from a senior lawyer and remains for a considerable time under his juniorship.



Even a plain enthusiast who wants to cook a good meal cannot do so perfectly by merely studying the books written on the subject, although all the ingredients required for cooking the food are mentioned in the book and even the minute details of the process are fully described. But a person who has never cooked that meal before cannot prepare it just right and perfect with the sole help of a cookbook unless he is practically trained by some expert. That expert sets a practical example for him and he, by following the example, gradually learns how to cook that good meal.



It clearly shows that human beings are always in need of a practical example in order to learn an important subject. The same is true in the matter of religious teaching and training.



That is why Allâh did not choose to send the divine books only. He always sent a messenger with the book. There are many prophets who came without a new divine book. But there is no divine book sent down without a prophet. The disbelievers of Makkah, too, demanded many times that the Book should be revealed to them without the mediation of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). But the demand was rejected and the Book was sent through the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



The reason is obvious. Humanity did not need a divine book only. It also needed a teacher who could teach them the contents of the Book. It also needed an instructor who could train them and could set a practical example for them without which they could not benefit from the Book in their practical life. It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet () was sent with a clear direction to all human beings that they are bound to obey and follow him and to learn the details of Allâh’s pleasure through the practical example set before them by him. It was also clarified in the foregoing verse of the Holy Book that the “obedience of the Messenger” is actually the “obedience of Allâh” and that the latter cannot be carried out except through the former, because whatever the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) says or does in the capacity of a prophet is based on the revelation received by him from Allâh. Thus, his sayings and acts both, even though they are not contained in the Holy Qur’ân, are inspired or confirmed by the divine revelation.



Two Kinds of Revelation

It follows from the foregoing discussion that the revelation the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) received from Allâh is of two different kinds:



(i) the revelation of the Qur’ân, the Holy Book, named in the Islamic terminology as al-wahy al-matluww (the recited revelation, i.e. the revelation which can be recited in the prayers). This kind of revelation is confined to the verses of the Holy Qur’ân and is written verbally in its folds.



(ii) the revelation received by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) from time to time to let him know the pleasure of Allâh in day-to-day affairs and the details of the principles laid down in the Holy Qur’ân with their correct interpretation. This kind of revelation is called al-wahy ghair al-matluww (the unrecited revelation). This kind of revelation is not conveyed to the people verbally. It has been demonstrated through the sayings and acts of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



The Second Kind of Revelation Proved by the Holy Qur’ân



This second kind of revelation is not contained in the Holy Qur’ân, but the Holy Qur’ân itself not only refers to it frequently but attributes its contents to Allâh Almighty. Some verses of the Holy Book are reproduced below which clearly prove that the “revelation” is not confined to the Holy Qur’ân, but there is another kind of “wahy” which does not form part of the “Holy Book,” yet it is the revelation from Allâh Almighty:



First Example: The Holy Qur’ân says:



And We did not appoint the Qiblah on which you were earlier, but that We might know the people who follow the Messenger as distinct from those who turn back on their heels. (2:143)



In order to understand the verse, it is necessary to know the background in which it was revealed:



In the early days of Madani life, after the Holy Prophet’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) migration to Madinah, the Muslims were ordered to direct their faces in prayers towards Baytul-Maqdas (Jerusalem) which had been appointed as Qiblah of the Muslims. Up to seventeen months, the Muslims had been observing the Baytul-Maqdas as their Qiblah. It was after seventeen months that the Holy Qur’ân abrogated the earlier order and the Muslims were required to observe the Holy Mosque of Makkah as their Qiblah and turn their faces towards it while praying. The following verse was revealed to appoint the new Qiblah:



…So turn your face towards al-Masjid al-Haraam. (2:144)



This new order was criticized by some disbelievers and they objected on it as to why the Baytul-Maqdas was appointed as Qiblah earlier. The above quoted verse (2:143) was revealed to answer this objection. The answer was that the appointment of the former Qiblah was in order to test the people whether or not they follow the Messenger. To quote the meaning of the verse again:



And We did not appoint the Qiblah on which you were earlier, but that We might know the people who follow the Messenger… (2:143)



Here the appointment of the previous Qiblah has been attributed to Allâh Almighty, which is a clear indication to the fact that the appointment of Baytul-Maqdas as Qiblah was done by the order of Allâh Almighty Himself. But this order is nowhere in the Holy Qur’ân, and there is no verse in the Holy Book which directs the turning of faces towards Baytul-Maqdas. This order was given to Muslims by the Holy Prophet () with no reference to any verse of the Holy Qur’ân. Still, this order was mentioned by the Holy Qur’ân in the above quoted verse as the order of Allâh: The words,



“We did not appoint the Qiblah,” instead of the words,



“The Holy Prophet did not…” are too clear on this point to need more explanation.



This statement of the Holy Qur’ân, thus, evidently proves that the previous order given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was based on a revelation which did not form part of the Book. And this is exactly the “unrecited revelation.” The verse of the Holy Qur’ân (2:143) quoted above proves the following facts:



(a) The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) used to receive some revelations which are not contained in the Holy Qur’ân.



(b) These revelations were from Allâh Almighty, so much so that the orders based on such revelations were attributed to Allâh Almighty.



(c) The orders based on such revelation were as binding on the believers as the orders of the first kind of revelations, i.e. the verse of the Holy Qur’ân.



(d) These orders were sometimes given so as to test whether or not the Muslims follow the Messenger (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) irrespective of the question that his orders are contained in the Holy Qur’ân or not.



Second Example: In the beginning, one of the rules followed by the Muslims in respect of the fasts of Ramadan was that even a short nap after iftaar (breaking of a fast) would nullify the permissibility of having sexual intercourse with one’s wife. So, if someone would sleep for a short while after iftaar and wake up again, he would lose the opportunity of sleeping with his wife during the rest of the night, despite that the fast was over. This rule was prescribed by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and was not contained in the Holy Qur’ân. But some Muslims broke the rule by sleeping with their wives after having a post-iftaar nap. Referring to these events, the Holy Qur’ân first admonishes those people who did not follow the rule. Then, by abrogating the same, allows the Muslims in future to sleep with their wives even when they had a nap after iftaar. In this context the Holy Qur’ân says:



It is made lawful for you, in the nights of fasts, to have sex with your women. They are a cover for you, and you are a cover for them. Allâh knew that you were betraying yourselves; so, He relented towards you and pardoned you. So, now you can have sexual intimacy with them, and seek what Allâh has destined for you, and eat and drink until the white thread of the dawn becomes distinct from the black thread; then complete the fasts up to the night. (2:187)



The following points with respect to this verse are worth consideration:



(a) The verse confirms that having sex during the nights of Ramadaan was not lawful before.



(b) The people who had sex during the nights of Ramadaan before this verse was revealed are admonished by describing their act as “betraying themselves.”



(c) The words, “so He relented towards you and pardoned you,” indicate that their sexual act was a sin, because “relenting” and “pardoning” occur only after a person commits a sin.



(d) The words “so now you can have sexual intimacy with them” denote that it is only now that the sexual act during the nights of Ramadaan has been made lawful.



All these points confirm the fact that the earlier prohibition of having sexual intercourse during the nights of Ramadaan was validly made by a competent authority, and the Muslims were bound to abide by it.



But there is no verse in the Holy Qur’ân to convey this prohibition.. It was enforced only by the Holy Prophet (). Still, the Holy Qur’ân not only confirms it, but also treats it as if it were in its own words. It is due to the fact that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) did not enforce this prohibition by his own will, it was rather based on a revelation of Allâh Almighty which is not contained in the Holy Qur’ân.



Looked at from this angle, this verse on the one hand proves that there is a revelation which does not form part of the Holy Qur’ân, and on the other hand it reaffirms the status of the Holy Prophet () as a law-giver, and that his injunctions, both orders and prohibitions, are binding on the Muslims.



Third Example: On the occasion of the battle of Uhud, some Qur’ânic verses were revealed to make the Muslims recall the events of the battle of Badr: How Allâh helped them and how He promised to send the angels to their aid, and how He actually did so. These verses are as under:



Allâh has certainly helped you at Badr while you were weak. So, fear Allâh so that you may be grateful. When you (O Prophet) were saying to the believers, ‘Shall it not suffice you that your Lord shall aid you with three thousand angels being sent down? Why not? If you observe patience and fear Allâh and they come to you in this their heat, your Lord shall aid you with five thousand angels having distinct marks?’ And Allâh did not make it but a good news for you so that your hearts might be satisfied. And there is no help except from Allâh, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (3:123-126)



The emphasized sentence of these verses attributes the good news of the aid of angels to Allâh Almighty, meaning thereby that the good news of this aid was given by Allâh Himself. But this good news given at the time of Badr is nowhere available in the Holy Qur’ân. In other words, there is no verse in the Holy Book revealed during the battle of Badr which implies the good news of the aid of the angels. What is quoted above is only a reference of that news, made at the time of a later battle, and it is expressly mentioned in this verse that the good news was given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Still, the news is attributed to Allâh.



Thus, it is another example where the words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) are held to be the words of Allâh. There is no reason for this expression other than that the words of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) were inspired by a special revelation, not contained in the Holy Qur’ân, and this is what is called the “unrecited revelation.”



Fourth example: Referring to the battle of Uhud at another occasion, the Holy Qur’ân says: And when Allâh promised you that one of the two groups shall be for you. (8:7)



One of the two parties referred to in this verse was the commercial caravan of Abu Sufyan, coming from Syria, and the other group was the army of the Makkan disbelievers, led by Abu Jahl. The above verse says that Allâh had promised the believers that they would triumph over one of these two groups. The Muslims, in fact, won the battle against the latter, namely, the army of Abu Jahl.



The point worth consideration here is that the promise of Allâh to give the Muslims victory against any of the two groups is not there in the Holy Qur’ân. This promise was conveyed to the Muslims by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) without any reference to any verse of the Holy Qur’ân. Still, the verse quoted above atttibutes the promise to Allâh and not to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



The only conclusion derivable from this is that the promise was received by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) through an “unrecited revelation.” Hence it is attributed to Allâh. Guided by this revelation, the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) conveyed the promise to his companions.



Thus, it is another proof of the existence of a kind of revelation which is not contained in the Holy Qur’ân and is called the “unrecited revelation.”



Fifth Example: Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) told a secret to one of his wives. She disclosed the secret to some other person. When the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) came to know that the secret has been disclosed by his wife, he sought an explanation from her. She asked him as to who told him about the disclosure. The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) replied that he was informed about it by Allâh Almighty.



This event has been mentioned by the Holy Qur’ân in the following words:



And when the Prophet told one of his wives about a matter secretly; then, when she told about it, and Allâh has disclosed it to him, he made known some part of it, and turned aside from some part; then, when he told her about it, she said, “Who told you this?” He said, “I was told by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.” (66: 3)



The emphasized sentence of this verse is quite clear in that Allâh told the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) about the disclosure of the secret. This is also not mentioned anywhere in the Holy Qur’ân. So, it is another concrete example where the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) received some revelation from Allâh other than the one contained in the Holy Qur’ân. This is exactly the “unrecited revelation.”



Sixth Example: During the siege of Banu Nadir, the famous tribe of the Jews in Madinah, some Muslims had cut down date-trees from around the fort to compel the enemy to surrender. After the war was over, some Jews objected to the cutting trees. The Holy Qur’ân has answered the objection in the following words:



Whatever date-trees you cut down, or left standing upon their roots, that was by the leave of Allâh. (59:5)



It has been very directly mentioned in this verse that the Muslims cut down the trees with a leave from Allâh. But nobody can point out to any verse in the Holy Qur’ân to the effect that the cutting of trees during the war is allowed. The question is: from where did the Muslims acquire this leave from Allâh? There is no answer to this question except that the leave of Allâh had been conveyed to them by the Holy Prophet () and he received it through “unrecited revelation.”



Seventh Example: It is well known that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) had adopted Sayyidina Zaid bin Haarithah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) as his son. He married Zainab, daughter of Jahsh. After some time their relations began to be strained and, ultimately, he divorced her. In the days of Jahiliyyah an adopted son was treated as a real son in all respects and for all purposes. The Holy Qur’ân, on the other hand, declared that the adopted sons cannot be treated as the real ones.



To eradicate the Jahili concept of the adopted son, Allâh Almighty ordered the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that he should marry Zainab (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) after her having been divorced by his adopted son, Zaid ibn Haarithah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was a bit reluctant in the beginning, for, according to the prevalent custom, it was treated a shameful act to marry the divorced wife of one’s adopted son. But when the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) received a concrete order from Allâh, he married her.



This event has been mentioned by the Holy Qur’ân in the following words:



When you were saying to the one whom Allâh had blessed and whom you had blessed, (i.e. Zaid, before he divorced Zainab), “Keep to you your wife and fear Allâh,” and you were hiding in your heart what Allâh was to disclose and you were fearing people, and Allâh has more right to be feared by you. So, when Zaid finished with her, We made you marry her, so that there may remain no restriction on the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons when they have finished with them. And the order of Allâh had to be done. (33:37)



Here the words, “you were hiding in your heart what Allâh was to disclose,” refer to the fact that Allâh had informed the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that he will marry Zainab (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) after she is divorced by Zaid (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) knew that, ultimately, she is going to be divorced by Zaid, but, out of shame, he could not disclose it and when Zaid consulted him in the matter, he advised him to keep to his wife and not to divorce her.



From this it follows that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) had been foretold by Allâh that Zainab was going to be divorced by her husband. But this information is not contained in the Holy Qur’ân. It was given to him through an unrecited revelation.



The second sentence is more significant in the context, that is, “We made you marry her.” Here Allâh Almighty declares that the marriage between the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and Sayyidah Zainab (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was contracted by an order of Allâh.This order is nowhere mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân. Still, the Holy Qur’ân affirms it. This is another confirmation of an order conveyed to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) through an “unrecited revelation.”



Eighth Example: The Holy Qur’ân has repeatedly ordered the Muslims to establish salaah (the prayer) and to be steadfast in it. In the following verse, after repeating the same order, the Holy Qur’ân gives a special concession to the Muslims that, in the state of war, when they fear an attack from their enemy, they can perform the prayer in whatever way they can, either riding on horses or camels or walking on their feet. But after the danger of the enemy is over, they are ordered to perform the prayer in its normal way. This principle has been laid down in the following words:



Take due care of all the prayers and the middle prayer; and stand before Allâh in total devotion. But if you are in fear, then (pray) on foot or riding, but when you are in peace, then recite the name of Allâh in the way He taught you. (2:238-239)



A number of points are worth consideration in these verses:



Firstly, the verse assumes that there are more than one prayers obligatory on the Muslims, but the exact number of the prayers has not been given, neither in this verse nor at any other place in the Holy Qur’ân. That the number of obligatory prayers is five is only mentioned by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). The Holy Qur’ân, by saying “Take due care of all the prayers,” confirms what the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) prescribed for the Muslims.



Secondly, the verse lays special emphasis on the “Middle Prayer,” but does not define it. The definition has been left to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



Thirdly, the most important sentence in relation to our subject is, “when you are in peace, then recite the name of Allâh in the way He taught you.” It goes without saying that the “recitation of the name of Allâh” means here “to perform the prayer” as the context does not permit any other meaning.



Now, the Holy Qur’ân directs the Muslims that in the state of peace they should perform the prayer in its normal way which has been taught to them by Allâh. It is an express indication that the normal way of performing prayers has been taught to the Muslims by Allâh Himself. But no such way has ever been mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân. There is no verse in the Holy Book mentioning the detailed way of performing prayer. It is only the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) who educated the Muslims as to how they are to perform it. But the Holy Qur’ân holds the teaching of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) to be the teaching of Allâh.



It means that Allâh has taught the way of prayer to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) through some “unrecited revelation” not contained in the Holy Qur’ân, and the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) taught it to the Muslims. Thus, the Muslims have been taught by Allâh through the teaching of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). However, the teaching of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is described in the holy verse as the teaching of Allâh, because it was based on the “unrecited revelation.”



Ninth Example: Certain hypocrites had not accompanied the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) in the expedition of Hudaibiyah. After that, when the Muslims resolved to proceed to the battle of Khayber, the Holy Prophet () declared that only the participants of Hudaibiyah shall be entitled to accompany him on this journey. The hypocrites who did not go to Hudaibiyah were now interested in their participation in the battle of Khaybar because according to their anticipation the Muslims were expected to gain from there sizeable spoils, which the hypocrites wanted to share. But the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), inspite of their requests, did not allow them to participate in the battle.



This event has been referred to in the following verse of the Holy Qur’ân:



Those remaining behind will say, when you set forth after spoils to acquire them, “Let us follow you,”- desiring to change the words of Allâh. Say, “You shall not follow us; so Allâh has said earlier.” (48:15)



The emphasized words indicate that there was a previous word of Allâh barring the participation of the hypocrites in the battle of Khaybar, and confining the battle to the participants of Hudaibiyah. But no such word exists anywhere in the Holy Qur’ân. It was only a prophetic order. Still, Allâh Almighty describes it as His Own word. The reason is obvious. The Prophetic order was based on the order of Allâh received by him through some “unrecited revelation” which is not found in the Holy Qur’ân. Yet, it was a revelation, as certain as any word of Allâh.



Tenth Example: In the early days of his Prophethood, when the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) received the verses of the Holy Qur’ân revealed to him, he used to recite the same simultaneously, lest he should forget them. It was a strenuous exercise for him, because he felt it was much too difficult to listen to the revelation, to understand it correctly, and to learn it by heart, all at the same time. Allâh Almighty relieved him from this burden when He revealed the following verses of the Holy Qur’ân:



Move not your tongue with it in order to hasten it. It is on Us to gather it (in your heart) and to recite it. So, when We read it, follow its reading. Then it is on Us to explain it. (75:16-19)



In the last sentence, Allâh Almighty has promised the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) to explain the verses of the Holy Qur’ân to him. It is evident that this explanation is something separate from the Holy Qur’ân itself. It is not the Holy Qur’ân. It is its explanation or its exegesis. Therefore, it should necessarily be in some other form, distinct from the words of the Holy Book. And this is exactly what is meant by the “unrecited revelation.” But the two kinds of revelation, though different in their form, are both revealed to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam); both are from Allâh; and both are to be believed and obeyed by the Muslims.



Eleventh Example: The Holy Qur’ân says to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam):



And Allâh has revealed upon you the Book and the wisdom, and has taught you what you did not know and the grace of Allâh upon you has been great. (4:113)



In this verse the revelation of the Wisdom has been mentioned as separate from the revelation of the Book. It indicates that the wisdom referred to here is something additional to the Holy Qur’ân, and it has also been revealed to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) by Allâh Almighty.



Then the Holy Qur’ân proceeds to say: “And (Allâh) has taught you what you did not know.” It means that Allâh has not only revealed the Book, but has also revealed the Wisdom, and also taught the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) what he did not know before. This teaching includes all kinds of directions given by Him to His prophet, either through the Holy Book or through some “unrecited revelation” in the light of which the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) performed his functions as a messenger of Allâh.



Twelfth Example: The Holy Qur’ân has summarised the various kinds of revelation in the following words:



And it is not possible for a human being that Allâh should speak to him, except by way of revelation or from behind a curtain, or that He should send a messenger and he reveals by His leave what He wills. (42:51)



Now, out of these three modes, the revelation of the Holy Qur’ân was carried out through the third one, namely, through an angel who is identified in the verse by the word, “messenger.” It is clearly settled by some other verses:



Say: Whoever be an enemy to Jibreel (Gabriel, the angel)—it is he who has brought it (the Qur’ân) down upon your heart by the permission of Allâh. (2:97)



And truly it (the Qur’ân) is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds, brought down by the Faithful Spirit upon your heart, that you may be one of the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue. (26:192-195)



These verses are quite explicit on the point that the Holy Qur’ân has been revealed through an angel, named in the first verse as Jibreel, and in the second one as the Faithful Spirit; but the verse (42:51) quoted above describes that there are two more ways of revelation. These two modes have also been used in the case of the Holy Prophet (). It means that the revelation sent down to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was not confined to the Holy Qur’ân, but there were other revelations, too. These revelations are termed as “unrecited revelation.”



These are sixteen verses, which affirm not only the existence of the “unrecited revelation” but also its reliability and authenticity, and its binding nature. It is not intended here to produce all the material available in the Holy Qur’ân to establish this kind of revelation. The purpose was to give some examples only, which has, perhaps, been substantially served. But before proceeding further, it will be useful to recollect and summarize the conclusions that stand proved in the light of the Holy Qur’ân as discussed above:



(1) The function of the Holy Prophet () like other prophets is not only to convey the divine Book. He is also to teach the Book, to teach the wisdom and to make people pure by training them practically.



(2) The “Obedience of the Holy Prophet” () is as necessary as the obedience of Allâh; because the latter has always been mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân combined with the former.



(3) The obedience of the Holy Prophet () in practical is the obedience of Allâh; and the latter cannot be carried out except through the former.



(4) The Muslims are bound not only to obey the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), but they are also under an obligation to follow him.



(5) Whatever the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) says or does in his capacity of a Messenger is always based on, or confirmed by, a revelation from Allâh.



(6) This revelation is sometimes contained in the Holy Qur’ân and called the recited revelation, and sometimes it is sent down in addition to the Holy Qur’ân, and the same is termed as “unrecited revelation.”



The Obedience of the Prophet as Distinct from the Obedience of a Ruler

From the above conclusions, which are based purely on the verses of the Holy Qur’ân, another possibility, often overemphasized by some quarters while opposing the authority of the sunnah, is completely ruled out. It is sometimes said that the Holy Qur’ân, when it ordains the obedience of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), means his obedience in the capacity of a ruler or a head of the state, and not in the capacity of a prophet. Since the Holy Prophet () was also a ruler of the Muslims, they were ordered to “obey” and “follow” him. But after he passed away, his personal obedience is no more necessary. Now, whoever takes over the rule shall stand for the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) in the matter of obedience, and the Muslims should follow him.



This fallacy is based on the misconception that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was ordered to be obeyed in his capacity of a ruler, and not in the capacity of a prophet or messenger.



But the verses already quoted leave no room for this misconception. The reasons are as under:



(1) Wherever the Holy Qur’ân has directed toward the “obedience of the Holy Prophet” (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) it has always referred to the “obedience of the Messenger” and not to the obedience of the “ruler”, nor to the obedience of “Muhammad” (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) in his private capacity. It clearly indicates that he must be obeyed on account of his being a messenger.



When I say, to someone, “obey your father,” it means that his being father is the basic cause of his being obeyed. If I say, “obey your teacher,” it is evident that his being teacher is the cause of his obedience being due. Nobody can reasonably interpret these sentences conversely. So, when Allâh Almighty says, “Obey the Messenger,” how can it be reasonable to say that his messengership is not the cause of his obedience?



(2) At one occasion, at least, the Holy Qur’ân has removed even the remotest possibility of this wrong interpretation, when it said:



O those who believe, obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.(4:59)



Here, the obedience of the messenger has been separated and distinguished from that of the ruling authorities, which means that the “messenger” and “those in authority” both are to be obeyed in their different capacities.



It is important to note that in the case of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) both the capacities were combined in him. He was a Messenger as well as a ruler. Therefore, if the Holy Qur’ân intended to restrict the obedience of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) to his lifetime only, it could easily be said, “Obey Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).” But by avoiding this expression, the Holy Qur’ân explicitly differentiated between his two capacities, and mentioned each of them separately to remove even the slightest apprehension of this misconception, and thus left no room for confusing one capacity with the other.



Moreover, there is another point to note in this verse. The word “Messenger” used here is in singular, while the phrase “those in authority,” is in plural. This is to signify that the Holy Prophet () is the last messenger after whom no prophet will come. So, his obedience as a prophet shall always be confined to himself alone. Nobody can share with him in this obedience in future. On the other hand, the ruling authorities shall be in a large number, coming one after the other. This kind of obedience is not restricted to the ruler present at the time of revelation; it, rather, extends to all the ruling authorities coming after him.



(3) It has been established earlier that the obedience of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was based on the “unrecited revelation” he used to receive from Allâh. That is why the Holy Qur’ân has held it to be the “obedience of Allâh” Himself. On the other hand, no ruler or head of state can claim to receive any revelation of any kind.



It is for this reason that a ruler can enjoy an administrative authority over his subjects, but he cannot lay down the rules of Sharî’ah. His orders are purely administrative orders, which are to be obeyed by the citizens in that capacity alone. He cannot override any rule of Sharî’ah enshrined in the Holy Qur’ân and the sunnah, nor can his orders be regarded as imperatives for all times to come, as those of Sharî’ah, because they are not based on any revelation from Allâh. They are effective only in a sphere where the Sharî’ah has not given any definite rule, and left the matter on the discretion of a ruler.



The case of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is totally different. He, as a messenger, receives revelation from Allâh, recited and unrecited both. His prophetic orders, therefore, are not just administrative orders based on his personal perception. They are based on the revelation, or, at least, are confirmed by it. Let me now explain both situations:



The orders of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) are sometimes based on the revelation in the sense that the revelation “recited or unrecited” is their original source. But for this revelation, he would not deliver such orders. There can be no doubt in their divine nature. Hence they form part of the Sharî’ah.



In some cases, however, the origin of the orders is not a revelation. They are based originally on the Holy Prophet’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) own analysis of the affairs. But they are confirmed by a revelation later on. This confirmation again is of two kinds: sometimes it occurs in explicit terms, whereby the decision of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is upheld by a revelation, and sometimes it happens to be an implied confirmation. If Allâh Almighty does not object to a certain act of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), it necessarily implies that the act has been confirmed by Him.



The reason is obvious. A prophet of Allâh, being a spokesman of His pleasure, remains under a constant divine supervision. If he says something or does something, which is not in complete consonance with Allâh’s pleasure, he is always warned about it. In a number of verses, the Holy Qur’ân has expressed Allâh’s disapproval of some acts done or intended by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Thus, no act of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has ever gone unchecked.



In this perspective, if the Holy Prophet () does some thing or issues an order, and no revelation, recited or unrecited, comes to disapprove of the same, it necessarily implies that the act or order has been approved by Allâh Almighty, because if the converse were true, the revelation would never remain silent; it would certainly come to correct the error, as it came in certain cases where disapproval was conveyed in direct terms to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



Thus, whatever he says or does in his capacity of a messenger, and no revelation comes to the contrary, it is deemed to be an implied confirmation of his saying or act.



It is, therefore, true to say that all his orders and acts are either based on the revelation, or confirmed by it, explicitly or implicitly.



No such authority can be attributed to any ruler after him, because the revelation after him came to an end. This is why the Holy Qur’ân highlights the obedience of the messenger as distinct from that of the ruling authorities.



On these three major grounds, there is no room for the misconception that the “obedience of the Messenger” emphasized by the Holy Qur’ân means the “obedience of the ruling authority.” In fact, his obedience is necessary for the sole reaason that he is a prophet, and his orders and acts reflect the pleasure of Allâh. Hence the Sunnah which is nothing but a record of his sayings and acts, enjoys a binding authority on all Muslims who believe in Allâh and His Holy Book. Chapter 2

The Scope of the Prophetic Authority

The verses of the Qur’ân quoted in the previous chapter, and the natural conclusions derived therefrom, are sufficient to prove the authority of the “Sunnah” of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Its being a source of Islâmic law stands proved on that score. Yet the Holy Qur’ân has not only stressed upon the “obedience of the Messenger” as a general rule or principle. It has also highlighted the different shades of authority in order to explain the scope of his obedience, and the various spheres where it is to be applied.



Therefore, we propose in this chapter to deal with each of these spheres separately, and to explain what the Holy Qur’ân requires of us in respect of each of them.



The Prophet’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) Authority to Make Laws A number of verses in the Holy Qur’ân establish the authority of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) as a legislator or a law-maker. Some of those are reproduced below:



And My mercy embraces all things. So I shall prescribe it for those who fear Allâh and pay zakâh (obligatory alms) and those who have faith in Our signs; those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet whom they find written down in the Torah and the Injîl, and who bids them to the Fair and forbids them the Unfair, and makes lawful for them the good things, and makes unlawful for them the impure things, and relieves them of their burdens and of the shackles that were upon them. So, those who believe in him, and honour him, and help him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him- they are the ones who acquire success. (7:156-157)



The emphasized words in this verse signify that one of the functions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is “to make lawful the good things and make unlawful the impure things.” This function has been separated from “bidding the Fair and forbidding the Unfair,” because the latter relates to the preaching of what has already been established as Fair, and warning against what is established as Unfair, while the former embodies the making of lawful and unlawful, that is, the enforcing of new laws regarding the permissibility or prohibition of things. This function of prescribing new religious laws and rules is attributed here not to the Holy Qur’ân, but to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). It, therefore, cannot be argued that the “making lawful or unlawful” means the declaration of what is laid down in the Holy Qur’ân only, because the declaration of a law is totally different from making it.



Besides, the declaration of the established rules has been referred to in the earlier sentence separately, that is, “bids them to the Fair and forbids for them the Unfair.” The reference in the next sentence, therefore, is only to “making” new laws.



The verse also emphasizes “to believe” in the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). In the present context, it clearly means to believe in all his functions mentioned in the verse including to make something “lawful” or “unlawful.”



The verse, moreover, directs to follow the light that has been sent down with him. Here again, instead of “following the Holy Qur’ân,” “following the light” has been ordered, so as to include all the imperatives sent down to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), either through the Holy Book or through the unrecited revelation, reflecting in his own orders and acts.



Looked at from whatever angle, this verse is a clear proof of the fact that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) had an authority based, of course, on the unrecited revelation, to make new laws in addition to those mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân.



The Holy Qur’ân says:



Fight those who do not believe in Allâh and the Hereafter and do not hold unlawful what Allâh and His Messenger have made unlawful. (9:29)



The underlined words signify that it is necessary to “hold unlawful what Allâh and His Messenger made unlawful,” and that the authority making something unlawful is not restricted to Allâh Almighty. The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) can also, by the will of Allâh, exercise this authority. The difference between the authority of Allâh and that of the Messenger is, no doubt, significant. The former is wholly independent, intrinsic and self-existent, while the authority of the latter is derived from and dependent on the revelation from Allâh. Yet, the fact remains that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has this authority and it is necessary for believers to submit to it alongwith their submission to the authority of Allâh.



The Holy Qur’ân says:



No believer, neither man nor woman, has a right, when Allâh and His Messenger decide a matter, to have a choice in their matter in issue. And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger has gone astray into manifest error. (33:36)



Here, the decisions of Allâh and the Messenger (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) both have been declared binding on the believers.



It is worth mentioning that the word “and” occuring between “Allâh” and “His Messenger” carries both conjunctive and disjunctive meanings. It cannot be held to give conjunctive sense only, because in that case it will exclude the decision of Allâh unless it is combined with the decision of the messenger- a construction too fallacious to be imagined in the divine expression.



The only reasonable construction, therefore, is to take the word “and” in both conjunctive and disjunctive meanings. The sense is that whenever Allâh or His Messenger (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), any one or both of them, decide a matter, the believers have no choice except to submit to their decisions.



It is thus clear that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has the legal authority to deliver decisions in the collective and individual affairs of the believers who are bound to surrender to those decisions.



The Holy Qur’ân says:



Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it. (59:7)



Although the context of this verse relates to the distribution of the spoils of war, yet it is the well-known principle of the interpretation of the Holy Qur’ân that, notwithstanding the particular event in which a verse is revealed, if the words used are general, they are to be construed in their general sense; they cannot be restricted to that particular event.



Keeping in view this principle, which is never disputed, the verse gives a general rule about the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that whatever order he gives is binding on the believers and whatever thing he forbids stands prohibited for them. The Holy Qur’ân thus has conferred a legal authority to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) to give orders, to make laws and to enforce prohibitions.



It will be interesting here to cite a wise answer of ‘Abdullâh ibn Mas’ûd (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), the blessed companion of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), which he gave to a woman.



A woman from the tribe of Asad came to ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ûd (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and said, “I have come to know that you hold such and such things as prohibited. I have gone through the whole Book of Allâh, but never found any such prohibition in it.”



‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ûd (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) replied, “Had you read the Book you would have found it. Allâh Almighty says: “Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.” (59:7). (Ibn Mâjah)



By this answer ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ûd pointed out that this verse is so comprehensive that it embodies all the orders and prohibitions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and since the questioned prohibitions are enforced by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) they form part of this verse, though indirectly.



The Holy Qur’ân says:



But no, by your Lord, they shall not be (deemed to be) believers unless they accept you as judge in their disputes, then find in their hearts no adverse feeling against what you decided, but surrender to it in complete submission. (4:65)



The authority of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) established in this verse seems apparently to be an authority to adjudicate in the disputes brought before him. But after due consideration in the construction used here, this authority appears to be more than that of a judge. A judge, no doubt, has an authority to deliver his judgments, but the submission to his judgments is not a condition for being a Muslim. If somebody does not accept the judgment of a duly authorized judge, it can be a gross misconduct on his part, and a great sin, for which he may be punished, but he cannot be excluded from the pale of Islâm on this score alone. He cannot be held as disbeliever.



On the contrary, the verse vehemently insists that the person who does not accept the verdicts of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) cannot be held to be a believer. This forceful assertion indicates that the authority of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is not merely that of a customary judge. The denial of his judgments amounts to disbelief. It implies that the verdicts of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) referred to here are not the normal verdicts given in the process of a trial. They are the laws laid down by him on the basis of the revelation, recited or unrecited, that he receives from Allâh. So, the denial of these laws is, in fact, the denial of the divine orders which excludes the denier from the pale of Islâm.



Looked at from this point of view, this verse gives the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) not only the authority of a judge, but also confers upon him the authority to make laws, as binding on the Muslims as the divine laws.



The Holy Qur’ân says: They say, “we believe in Allâh and the Messenger, and we obey.” Then, after that, a group of them turn away. And they are not believers. And when they are called to Allâh and His Messenger that he may judge between them, suddenly a group of them turn back. But if they had a right, they come to him submissively! Is it that there is sickness in their hearts? Or are they in doubt? Or do they fear that Allâh may be unjust towards them, and His Messenger? Nay, but they are the unjust. All that the believers say when they are called to Allâh and His Messenger that he (the Messenger) may judge between them, is that they say, “We hear and we obey.” And they are those who acquire success. And whoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger and fears Allâh and observes His Awe, such are those who are the winners. (24:47-52)



These verses, too, hold that, in order to be a Muslim, the condition is to surrender to the verdicts of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Those who do not turn towards him in their disputes inspite of being called to him cannot, according to the Holy Qur’ân, be treated as believers. It carries the same principle as mentioned in the preceding verse: It is the basic ingredient of the belief in Allâh and His Messenger that the authority of the Messenger should be accepted whole-heartedly. He must be consulted in disputes and obeyed. His verdicts must be followed in total submission, and the laws enunciated by him must be held as binding.



The Holy Prophet’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) Authority to Interpret the Holy Qur’ân

The second type of authority given to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is the authority to interpret and explain the Holy Book. He is the final authority in the interpretation of the Holy Qur’ân. The Holy Qur’ân says:



And We sent down towards you the Advice (i.e. the Qur’ân) so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them, and so that they may ponder. (16:44)



It is unequivocally established here that the basic function of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is to explain the Holy Book and to interpret the revelation sent down to him. It is obvious that the Arabs of Makkah, who were directly addressed by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) did not need any translation of the Qur’ânic text. The Holy Qur’ân was revealed in their own mother tongue. Despite that they were mostly illiterate, they had a command on their language and literature. Their beautiful poetry, their eloquent speeches and their impressive dialogues are the basic sources of richness in the Arabic literature. They needed no one to teach them the literal meaning of the Qur’ânic text. That they understood the textual meaning is beyond any doubt.



It is thus obvious that the explanation entrusted to the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was something more than the literal meaning of the Book. It was an explanation of what Allâh Almighty intended, including all the implications involved and the details needed. These details are also received by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) through the unrecited revelation. As discussed earlier, the Holy Qur’ân has clearly said,



Then, it is on Us to explain it. (75:19)



This verse is self-explanatory on the subject. Allâh Almighty has Himself assured the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that He shall explain the Book to him. So, whatever explanation the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) gives to the Book is based on the explanation of Allâh Himself. So, his interpretation of the Holy Qur’ân overrides all the possible interpretations. Hence, he is the final authority in the exegesis and interpretation of the Holy Qur’ân. His word is the last word in this behalf.



Examples of Prophetic Explanations of the Qur’ân

To be more specific, I would give a few concrete instances of the explanations of the Holy Book given to us by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). These examples will also show the drastic amount of what we lose if we ignore the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam):



1. The salaah (prayer) is the well-known way of worship which is undisputedly held as the first pillar of Islâm after having faith. The Holy Qur’ân has ordered more than 73 times to observe it. Despite this large number of verses giving direct command to observe the salaah, there is no verse in the entire Book to explain how to perform and observe it.



Some components of the salaah, like ruku’ (bowing down) or sujud (prostration) or qiyaam (standing) are, no doubt, mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân. But the complete way to perform salaah as a composite whole has never been explained. It is only through the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that we learn the exact way to perform it. If the sunnah is ignored, all these details about the correct way of observing salaah are totally lost. Not only this, nobody can bring forth an alternate way to perform salaah on the basis of the Holy Qur’ân alone.



It is significant that the Holy Qur’ân has repeated the comand of observing salaah as many as 73 times, yet, it has elected not to describe the way it had to be performed. This is not without some wisdom behind it. The point that seems to have been made deliberately is one of the significance of the sunnah.



By avoiding the details about no less a pillar of Islâm than salaah, it is pointed out that the Holy Qur’ân is meant for giving the fundamental principles only. The details are left to the explanations of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



2. Moreover, it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân that the salaah is tied up with some prescribed times. Allâh Almighty says:



Surely, the salaah is a timed obligation for the believers. (4:104)



It is clear from this verse that there are some particular times in which the salaah should be performed. But what are those times is nowhere mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân. Even that the daily obligatory prayers are five in number is never disclosed in the Holy Book. It is only through the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that we have learnt the exact number and specific times of the obligatory prayers.



3. The same is the position of the number of rak’aat to be performed in each prayer. It is not mentioned anywhere in the Holy Qur’ân that the number of rak’aat is two in Fajr, four in Zuhr, ‘Asr and ‘Isha; it is only in the sunnah that these matters are mentioned.



If the sunnah is not believed, all these necessary details even about the first pillar of Islâm remain totally unknown, so as to render the salaah too vague an obligation to be carried out in practice.



4. The same is the case if zakaah (alms-giving), the second pillar of Islâm, which is in most cases combined with the salaah in the Holy Qur’ân. The order to “pay zakaah” is found in the Holy Book in more than thirty places. But who is liable to pay it? On what rate it should be paid? What assets are liable to the obligation of zakaah? What assets are exempted from it? All these questions remain unanswered if the sunnah of the Holy Qur’ân (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is ignored. It is the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) who explained all these details about zakaah.



5. Fasts of Ramadan are held to be the third pillar of Islâm. Here again only the fundamental principles are found in the Holy Qur’ân. Most of the necessary details have been left to the explanation of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) which he disclosed through his sayings and acts. What acts, other than eating, drinking and having sex, are prohibited or permitted during the fast? Under what conditions can one break the fast during the day? What kind of treatment can be undertaken in the state of fasting? All these and similar other details are mentioned by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



6. The Holy Qur’ân has said after mentioning how to perform wudu’, (ablution):



And if you are junub (defiled) well-purify yourself. (5:6)



It is also clarified in the Holy Qur’ân that while being junub (defiled) one should not perform prayers (4:43). But the definition of junub (defiled) is nowhere given in the Holy Qur’ân nor is it mentioned how should a defiled person “well-purify” himself. It is the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) who has explained all these questions and laid down the detailed injunctions on the subject.



7. The command of the Holy Qur’ân concerning Hajj, the fourth pillar of Islâm, is in the following words:



And as a right of Allâh, it is obligatory on people to perform the Hajj of the House- whoever has the ability to manage his way to it. (3:97)



It is just not disclosed here as to how many times the Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) is obligatory? The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) explained that the obligation is discharged by performing Hajj only once in a life-time.



8. The Holy Qur’ân says:



Those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend them in the way of Allâh, give them the news of a painful punishment. (9:34)



Here, “accumulation” is prohibited and “spending” is enjoined. But the quantum of none of the two is explained. Upto what limit can one save his money, and how much spending is obligatory? Both the questions are left to the explanation of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) who has laid down the detailed rules in this respect.



9. The Holy Qur’ân, while describing the list of the women of prohibited degree, with whom one cannot marry, has extended the prohibition to marrying two sisters in one time:



And (it is also prohibited) to combine two sisters together. (4:23)



The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) while explaining this verse, clarified that the prohibition is not restricted to two sisters only. The verse has, instead, laid down a principle which includes the prohibition of combining an aunt and her niece, paternal or maternal, as well.



10. The Holy Qur’ân says:



Today the good things have been permitted to you. (5:5)



Here, the “good things” are not explained. The detailed list of the lawful “good things” has only been given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) who has described the different kinds of food being not lawful for the Muslims and not falling in the category of “good things.” Had there been no such explanation given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) everybody could interpret the “good things” according to his own personal desires, and the very purpose of the revelation, namely, to draw a clear distinction between good and bad, could have been disturbed. If everybody was free to determine what is good and what is bad, neither any revelation nor a messenger was called for. It was through both the Holy Book and the Messenger (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that the need was fulfilled.



Numerous other examples of this nature may be cited. But the few examples given above are, perhaps, quite sufficient to show the nature of the explanations given by the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) as well as to establish their necessity in the framework of an Islâmic life ordained by the Holy Qur’ân for its followers.



Does the Holy Qur’ân Need Explanation?

Before concluding this discussion, it is pertinent to answer a question often raised with reference to the explanation of the Holy Qur’ân. The question is whether the Holy Qur’ân needs anyone to explain its contents? The Holy Qur’ân in certain places seems to claim that its verses are self-explanatory, easy to understand and clear in their meanings. So, any external explanation should be uncalled for. Why, then, is the prophetic explanation so much stressed upon?



The answer to this question is found in the Holy Qur’ân itself. A combined study of the relevant verses reveals that the Holy Qur’ân deals with two different types of subjects. One is concerned with the general statements about the simple realities, and it includes the historic events relating to the former prophets and their nations, the statement of Allâh’s bounties on mankind, the creation of the heavens and the earth, the cosmological signs of the divine power and wisdom, the pleasures of the Paradise and the torture of the Hell, and subjects of similar nature.



The other type of subjects consists of the imperatives of Sharî’ah, the provisions of Islâmic law, the details of doctrinal issues, the wisdom of certain injunctions and other academic subjects.



The first type of subject, which is termed in the Holy Qur’ân as Zikr (the lesson, the sermon, the advice) is, no doubt, so easy to understand that even an illiterate rustic can benefit from it without having recourse to anyone else. It is in this type of subjects that the Holy Qur’ân says:



And surely We have made the Qur’ân easy for Zikr (getting a lesson) so is there anyone to get a lesson? (54:22)



The words “for Zikr” (getting a lesson) signify that the easiness of the Holy Qur’ân relates to the subjects of the first nature. The basic thrust of the verse is on getting lesson from the Qur’ân and its being easy for this purpose only. But by no means the proposition can be extended to the inference of legal rules and the interpretation of the legal and doctrinal provisions contained in the Book. Had the interpretation of even this type of subjects been open to everybody irrespective of the volume of his learning, the Holy Qur’ân would have not entrusted the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) with the functions of “teaching” and “explaining” the Book. The verses quoted earlier, which introduce the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) as the one who “teaches” and “explains” the Holy Qur’ân, are explicit on the point that the Book needs some messenger to teach and interpret it. Regarding the type of verses which require explanation, the Holy Qur’ân itself says,



And these similitudes We mention before the people. And nobody understands them except the learned. (29:43)



Thus, the “easiness” of the subjects of the first type does not exclude the necessity of a prophet who can explain all the legal and practical implications of the imperatives contained in the Holy Qur’ân.



The Time Limit of the Prophetic Authority

We have so far studied the two types of the Prophetic authority, first being the authority to make new laws in addition to those contained in the Holy Qur’ân, and the second being the authority to explain, interpret and expound the Qur’ânic injunctions.



But before proceeding to other aspects of the Prophetic authority, another issue should be resolved just here.



It is sometimes argued by those who hesitate to accept the full authority of the Sunnah, that whenever the Holy Qur’ân has conferred on the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) an authority to make laws or to explain and interpret the Book, it meant this authority to be binding on the people of the Prophet’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) time only. They were under the direct control and the instant supervision of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and were addressed by him face to face. Therefore, the Prophetic authority was limited to them only. It cannot be extended to all the generations for all times to come.



This contention leads us to the discovery of the time limits of the Prophetic authority. The question is whether the authority of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was confined to his own time, or it is an everlasting authority which holds good for all times to come.



The basic question underlying this issue has already been answered in detail; and that is the question of the nature of this authority. It has been established through a number of arguments that the obedience of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was not enjoined upon the Muslims in his capacity of a ruler. It has been enjoined in his capacity of a prophet. Had it been the authority of a ruler only which the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) exercised, it would logically be inferred that the authority is tied up with his rule, and as soon as his administrative rule is over, his authority simultaneously ceases to have effect.



But if the authority is a “Prophetic” authority, and not merely a “ruling authority,” then it is obvious that it shall continue with the continuance of the prophethood, and shall not disappear until the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) no longer remains a prophet.



Now, the only question is whether the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was a prophet of a particular nation or a particular time, or his prophethood extended to the whole mankind for all times. Let us seek the answer from the Holy Qur’ân itself. The Holy Qur’ân says:



Say: O mankind! I am the Messenger of Allâh to you all… (7:158)

And We did not send you (O Prophet) except to the entire mankind, bearing good news and warning. (34:28)



And We did not send you save as a mercy unto all the worlds. (21:107)



Blessed be He Who has sent down the Qur’ân on His servant so that he may be a warner to all the worlds. (25:1)



And We have sent you (O Prophet) for mankind as a messenger. And Allâh suffices to be a witness. (4:79)



And the whole mankind is addressed when it is said:



O mankind! The Messenger has come to you with the truth from your Lord, so believe: it is better for you. And if you disbelieve, to Allâh belongs what is in the heavens and in the earth. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (4:170)



The first five verses need no elaboration. They are self-explanatory on the point that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was sent to the whole mankind and not to a particular people; his prophethood was not limited either in time or in place.



The fifth verse addresses the whole mankind and enjoins upon all of them to believe in the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Nobody can say that the belief of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was restricted to his own time. It is, according to this verse, incumbent upon all the peoples, of whatever age, to believe in his Prophethood.



It is also mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is the last Messenger after whom no Prophet is to come:



Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but the Messenger of Allâh and the last of the prophets. And Allâh is All-Knowing in respect of everything. (33:40)



This verse made it clear that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is the last one in the chain of prophets. The earlier prophets were often sent to a particular nation for a particular time, because they were succeeded by other prophets. But no prophet is to come after Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Hence, his prophethood extends to all the nations and all the times. This is what the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) himself explained in the following words:



The Israelites were led by the prophets. Whenever a prophet would pass away, another prophet would succeed him. But there is no prophet after me. However, there shall be successors, and shall be in large numbers. (Sahih al-Bukhari Ch. 50 Hadîth 3455)



If the realm of his prophethood would not reach out to the next generations, the people of those generations would be left devoid of the prophetic guidance, while Allâh does not leave any people without prophetic guidance.



In the light of the verses quoted above, there remains no doubt in the fact that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is a messenger to all the nations for all times to come.



If his prophethood extends to all times, there remains no room for the suggestion that his prophetic authority does no longer hold good and the present day Muslims are not bound to obey and follow him.



There is another point in the subject worth attention:



It is established through a large number of arguments in the first chapter that Allâh Almighty sent no divine book without a messenger. It is also clarified by Allâh that the messengers are sent to teach the Book and to explain it. It is also proved earlier that but for the detailed explanations of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), nobody might know even the way of obligatory prayers.



The question now is whether all these Prophetic explanations were needed only by the Arabs of the Prophetic age. The Arabs of Makkah were more aware of the Arabic language than we are. They were more familiar with the Qur’ânic style. They were physically present at the time of revelation and observed personally all the surrounding circumstances in which the Holy Book was revealed. They received the verses of the Holy Qur’ân from the mouth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and were fully aware of all the factors which help in the correct understanding of the text. Still, they needed the explanations of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) which were binding on them.



Then, how can a man of ordinary perception presume that the people of this age, who lack all these advantages, do not need the explanations of a prophet? We have neither that command on the Arabic language as they had, nor are we so familiar with the Qur’ânic style as they were, nor have we seen the circumstances in which the Holy Qur’ân was revealed, as they have seen. If they needed the guidance of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) in interpreting the Holy Qur’ân, we should certainly need it all the more.



If the authority of the Holy Qur’ân has no time-limit, if the text of the Qur’ân is binding on all generations for all times to come, then the authority of the Messenger, which is included in the very Qur’ân without being limited to any time bond, shall remain as effective as the Holy Qur’ân itself. While ordaining for the “obedience of the messenger,” the Holy Qur’ân addressed not only the Arabs of Makkah or Madînah. It has addressed all the believers when it was said:



O those who believe, obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. (4:59)



If the “obedience of Allâh” has always been combined with the “obedience of the Messenger” as we have seen earlier, there is no room for separating any one from the other. If one is meant for all times, the other cannot be meant for a particular period. The Holy Qur’ân at another place has also warned against such separation between Allâh and His Messenger:



Those who disbelieve in Allâh and His Messengers, and desire to make separation between Allâh and His Messengers and say, “We believe in some and disbelieve in some,” desiring to adopt a way in between this and that—those are the unbelievers in truth; and We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment. (4:150-151)



Therefore, the submission to the authority of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is a basic ingredient of having belief in his prophethood, which can never be separated from him. Thus, to accept the prophetic authority in the early days of Islâm, and to deny it in the later days, is so fallacious a proposition that cannot find support from any source of Islâmic learning, nor can it be accepted on any touchstone of logic and reason.



The Prophetic Authority in Worldly Affairs

Another point of view often presented by some westernised circles is that the authority of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is, no doubt, established by the Holy Qur’ân even for all the generations for all times to come; But, the scope of this authority is limited only to the doctrinal affairs and the matters of worship. The function of a prophet, according to them, is restricted to correct the doctrinal beliefs of the ummah and to teach them how to worship Allâh. As far as the worldly affairs are concerned, they are not governed by the prophetic authority. These worldly affairs include, in their view, all the economic, social and political affairs which should be settled according to the expediency at each relevant time, and the Prophetic authority has no concern with them. Even if the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) gives some directions in these fields, he does so in his private capacity, and not as a Messenger. So, it is not necessary for the ummah to comply with such directions.



To substantiate this proposition, a particular tradition of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is often quoted, though out of context, in which he said to his companions:



You know more about your worldly affairs.



Before I quote this tradition in its full context, the very concept upon which this proposition is based needs examination.



In fact, this view is based on a serious misconception about the whole structure of the Islâmic order.



The misconception is that Islâm, like some other religions, is restricted only to some doctrines and some rituals. It has no concern with the day-to-day affairs of the human life. After observing the prescribed doctrines and rituals, everybody is free to run his life in whatever way he likes, not hindered in any manner by the divine imperatives. That is why the advocates of this view confine the Prophetic authority to some doctrines and rituals only.



But, the misconception, however fashionable it may seem to be, is a misconception. It is an established fact that Islâm, unlike some other religions which can coincide and co-exist with the secular concept of life, is not merely a set of doctrines and rituals. It is a complete way of life which deals with the political, economic and social problems as well as with theological issues. The Holy Qur’ân says, O those who believe, respond to the call of Allâh and His Messenger when he calls you for what gives you life. (8:24)



It means that Allâh and His Messenger call people towards life. How is it imagined that the affairs of life are totally out of the jurisdiction of Allâh and His Messenger? Nobody who has studied the Holy Qur’ân can endorse that its teachings are limited to worship and rituals. There are specific injunctions in the Holy Qur’ân about sale, purchase loans, mortgage, partnership, penal laws, inheritance, matrimonial relations, political affairs, problems of war and peace and other aspects of international relations. If the Islâmic teachings were limited to the doctrinal and ritual matters, there is no reason why such injunctions are mentioned in the Holy Qur’ân.



Likewise the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) deals with the economic, social, political and legal problems in such detail that voluminous books have been written to compile them. How can it be envisaged that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) entered this field in such detailed manner without having any authority or jurisdiction? The injunctions of the Holy Qur’ân and sunnah in this field are so absolute, imperative and of mandatory nature that they cannot be imagined to be personal advices lacking any legal force.



We have already quoted a large number of verses from the Holy Qur’ân which enjoin the obedience of Allâh and the Messenger (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) upon the believers. This “obedience” has nowhere been limited to some particular field. It is an all-embracing obedience which requires total submission from the believers, having no exception whatsoever.



It is true that in this field, which is termed in the Islâmic law as “mu’âmalât,” the Holy Qur’ân and sunnah have mostly given some broad principles and left most of the details open to be settled according to ever-changing needs, but in strict conformity with the principles laid down by them. Thus the field not occupied by the Qur’ân and sunnah is a wider field where the requirements of expediency can well play their role. But it does not mean that the Qur’ân and sunnah have no concern with this vital branch of human life which has always been the basic cause of unrest in the history of humanity, and in which the so-called “rational views” mostly conflicting with each other, have always fallen prey to satanic desires leading the world to disaster.



Anyhow, the fallacy of this narrow viewpoint about Islâm which excludes all the practical spheres of life from its pale, rather, to be more correct, makes them devoid of its guidance, cannot sustain before the overwhelming arguments which stand to rule it out totally.



The Event of Fecundation of the Palm-Trees Let me now turn to the tradition which is often quoted to support this fallacious view. The details of the tradition are as follows:



The Arabs of Madînah used to fecundate their palm-trees in order to make them more fruitful. This operation was called ta’bîr which is explained by E. W. Lane (Arabic English Lexicon) as below:



“He fecundated a palm-tree by means of the spadix of the male tree, which is bruised or brayed, and sprinkled upon the spadix of the female; or by inserting a stalk of a raceme of the male tree into the spathe of the female, after shaking off the pollen of the former upon the spadix of the female.”



Keeping this in view, read the following tradition, as mentioned by Imâm Muslim in his Sahîh:



The blessed companion Talhâ (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) says:”I passed along with the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) across some people who were on the tops of the palm-trees. The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) asked, ‘What are they doing?’ Some people said, ‘They are fecundating the tree. They insert the male into the female and the tree stands fecundated.’ The Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, ‘I do not think it will be of any use.’ The people (who were fecundating the trees) were informed about what the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said. So, they stopped this operation. Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was informed about their withdrawal. On this, the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, ‘If it is in fact useful for them, let them do it, because I had only made a guess. So, do not cling to me in my guess. But when I tell you something on behalf of Allâh, take it firm, because I shall never tell a lie on behalf of Allâh.”



According to the blessed companion Anas (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has also said on this occasion:



You know more about your worldly affairs.



The words of this tradition, when looked at in its full context, would clearly reveal that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) in this case did not deliver an absolute prohibition against the fecundation of the palm trees. There was no question of its being lawful or unlawful. What the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) did was neither a command, nor a legal or religious prohibition, nor a moral condemnation. It was not even a serious observation. It was only a remark passed by him by the way in the form of an instant and general guess, as he himself clarified later. “I do not think it will be of any use.” Nobody can take this sentence as a legal or religious observation. That is why the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) did not address with it the persons involved in the operation, nor did he order to convey his message to them. It was through some other persons that they learned about the remark of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam).



Although the remark was not in the form of an imperative, but the blessed companions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) used to obey and follow him in everything, not only on the basis of his legal or religious authority, but also out of their profound love towards him. They, therefore, gave up the operation altogether. When the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) came to know about their having abstained from the operation on the basis of what he remarked, he clarified the position to avoid any misunderstanding.



The substance of his clarification is that only the absolute statements of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) are binding, because they are given in his capacity of a prophet on behalf of Allâh Almighty. As for a word spoken by him as a personal guess, and not as an absolute statement, it should be duly honoured, but it should not be taken as part of Sharî’ah.



As I have mentioned earlier, there is a vast field in the day-to-day worldly affairs which is not occupied by the Sharî’ah, where the people have been allowed to proceed according to their needs and expedience and on the basis of their knowledge and experience. What instruments should be used to fertilise a barren land? How the plants should be nourished? What weapons are more useful for the purpose of defence? What kind of horses are more suitable to ride? What medicine is useful in a certain disease? The questions of this type relate to the field where the Sharî’ah has not supplied any particular answer. All these and similar other matters are left to the human curiosity which can solve these problems through its efforts.



It is this unoccupied field of mubâhat about which the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) observed:



You know more about your worldly affairs.



But it does not include those worldly affairs in which the Holy Qur’ân or the sunnah have laid down some specific rules or given a positive command. That is why the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam), while declaring the matter of the palm-trees to be in the unoccupied field, has simultaneously observed, “But when I tel