On the authority of Abu Najeeh al-Irbaa ibn Saariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered an admonition that made our hearts fearful and our eyes tearful. We said, “O Messenger of Allah, it is as if it were a farewell admonition, so advise us.” He said, “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah and to listen and obey even if a slave is a leader over you. Certainly, the one who will live among you will see lots of differences. So stick to my sunnah and the sunnah of the right-principled and rightly-guided successors. Bite onto that with your molar teeth. And avoid newly-introduced matters. Verily, every heresy is a going astray.” Recorded by Abu Daawood and by al-Tirmidhi who said, “It is a hasan sahih hadith.”
- The Messenger of Allah delivered an admonition …
- “It is as if it were a farewell admonition, so advise us.”
- “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah”
- “to listen and obey”
- The Importance of Obedience to Those in Authority
- “even if a slave is a leader over you.”
- “Certainly, the one who will lives among you will see lots of differences.”
- “So stick to my sunnah”
- “and the sunnah of the right-principled and rightly-guided successors.”
- “Bite onto that with your molar teeth.”
- “And avoid newly-introduced matters.”
- “And every heresy is a going astray ( dhalaalah ).”
- “I left you all on a clear matter, whose night is like its day [with respect to clarity]. No one strays from it after me but the destroyed one.”
General Comments About the Hadith: In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked to give final words of advice to his Companions. He then stated for them what leads to prosperity both in this life and the next. He laid down some important principles that will help protect one’s religion when faced with new and different events after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
1. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered an admonition …
In the narration in Sunan Abu Daawood, it mentions that the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a speech after the Fajr Prayer. It was the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to speak to his followers on a regular basis during the Friday Prayers, Eid Prayers and so forth. However, he would also do so on other occasions. This example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) demonstrates that the regular occasions may not be sufficient. Instead, preachers must give more than that and the followers should eagerly desire more than that. On the other hand, as pointed out below, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would also take caution not to bore his followers with the teaching of the religion.
In this hadith, it is specifically mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave them a mauidhah, translated as “admonition”. Lane’s Lexicon gives the following definition for mauidhah, He exhorted him, admonished him, or warned him; he put him in fear; he exhorted him to obedience; commanded him to obey; he gave him good advice, or counsel; and reminded him of the results of affairs; he reminded him by informing him of that which should make the heart tender; he reminded him of that which should soften his heart by the mention of reward and punishment.
So, mauidhah involves reminding the person of the consequences of his actions. It includes reminding him of what his wrong actions will lead him to. It also includes, as the English expression states, “putting the fear of God in him” as well as making his heart soft and submissive to the truth. This is clear from this hadith and how the Companions described the effect of that mauidhah upon them. In other narrations, it describes the Prophet’s admonition as being baleegh (“reaching”). In other words, it reached their hearts and conveyed the warning to them in a beautiful, understandable manner. This is how an admonition should be. This is the way that the caller to Islam should convey the message. Allah says in the Quran, “Admonish them and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves” (al-Nisaa 63).
One principle that is mentioned that makes the admonition more effective is keeping it from being too long or boring. It was the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him), as mentioned in Sahih Muslim, to keep his speeches short and to the point. He would also choose the appropriate occasions and not bore the people with too many lectures and teachings. AlBukhari and Muslim record that Abdullah ibn Masood would give the people a reminder on every Thursday. When they requested he speak more often to them, he stated that the only thing that prevented him from doing so was the fear that they might get bored. Then he cited the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who was not overbearing with his speeches in order that they not get bored or tired with learning this religion.
1.1 The Means to an Effective Speech
Al-Bugha and Mistu point out the conditions by which a person’s speech will have the desired effect on the listeners. These conditions are indirectly derived from the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and some of them can be witnessed in this one hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
The first point is that the person must believe in his speech and be affected by it. In this way, he can transform that feeling to his listeners and convince them of what he is saying. When doing this, his expression will bear his conviction in what he is saying. This was the case with the Prophet (peace be upon him) whose face and overall demeanor would change when he was giving a speech. When delivering a sermon, he would be like a person earnestly warning his people about a coming army.
Second, the speaker’s heart must be free of disease and filth. The speech that is coming from a pure and sincere heart will flow over to the listeners. Many times, believers can pick up the falseness of a person’s heart when he speaks. Al-Hasan al-Basri once heard a speaker in the mosque whose speech had no effect on al-Hasan. Afterwards, he went to the speaker and told him, “There is either a disease in your heart or in my heart.”
Third, the person’s speech must be followed up by action. In general, the people who listen to his speech will watch his deeds. If his deeds do not correspond to his words, it is a sign that he does not believe in his own words or he was just trying to fool the audience.
1.2 The Description of the Believers:
The narrator mentioned that the Prophet’s words, “made our hearts fearful and our eyes tearful.” This shows that what they were taught effected them. Teaching is not simply a matter of conveying “dry” laws and regulations. Beyond that, what is needed is what affects the heart and what is related to their lives. It should go to the very soul of the listener.
A key to having such an effect is the use of the revelation of Allah in one’s speech. Some people who are speakers today rarely quote the Quran or hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). For this reason, they often have very little or no effect on their listeners. On the other hand, when speaking to true believers, the admonition that contains Quranic verses and hadith will definitely affect their hearts and move their souls. The hearts become fearful and the eyes begin to tear. This is one of the signs of the true believers, as can be seen in the example noted here from the time of the Companions. Also, Allah describes the believers in the following way.
“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His verses are recited unto them, they increase their faith, and they put their trust in their Lord (alone), who perform the prayers and spend out of that which We have bestowed upon them. It is they who are truly the believers. For them are grades of dignity and a generous provision” (al-Anfaal 2-4). Allah also says,
“Allah has sent down the best speech, a Book, its parts resembling each other and oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it [when they recite it or hear it recited]. Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah” (al-Zumar 23).
Every believer should try to examine himself in the light of these verses and examples. Does the Quran have such an effect on his heart? Does he begin to fear Allah when he hears the Quran? Do his eyes begin to cry thinking about what he has done and how he will have to meet Allah in the Hereafter? The above verses give some of the clear signs of being a true believer. These aspects should occur at least sometimes for the true believer. If a person never possesses these characteristics, it is a sign that his faith may be lacking.
2. “It is as if it were a farewell admonition, so advise us.”
It seems that in this particular address to the people, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was more enthusiastic or more informative than on other occasions. For that reason, they felt it may be a farewell address. This is because in a farewell address· the person would try to summarize everything that he feels is important to the audience and he would not leave anything out of his speech. The person realizes that he will not have another chance to add or correct anything in what he said.
When they felt that it could be a farewell admonition, they requested the Prophet (peace be upon him) to advise them. In other words, they were looking for some important advice that they could apply in their lives after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) responded to their request. This aspect adds to the importance of this hadith. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is giving them some final words of advice that would guide them after his death. The message he gave them was directly for their situation and, by analogy, for everyone who has come afterwards. It is an advice that will help the person stay on the Straight Path without straying.
3. “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah”
The first words of advice that the Prophet (peace be upon him) told the people in response to their request was “have taqwa of Allah.” This is also the first bit of advice that he told Muaadh ibn Jabal in Hadith Number 18. The concept of taqwa was discussed in detail in the commentary to that hadith. Here, it should suffice to say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the advice that has been given to all of mankind and all of the messengers. Allah says, “To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. We have advised the people of the Scripture before you and you also [O Muslims] to have taqwa of Allah [fear Allah and keep your duty to Him]” (al-Nisaa 131). In particular, taqwa is the absolute key to one’s well-being in the Hereafter. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) began this advice by reminding the people of what is the most essential characteristic for the most important of the two lives, that of this world and that of the Hereafter.
4. “to listen and obey”
Obviously, obeying Muslim rulers is part of the taqwa that the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised the people to have in the first statement. One way of understanding this phrase is to see it as stating a particular aspect after mentioning it in a general connotation. This is done to stress the importance of the particular aspect. However, another way of looking at it is to consider the two concepts to be referring to different aspects in the intent of the speaker. In this case, for example, after mentioning the key aspect to well-being in the Hereafter, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also mentioned one of the key aspects to wellbeing in this world.
Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned both listening and obeying. These two terms could be referring to different concepts. The first implies turning to the authorities, listening to them properly and making sure that one understands what they are ordering. After that process is done, the order is implemented and obeyed. Another way of understanding, “listen and obey,” is that the word “obey” simply emphasizes what is already captured in the first statement to “listen.” But the generally accepted rule is that if the words can be understood to mean different aspects, this takes precedence over considering one simply an emphasis of the other.
5. The Importance of Obedience to Those in Authority
Without obedience to the proper authorities, there will be anarchy, chaos and civil strife. However, with proper obedience, there can be peace and unity. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) covered both this life and the Hereafter in this first portion of his advice. A Muslim must listen to and obey the ruler. The meaning of “obedience” here is that the Muslim responds and submits to what has been ordered or prohibited by the ruler without any disputation or resistance, regardless of whether what was ordered is in accord with what he likes or not, as long as it was not an act of disobedience to Allah. Listening and obeying the rightful ruler is one of the fundamental principles of Islam. In his famous statement of the Islamic creed, al-Tahaawi wrote,
We do not believe in revolt against our leaders and rulers, even if they commit injustice, nor do we supplicate against them or defy their orders. On the contrary, we believe that obedience to them is a duty and a part of our obligatory obedience to Allah so long as they do not order anything sinful. We pray for their safety and piety, There are numerous evidences in the Quran and sunnah to support the conclusion of al-Tahaawi. For example, Allah says,
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you” (al-Nisaa 59). The two Sahihs also have the hadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) said, “It is the duty of every Muslim to hear and obey whether he likes it or not, except when he is asked to do something sinful. Ill that case there is no listening nor obedience.” Umar ibn al-Khattaab is reported to have said, “There is no Islam without community (jamaah). And there is no community without a leader. And there is no leader without obedience.’
This obedience to the ruler is not only if the ruler is a pious and just ruler. Even if the ruler is not the best person, if he is in a place of authority, he should be obeyed. One cannot use the fact that he is not a pious person to refuse to obey him. This point can also be proven by numerous hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). For example, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, “If anyone of you finds a thing in his ruler of which he does not approve, he should bear it patiently. For one who moves a span’s length from the Jama’ah (community) and dies, dies the death of the Days of Ignorance (Jaahiliyah).” (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
lbn Abu al-Izz has explained the wisdom behind not revolting against a ruler who is impious: As to the rule that we should obey those in authority even if they are unjust, it is because the evil that will result from revolting against them will be many times more than the evil which results from their injustice. In fact, by patiently bearing their injustice we atone for many of our misdeeds and add to our rewards, for Allah has only inflicted them upon us on account of our misdeeds. The rule is that the recompense of an act is in accordance with the act itself. Hence our duty in such situations is to strive in repenting, seeking forgiveness and rectifying our behavior.
Allah says, “Whatever misfortune happens to you is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many of them He grants forgiveness” (alShoora 30); “What! When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, do you say: ‘Whence is this?’ Say to them: It is from yourselves” (ali-Imraan 165); “Whatever good (o men!) happens to you is from Allah: but whatever evil happens to you, is from your (own) selves” (al-Nisaa 79); and, “Thus do We make the wrongdoers turn to each other, because of what they earn” (alAnaam 129). Hence, if the people want to get rid of the injustice of an unjust ruling, they should themselves abstain from doing wrong.
This does not mean that the populace needs to sit quietly and do nothing while injustice is occurring. It is a duty upon the Muslims to advise or make naseehah to their ruler. They must work to change the wrong given their abilities. They are not allowed, of course, to do anything that leads to greater harm than what currently exists. In fact, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was once asked what is the most virtuous jihad and he answered, “A statement of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler“
5.1 Manifestation of Obedience to the Ruler
If the ruler orders the Muslims to do what is already a religious obligation, then they must obey him. There is no scholarly disagreement on that point. It could be the case that a ruler orders the people to do what is religiously recommended but not obligatory. Similarly, he may forbid them something that is religiously disliked but not forbidden. For example, the ruler might order some Muslims to build a school or prohibit them from having large, extravagant gatherings for their weddings and so forth. What should be the response in such a case? In this case also, says al-Tiraiqi, one is obliged to obey the ruler and such deeds fall under the rights of the ruler.
What if the ruler orders the Muslims to do something which the religion calls simply permissible, and not obligatory or recommended? What if the ruler prohibits the Muslims from something that is permissible according to the shareeah, and neither forbidden nor disliked? Suppose, for example, that the ruler requires the populous to follow specific laws regarding driving and traffic. Another example would be the ruler laying down laws concerning the maximum work week and so forth.
On this point, there is some difference of opinion. Some scholars say that there is no obedience in such matters because no one has the right to prohibit what Allah has permitted or make obligatory something that Allah has stated to be simply permitted. Other scholars say that in such a case, the ruler must be obeyed as these acts are all part of the maroof (good, recognized, approved of acts) concerning which the Muslim must obey the ruler. A third opinion is that, if the person is hurt by obeying such laws, he obeys them openly but need not obey them privately. A fourth view is that the ruler must be obeyed in such matters if the act is in accord with the shareeah and there is benefit to the Muslims in doing such. A fifth view is that of ibn Taimiya where he distinguishes between a just ruler and a non-just ruler. He says that one must obey the just ruler in any act that one does not know to be a sin. However, in the case of an unjust ruler, one obeys him only in the acts that he knows to be righteous acts, such as jihad.
It seems, Allah knows best, that the strongest opinion is that the ruler must be obeyed when he orders the permissible acts, as it is to be assumed that these laws are in the best interest of the Muslims. If, however, these laws are simply a means to something forbidden, then the ruler is not to be obeyed. If the ruler prohibits certain people to do certain permissible acts for some overriding benefit, then they must obey him in that matter. However, if the ruler lays down a general law prohibiting something that is permissible, then he is not to be obeyed because, in that case, he is laying down a law other than that of the shareeah. These are al-Tiraiqi’s conclusions1 and they are sound. On the last point, though, one must add the following: When the ruler prohibits something that is normally permissible and he is supported in his decision by other principles of the shareeah, such as acting on behalf of the general welfare of the people, then his decision must be obeyed and followed.
5.2 Obedience to the Rulers is Not Absolute
The obedience to the ruler in Islam is not absolute. There is always an authority that is above the ruler. That authority is Allah. It is not permissible to obey the ruler in any act which is disobedience to Allah. Commenting on the verse just quoted, surah al-Nisaa 59, ibn Abu al-Izz wrote, The Book and the Sunnah prove that obedience to those in authority (uli l-amr) is obligatory so long as they do not order anything unlawful. Allah has said, “Obey Allah, and obey His Messenger and those in authority among you” (al-Nisaa 59).
Look at these words. He said, “Obey the Messenger”, but he did not say, “Obey those in authority from among you”, because they do not command independent obedience. They are to be obeyed only in what is obedience to Allah and His Messenger. Allah has repeated the word “obey” in the case of the Messenger (peace be on him), because one who obeys him obeys Allah, since he never orders what is against the obedience to Allah. In fact, he never gives a wrong order, he is protected from doing such a thing. But those in authority may order what goes against Allah’s commands, hence obedience to them is conditional upon obedience to Allah and His Messenger. The ending of the hadith quoted above also makes that point very clear, “When he is asked to do something sinful, he should not hear nor obey.“
In an important passage, ibn Taimiya also wrote, They [the ahl al-sunnah al-jamaah] do not allow the obedience to the ruler in everything he orders. They do not require obedience to him except in what the shareeah has made permissible for him to be obeyed in. It is not allowed to obey him in matters of disobedience to Allah, even if he is a just ruler. If he orders the people to obey Allah, they obey him. For example, if he orders them to establish the prayer, pay the zakat, be honest and just, make the hajj and jihad for the sake of Allah [they obey him]. In reality, they are obeying Allah. And if a disbeliever or an evil-doer orders what is an act of obedience to Allah, that does not make that act forbidden. Indeed, the obligation to fulfill that obligation is not dropped simply because the order came from an evildoer. In the same way, if [the evildoer] speaks the truth, it is not allowed to belie him. The obligation to follow the truth is not dropped simply because that truth has come from an evildoer.
Al-Dumaiji points out that this means that this important act of obedience to the ruler is not one of blind obedience. It is not, he says, the kind of obedience that is taught in the military or among the Sufi groups. Instead, one must look to see what has been ordered. One must study it to see if it is an act of disobedience to Allah or not. If it is clearly an act of disobedience, then one has no option except to refuse such a command. If it is not a clear act of disobedience or if it is a matter of difference in ijtihaad, then the ruler has the right to be obeyed in what he has ordered. Ibo Taimiya states that one must first have knowledge that what is being ordered is not an act of disobedience to Allah before he fulfills the commands of those in authority.
Ibo Uthaimeen states that if a ruler orders people to do what is forbidden, they should openly disobey him and not be concerned with that matter. But, he points out, this does not mean that he is not to be obeyed in the other orders that he has commanded. If he is the rightful ruler, he is not to be obeyed in anything which is disobedience to Allah but he is to be obeyed in other matters.
6. “even if a slave is a leader over you.”
Many of the narrations of this hadith explicitly mention an “Abyssinian slave”. This emphasizes not only that he is a slave but also that he is not from the tribe of the Quraish or an Arab. This must have had a strong impact upon the listeners at the time when the Prophet (peace be upon him) said this. This particular portion of the hadith has been interpreted in three different ways. There seems to be a widespread agreement that it is impermissible for a slave to be the ruler or leader. This is because a slave is not able to act freely but must obey his master. Hence, he is not qualified to be a leader and, in reality, he would not be the leader but his master would. For that reason, scholars have differed as to the exact meaning of this phrase.
The first approach is that of al-Khattaabi. According to him, this phrase is meant only to emphasize the importance of obeying anyone that the ruler appoints in a position of authority, even if that person be an Abyssinian slave. It does not mean, he says, that it is permissible for the ruler to be a slave or that such would be the case. This is because the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, “The rulers are to be [from the tribe of] Quraish.”
Al-Khattaabi further states that a person may cite an impossible hypothetical case to stress the meaning of what he is stating. Al-Khattaabi gives the example of another hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah like the size of a pigeon’s nest or smaller, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.” Obviously, a mosque cannot be that. The statement is meant to stress the importance of building a mosque in the same way that the hadith here is simply emphasizing the importance of obeying the one whom the ruler puts in charge.
This is the view favored by the following commentators: al-Teebi, Adheemabaadi, al-Sahaaranfoori and al-Mubaarakfoori. Ibn al-Arabi states that such is the approach of “our scholars,” apparently referring to the Maliki scholars, although he himself does not agree with that interpretation. A second approach is that of ibn al-Arabi. He says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was referring to the time when things would not be in proper order. The affairs would become so bad that slaves would become rulers over the people. In that case, a Muslim should remain patient, listen to and obey the ruler. If one does not do so, it may lead to lots of civil strife and evil. Hence, he must remain patient until Allah changes the situation. Although he mentions some of the other views, this seems to be the view that ibn Rajah favors.
A third approach is mentioned by al-Qaari. He states that no matter who the ruler is, one should listen and obey him. In other words, in this interpretation, the stress is on ignoring the rulers’ lineage or class. One does not have the right to disobey the ruler simply because he is of a lower class or of a lineage that a person does not like. Ibn Uthaimeen’ s commentary is very close to this but may be considered a fourth interpretation. He says that the ruler must be obeyed even if he is an Abyssinian slave. This is true regardless if he be a general ruler, a ruler over a specific group of people, a ruler over a tribe or anything of that nature. He says that those people are mistaken who say the Abyssinian slave refers to any type of ruler other than the general ruler or head of state. He says that the wording applies to any sort of authority or rule. He says that no matter who Allah places in authority, he must be obeyed, otherwise there would be anarchy and civil strife. In this author’s opinion, all of the above interpretations are plausible. It is difficult to determine which has the most credence.
7. “Certainly, the one who will lives among you will see lots of differences.”
This is one of the miracles accorded the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah had given him the foreknowledge of many events to come. On most occasions, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would convey that information in a general sense. For particular Companions, though, he gave specific details of what would occur. This was true, for example, with respect to Hudhaifah and Abu Huraira.
In this hadith, the Prophet said (fasayara); this implies that it will be seen in the future. Another way to state the future would be to use the word (saufa). The difference between the two is that the way the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated it implies that it will occur soon. Such was the case, for the Muslim community began to face its first trials and differences after the assassination of Uthmaan.
lbn Uthaimeen points out that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that there would be lots of differences. He says this applies to differences concerning the rule, opinions, beliefs, the general and specific situation of people and so forth. These problems began to occur during the lifetime of many of those to whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) was speaking. The differences became great indeed. Muslims started fighting one another. Muslims started declaring that other Muslims were no longer within the fold of Islam and so forth. These kinds of differences and conflicts can lead to a great deal of confusion if a person cannot find his way out of such conflicts. By the mercy of Allah, Allah did not leave the Muslims without a guide and clear path (sunnah) that would lead them to the truth.
But then ibn Uthaimeen goes on to pose the following question: Is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said here only relevant to the people he was talking to at that time or is it relevant to everybody at all times? He concludes that it is relevant to all peoples at all times. Ibn Uthaimeen states that, “those among us who lived a long time find a great difference between the beginning of their lives and the ending of their lives.” He says that anyone who lives a long life will see a lot of changes in the people. Therefore, in this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him} was giving a lesson that is valuable to everyone who lives and sees such changes. What should a Muslim do in the face of those changes? Where is the key that will guide him to what is right? The key is in following the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and that of the rightly-guided successors, as shall be discussed below.
The message that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated in this hadith and the guide to surviving the differences that will occur and have occurred is very similar to what the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated in another wellknown hadith. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The Tribes of Israel broke up into seventy-two sects. My Nation will break up into seventy-three sects. All of those sects will be in the Hell-fire except one group.” They said, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He answered, “[Those who follow] what I and my Companions are following.”
8. “So stick to my sunnah”
In the face of all of the different views, opinions and groups, one must tum to the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) if one wants to be rescued from the confusion that exists. If one ignores all of the different voices and sticks to the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his rightlyguided successors, one will be safe. One will then not even have to worry about all of the different opinions being bandied about. The person will know where to find the truth and he will be able to follow it.
The word “sunnah” means, “way of life, pattern of behavior, path.” It also means, “the clear path”. It encompasses beliefs, manners, deeds, manner of worship and statements. All of these are included in the word sunnah. Hence, sticking to the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) means that one ensures that his beliefs, manners, deeds and statements are consistent with those of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). According to ibn Rajab, the early scholars used the term “sunnah” only if it encompassed all these aspects. In other words, a person cannot be considered as truly following the way of the sunnah unless he is following the Prophet (peace be upon him) in all of those different aspects.
9. “and the sunnah of the right-principled and rightly-guided successors.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned his own sunnah and then mentioned the sunnah of his rightly-guided successors. These successors are called raashideen because they know the truth and they judge or act in accordance with it. Raashid is the opposite of ghaawa. Ghaawa implies recognizing the truth but not following it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also described them as mahdiyeen. This means that Allah has guided them to the truth and has not led them astray from it. This is the opposite of dhaal or one who is astray from the truth and does not know the truth. For these successors to be true examples for others to follow, it is a must that they had to have recognized the truth, were guided and followed it. Otherwise, they are not worthy of being followed.
9.1 Who are the “Rightly-Guided Successors”?
Most of the commentators on this hadith state that the term “rightlyguided successors” is a reference to Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali, who were the leaders of the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) knew that they would follow his teachings and his way. Hence, he guided his followers to follow their path.
The proof for that position is the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “The successorship (khilaafah) will last for thirty years among my Nation and then there will be a kingship after that. ” When one adds up the terms of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali, the total comes to thirty years. The khilaafah of Abu Bakr was for two years and three months, the khilaafah of ‘Umar was for ten and a half years, the khilaafah of ‘Uthmaan was for twelve years, the khilaafah of ‘Ali was for four years and nine months. There are hadith that talk about the khilaafah in a more general sense, for they include other than the aforementioned Companions. Those hadith make it clear that the khilaafah in general was for more than thirty years. Hence, these thirty years of these Companions are something special in the sense of khilaafah. Their special aspect is that they were headed by the rightlyguided successors as mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
It should also be noted that of the four rightly-guided caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar have a distinction apart from the other two. The Prophet (peace be on him) enjoined Muslims to follow the ways (sunnah) of the rightprincipled caliphs, but he asked Muslims to specifically imitate only two of them, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. He said, “Imitate those two who come after me, Abu Bakr and Umar.” There is a difference between following one’s ways (ittiba sunnati-hi) and imitating him (iqtida bihi), which gives a greater weight to their acts. The status of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, then, is greater than the status of ‘Uthmaan and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them all.
9.2 Conclusion Concerning the Meaning of This Passage
All scholars seem to agree that the expression, “rightly-guided successors” applies first and foremost to Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali. The question is whether this expression is pointing to them only or is it more general and, therefore, refers to all rightly-guided successors who follow the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him). If the expression is taken in a more general sense, the hadith is of little value from a legal theory point of view. In other words, it points to the importance of following those who follow the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him), yet it is agreed upon that the ijtihaad of later scholars is simply their ijtihaad and other scholars are not bound to follow what they concluded.
If the expression is taken to mean the four rightly-guided caliphs only, the question is to what extent must one follow the views of those four rightlyguided caliphs. When they make ijtihaad, is it binding on all others? It seems that such was not the understanding of the Companions themselves. Many of them differed with the four rightly-guided caliphs on different issues of ijtihaad. Indeed, Umar even differed with Abu Bakr on some matters of ijtihaad. From the above, it seems that this hadith is not a hadith pointing to the obligation of following the ijtihaad of either the four rightly-guided caliphs or of particular later scholars who follow the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Put into the entire context of the hadith, this statement seems to be pointing to a broader concept. Innovations and differences have appeared and continue to appear among the Muslim nation. In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed Muslims how to react to such innovations and differences. One does not follow such innovations and new ideas. Instead, one sticks to the way of religion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and those who adhered to his path, who are first and foremost Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali, and secondly the remainder of the Companions and great scholars throughout Islam. Their approach to the religion is the one and only correct approach to Islam- this is different from saying that they were correct in their individual ijtihaad. Their refusal to stray from the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him), their refusal to introduce new beliefs or concepts into Islam, their strict adherence to the sunnah in all matters, large or small, these are the type of matters concerning which they are setting the supreme example. One should not stray from their general approach in the least. Any straying from their approach to Islam is a misguidance and heresy.
Now the Muslim has many examples or guides that he can look to in the face of differences and new ideas that cropped into Islam. He can see how the Prophet (peace be upon him) dealt with such ideas or comparable situations. If they did not exist during the Prophet’s time, he can look at how the four rightly-guided caliphs dealt with such or similar issues. If they did not encounter the problem, he can see how the other Companions dealt with such an issue. If even there the situation was not dealt with, he can look to see how the well-known and accepted scholars who adhered to the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his pious successors dealt with such an issue. The Muslim should cling dearly to their ways. When he does this, he will be safe from innovations and misguidance. Allah knows best.
10. “Bite onto that with your molar teeth.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to his sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided successors as being one entity. This implies the closeness between the two and the fact that they were following the same path as his path. This is further evidence that the path of lslam is one and not many. There is only the correct path of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). His path is one path and it is the same path as the path of the rightly-guided successors after him. Anyone who claims any other way has fallen into innovations and misguidance.
The exhortation to bite onto their way with one’s molar teeth is a way of expressing how closely one should adhere to their path. One must cling to their way in a manner similar to how one bites onto something with one’s molar teeth. If anyone tries to pull away what the person is biting on, it would be difficult. Similarly, it would be very difficult to pull the believer away from the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers who tread his path.
This portion of the hadith, as al-Haitami points out, may also be implying the type of patience that it takes to strictly adhere to the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him). One must have great patience to stick to that path and the only way that can be done is to stick to it in a manner similar to the way one bites onto something with his molar teeth.
11. “And avoid newly-introduced matters.”
What is being referred to here are those matters that are newly introduced into the religion after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), also known as bidah or heresies. This is not in reference to technical innovations and matters of that nature which are, in most cases, permissible. In general, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not restrict what people did for their material or technical welfare in worldly matters. In fact, the Prophet (peace be upon him) once told his companions, when they had stopped crosspollinating dates, “You are more knowledgeable about the affair of your worldly life.” (Recorded by Muslim.) Allah says in the Quran, “This day have I perfected for you your religion and have completed my blessings upon you and have chosen for you Islam as a religion” (al-Maaidah 3). This means that the guidance is complete. It is all that the Muslims need for happiness in this world and in the hereafter. It is, therefore, in no need of additions, alterations or deletions. This point has been aptly summarized in a hadith.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I have not left anything that Allah has ordered of you except that I have ordered you to do it. And I have not left anything which He has prohibited for you except that I have prohibited it for you.”(al-Baihaqi, al-Tabaraani)
Imam Malik said, “If someone innovates something in the religion of Islam that he believes is good, he has, thereby, alleged that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been disloyal to his message. That is true because Allah said, ‘This day have I perfected … ‘ What was not part of the religion during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions is not part of the religion today.”
11.1 The Meaning of Bidah
In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) clearly warned against the following of innovations. All of them are misguidance. Many people are confused concerning the exact nature or meaning of bidah. One of the reasons for confusion concerning innovations is that there is more than one definition given by the scholars for the term bidah. From a lexical point of view, the meaning of bidah is, An innovation; a novelty; anything originated, invented or innovated; anything made, done, produced, caused to be or exist, or brought into existence, namely, for the first time, it not having been or existed before, and not after the similitude of anything pre-existing.
However, the shareeah or legal definition of bidah may not be the same as the lexical definition. This fact has confused some people concerning innovations. They have failed to note that the shareeah position toward all matters newly introduced into the religion as acts of worship is one. Unfortunately, the source of this confusion has been the scholars themselves who differed and then failed to emphasize this point. It could be stated that there are three popular categories of definitions for bidah among the scholars, some are much more “extensive” or “encompassing” than others.
The first group gives a broad definition for bidah that encompasses every new thing that has appeared after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). For example, Al-Shafi’ee has divided innovations into good and evil ones, praiseworthy and blameworthy ones. He said, “Innovations are of two types: a praiseworthy innovation and a blameworthy innovation. Whatever is in agreement with the sunnah is praiseworthy and whatever is in disagreement with the sunnah is blameworthy.”
The problem with definitions of this type is that they do not take into account the fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has clearly condemned all innovations as deviant acts. This should be taken into consideration in order to determine the shareeah definition of bidah. There may be many new things after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They are not all to be condemned. Therefore, from the shareeah point of view, they are not all to be considered bidah.
A second definition is given by ibn Rajah. He defined bidah as, “Any innovation that has no source whatsoever in the shareeah that points to it. If something has some source in the shareeah that points to it, it is not a bidah according to the legal definition [of bidah] although it is a bidah according to the word’s lexical definition.” Ibn Hajr al-Asqillaani, ibn Hajr al-Haitami, al-Zarkashi and Muhammad Bukhait have all given similar definitions.
Therefore, according to this group a bidah is any blameworthy innovation but this does not imply everything that occurred after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) but only those that are in contradiction to the basic sources of Islam, the Quran and the sunnah. The only problem with this definition is that there is nothing in it to distinguish an innovation from a sin. Although an innovation is sinful, it is clearly something different from and more harmful than other sins that a person commits. Al-Shaatibi has perhaps done the best job of tying together the different concepts related to bidah, as found in the Quran and hadith, in order to determine the definition of bidah from the shareeah’s point of view.
Al-Shaatibi has given two clear definitions for bidah in al-Itisaam. He A bidah is any invented act or path that is made to resemble part of the shareeah and it is followed as an act of worship of Allah. This definition is according to those who are of the opinion that customary acts [or non-religious acts] do not fall under the category of innovations. It is only concerned with acts of worship. But the definition according to those that would include worldly acts under the topic of bidah is any invented act or way in the religion that is made to resemble the shareeah and that is followed for the same reason that the shareeah is supposed to be followed.
According to the first definition, any action that is not related to the religion in any way (that is, it is purely related to worldly needs) is not considered a bidah. Similarly, if there is some direct source for an action in the Quran or sunnah, it will also not be considered an innovation.
Al-Shaatibi also wrote, The shareeah was revealed for the temporary and permanent benefit of mankind, for mankind’s happiness in both this world and the Hereafter. This is also the goal of the innovator when he invents something. An innovation is either related to non-religious acts or it is related to acts of worship. If the innovation is related to worship, it is meant to get the person the greatest reward in the Hereafter according to what [the innovator] alleges. Similarly, if it is related to non-religious actions, it is meant for the person’s maximum benefit in this life [but, in fact, this can only be attained by following the pure shareeah]. Therefore, in conclusion, an innovation or bidah is:
(1) any ritual act that is not based in the Quran or sunnah that is done as an act of worship of Allah; (2) any worldly act that a person performs claiming it in itself is pleasing to Allah while there is nothing in the Quran or sunnah to support that claim.
Texts Related to the Prohibition of Bidah: The hadith being commented upon here is one of the many texts that prove that it is forbidden to follow innovations in the religion. Beyond this hadith, there are also the following important hadith:
“Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not from it shall have it rejected.” (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
“Allah puts a barrier in front of repentance for every companion of innovations.” (al-Tabaraani.)
“Allah refuses to accept the deeds of the companion of innovations until he leaves his innovation.”(ibn Maajah)
It is true that people who follow innovations are not following the path of Allah and, it should be noted, that the path of Allah is one path and only one path. Abdullah ibn Masood said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) drew a line for us and then said, ‘This is the path of Allah. ‘ Then he drew some lines on the right and the left of the first one and said, ‘These are paths upon each of which is a devil calling to it. ‘ Then he recited the verse, ‘This is My Straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, as you will then stray from His way. “‘ Thus, there is only one path of guidance and that is what is found in the Quran and sunnah. Such is also the path of the rightly-guided successors. That path is the opposite of the paths of innovations.
12. “And every heresy is a going astray ( dhalaalah ).”
Many times when the Prophet (peace be upon him) would deliver a sermon, during the introductory portion he would say, “The worst actions are the invented ones. And every innovation is misguidance (dhalaala).” In other narrations he would say, “And every misguidance is in the hell fire.” The word dhaall means, “Erring, straying, or going astray; deviating from the right way or course, or from that which is right; missing or losing the right way.” The term dhalaalah, derived from dhaal, has a strong connotation in the Quran and sunnah. Perhaps the severity of this description is not appreciated by most Muslims.
Al-Shaatibi wrote, ‘An innovation is a going astray. And the innovator is straying and leading others astray. Dhalaala is mentioned in many of the reported texts. It is alluded to in the Quranic verses about splitting into sects and breaking up the community and following the errant paths but this is not how other sins are described. The term dhalaala is usually not used except for innovations or things similar to innovations. The intentional sins that are made by someone in the shareeah– and these are to be forgiven– are not called dhalaala . . . In fact, this term is not even used for those who intentionally commit any of the other sins… There are many examples of this nature. All of them point to the fact that dhalaala is usually used for the case where a person follows some doubtful proof or he blindly follows a person who is following such. They follow that in place of the shareeah and then take it as their religion although the way of truth is very clear.’
The one who commits sins is different from the innovator as the sinner still accepts the shareeah as the supreme law and decision maker while the innovator takes his own desires or whims as the supreme decision maker. As noted above, this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) stresses that every innovation is a going astray. There is no such thing, from the shareeah point of view, as a good innovation.
Al-Shaatibi is a adamant on this point saying, “You should know-may Allah have mercy on you- that what we have presented as evidence is proof through many means that all innovations are blameworthy.” His points are:
(1) All of the prophetic texts use the word bidah in an unrestricted sense without any qualifier or in general terms without any particularization.
(2) It is a fundamental principle that any absolute predicate or absolute legal evidence that is repeated in many places and that has much supporting evidence, with nothing that confines it or makes it specific, is evidence that it applies in general without any re-striction.
(3) There is a consensus among the Companions and the Followers that every innovation is misguidance.
(4) The innovator has invented his act himself (or he is following someone who has invented an act) in opposition to what the shareeah has decreed. Therefore, it is not logically possible to say that some such innovations are good while others are bad. This is an insult to the shareeah. Therefore, all innovations are bad.
It is important that this point be clear to all Muslims. There is no room to add or delete anything from the perfect religion of Islam. When people talk about “good bidahs” and “bad bidahs” it simply adds to the confusion. Al-Ali wrote, Concerning what the first group says, that innovations may be forbidden or may be legal, that is a usage of the term that implies some kind something of insignificance for the forbidden innovations; it makes the warnings about them seem exaggerated; and it makes some of the people accept them as something customary or excusable. This is true because the innovation may be forbidden or it may be legal, therefore they reduce the emphasis on rejecting the act.
In conclusion, anyone who claims to be worshipping Allah by any belief, act or practice that is not founded upon the Quran and sunnah is simply following an innovation and heresy. That innovation is not pleasing to Allah and does not take the person any closer to Allah. Indeed, it takes him further away from Allah and, as the narration in al-Nasaai implies, it may take him to the Hell-fire. Therefore, everyone must make sure that he is worshipping Allah in accordance with the Quran and sunnah. If his act of worship is not in accord with the Quran and sunnah, it will be rejected by Allah.
13. “I left you all on a clear matter, whose night is like its day [with respect to clarity]. No one strays from it after me but the destroyed one.”
This portion of the hadith highlights the fact that the difference between true Islam and innovations is obvious for those who truly wish to see. The teachings of Islam are clear. There is no need for mystical or esoteric instructions or teachers to explain the religion. Many- if not all- innovators have to resort to fancy or mysterious proofs in order to justify their actions because, in reality, their actions or beliefs are not justifiable from the clear Quran and sunnah. The way of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the true path of Islam, is clear, very clear. It is so clear that its night is just like its day. There are no dark or hidden aspects to it. There is no reason for anyone to be lost from its path unless, of course, he so desires to be lost from its path.
Those who then choose to ignore this straight, clear path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) have only harmed themselves. Indeed, they have destroyed themselves by taking themselves to the Fire, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated in another hadith, “The most truthful speech is the speech of Allah. The best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst matters are the newly-invented matters. And every newly-invented matter is an innovation and heresy. And every heresy is a going astray. And every going astray is in the Fire.”
Other Points Related to This Hadith: Knowing the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and what is consistent with it is one of the most important matters that one must learn. It is the way of salvation. Similarly, knowing and recognizing innovations and heresies, which are on the path to destruction, is also one of the important topics to learn. One of the best ways to avoid heresies is to know them and where and how they appear. The one who does not know what is evil often falls into such evil. Many people are ignorant of this matter and fail to learn the sunnah .or recognize what are innovations and heresies. Hence, they become lost without realizing it at all.
Summary of the Hadith:
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to give speeches, admonitions and words of advice to his Companions. The effect on the Companions was that their hearts would become fearful and their eyes tearful.
• The Companions felt that it may have been a farewell admonition that the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave, so they asked him for some final words of advice.
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) began his advice to them by telling them to have taqwa or fear of Allah.
• He ordered them to listen to and obey the ruler, regardless of who the ruler might be.
• He warned them of future times in which there would be lots of differences and confusion. He gave them the key to being rescued from those differences: stick to the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and those who adhered to his way. Do not stray from this path in any way. Adhere to it as if biting onto it with one’s molar teeth.
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) then warned them about the newly invented matters that were going to appear. He stated that all of them are misguidance and lead one astray from the Straight Path, the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
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