Sharhu Sunnah : Lesson 06 : Point 04A
Shaykh Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|English]
The author Imam Barbahaaree rahimahullaah said,
“And know, may Allaah have mercy upon you, that the Religion is only what came from Allaah, the Exalted and Most High. It was not left to the intellects of men and to their opinions; and knowledge of it is what comes from Allaah and from His Messenger.
So do not follow anything based upon your desires and therefore depart from the Religion and leave Islaam. There will be no excuse for you, since the Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam explained the Sunnah to his nation, and he made it clear to his Companions and they are the Jamaa`ah, and they are the Main Body. And the Main Body is the Truth and its people. So whoever contradicts the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam in anything of the affairs of the Religion he has disbelieved.”
[ Note: In this audio, explanation of the only first paragraph from the above is covered]
The Explanation (Transcription of above Audio):
The Religion came only from Allaah, so He is the One who legislated the Religion, He the Perfect. It is not for anyone to legislate religion, which Allaah has not permitted. He the Most High said:
Do they have partners who legislate for them religion, not ordained by Allaah. (Sooratush-Shooraa (42), aayah 21)
This is a rebuke and a warning. So the Religion is that which Allaah has legislated, and which His Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam conveyed. This is the Religion about which Allaah the Majestic and Most High said:
He (Allaah) legislated for you the Religion with which He enjoined Nooh, and which He revealed to you, and which He enjoined upon Ibraaheem, and Moosaa and `Eesaa; that you should establish the Religion, and not separate within it. (Sooratush-Shooraa (42), aayah13)
This is the revealed way of the Prophets, specifically those five Prophets, who are those firmest in resolve. This is their Religion. So whoever deviates away from it or differs with it, then he is destroyed and he is astray. And it is built upon the tawheed of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic (singling out Allaah the Mighty and Majestic with all worship) and abandonment of the worship of everything besides Him, and restricting oneself to that which Allaah the Mighty and Majestic legislated, and keeping away from whatever Allaah has forbidden – this is the Religion.
His saying, “It was not left up to the intellects of men and their opinions.” – the Religion is not what men deem to be good or what they hold as their opinion, because this is not the Religion of Allaah. This is the Religion of the people, which they have newly invented. As for the Religion of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, then it is what He legislated. As for that which the men hold as their opinion, based upon their own opinions, this is not the Religion of Allaah the Perfect and Most High. Rather it is just a religion of whoever holds that opinion. So nothing can be ascribed to Allaah from the Religion except that which He legislated upon the tongue of His Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam. And as for what others besides Him legislated, then it cannot be ascribed to Allaah, rather it can only be ascribed to whoever legislated it, and Allaah is free of it. He the Most High said:
Do they have partners who legislate for them religion which Allaah has not permitted (Sooratush-Shooraa (42), aayah 21)
His saying, “And its knowledge is with Allaah and His Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam.” – the affairs of the Religion are towqeefiyyah (depend upon text); there must be proofs from Allaah and His Messenger with regard to the affairs of the Religion. The matter is restricted to what occurs in the Book and the Sunnah from the affairs of the Religion. And newly introduced matters and innovations are abandoned, that which Allaah has not sent down any proof for – even if their people hold them to be religion, and they draw closer to Allaah through them, then we turn no attention to these things and we do not believe in them, because the Religion of Allaah is what He legislated and His Messenger.
Because the Religion is based upon knowledge which came from Allaah and His Messenger. And do not follow the desires of the people and the opinions of the people and what they declare to be good and what they follow each other upon, and it has no basis in the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of His Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam.
Just as he `alayhis-salaatu was-salaam said:
“Whoever introduces into this affair of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected.”
And in one narration:
“Whoever does an action which our affair is not in accordance with, it is rejected” [4]
So the person who wishes that his action be righteous and be beneficial, then he should adhere to two matters:
The first matter: is that he makes his Religion pure for Allaah and free from shirk.
And the second matter: ittibaa`, following the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, free of innovations and newly introduced affairs.
A person will indeed find many things which contradict what is correct in the `aqeedah, matters which contradict what is correct in matters of worship, many of them; (because) the people have desires, and have their own aspirations, and they have their own opinions and they have their own ways (which they follow). So we do not follow the people, rather we present whatever the people are upon to the Book and the Sunnah. So whatever conforms with the Book and the Sunnah then it is the Truth, and whatever contradicts these two then it is false and futile.
Footnotes :
[04] The checking of this has preceded on page 66.
Translator’s side point: Hadeeth of Aa`ishah radiyAllaahu`anhaa reported by Muslim and in the Saheeh of al-Bukhaaree.
Transcribed by Umm `Abbaas Zaynab `Abdullah. Download PDF of Lesson 06
Ithaaful-Qaaree bit-Ta`leeqaat `alaa Sharhis-Sunnah
by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah
Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah
Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah
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Sharh-us-Sunnah – Shaykh Saalih Fawzaan – Dawood Burbank [Audio|En]
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