Knowledge International University

Midterm Assignment

Course Name: Authority of the Sunnah Course Code: ASN Instructor: Jamal Zarabozo

Student Details Name: Hassan Basarally Student ID: 1120020 Batch: Semester: 2 (Fall 2012/2013) Assignment Question:

Discuss the roles of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and describe how those roles should also contribute to ones understanding of the position of the Sunnah vis--vis the Quran.

ANSWER: Allah, He, , sent the Messenger, , with different purposes to all of mankind.

, was sent as an explainer of the Quran, an independent source of law, a perfect

example to mankind and one to whom obedience is due. These roles show the importance of the Sunnah in Islam and that it is of equal importance to and compliments the Quran as a source of the Shariah.

The Quran was revealed to the Messenger,

, who explained it fully to mankind.

This was because the Quran consists of verses that are clear and others that are not, also verses were revealed in direct reference to events. Allah, , says:

And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought. (16:44) Allah, , gave His Messenger, , the knowledge needed to explain the

Quran and hence guide people. The Quran was explained through several avenues. Muhammad, , explained the meaning of particular words in the Quran whose meaning were vague. For example, Allah, , says:

They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided. (6:82) The Sahabah, , thought that meant all wrongdoing which everyone would be guilty 1 of. However, the Messenger, , clarified its meaning as Shirk . He, , also corrected any misunderstandings that the Sahabah, 3 Kitaab had about the Quran. Ibn Abu Mulaikah, 2 , Mushrikeen or Ahlu , narrated: If Aisha, , would

ever hear anything that she did not understand, she would research it until she understood it. The Prophet, She, , once said Whoever will have their deeds reckoned will be punished. , said But didnt Allah say They will certainly face a light reckoning? He, said That is presentation of their deeds. However, whoever has his deeds reckoned in detail shall be destroyed. The Messenger,
1

, showed the extent to

Shirk implies ascribing partners to Allah or ascribing divine attributes to others besides Allah and believing that the source of power, harm and blessings comes from another besides Allah. (Ash-

Shirk Al-Kufr An-Nifaq by Dr. M. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali, Ph.D. and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan Islamic University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwara) 2 Those who commit Shirk. 3 People of he Book i.e. the Christians and Jews.

which the verses were to be applied by specifying general and unrestricted verses. An example of this is seen in the verse: [As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands. (5:38) It is only through the Messenger, , that it is known that the hand refers to the area

or the hand to the wrist and this punishment is implemented to theft of the value of a quarter deenar or more. It is also only through the Messenger, , that the abrogated verses are

known. These verses were revealed by Allah, but when the condition for their revelation no longer existed or the Muslims had reached a level to be weaned off an allowance, the ruling was cancelled or modified. An example is seen in the ruling on wine and gambling. Allah, They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit. (2:219) Allah, , then revealed the Messenger, , who informed the people that , says :

both became totally prohibited: O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. (3:90) The Quran is filled with many commands, it is through the Messenger, , that these

commands are given the details necessary for the Muslim to implement. The best example of this is the command to pray is given but how to pray is known only through the Sunnah. The Messenger, , also emphasized verses of the Quran with his statements. In fact many of these statements have been used in the explanation of the Quran. He, incidents that the Quran did not mention. Allah, , says: , provided details of

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. (1: 7) Muhammad, , explained that those who earned anger are the Jews who had

knowledge but did not act on it and those astray are the Christians who act without knowledge.

Generally, one must look at the life of the Messenger,

, to understand the Quran as

4 his character was described as the Quran . This ties into another role of the Messenger, , as a perfect example for mankind. The Muslims have a specific mercy that the Sunnah is recorded and great emphasis is placed on its authenticity. Hence, the perfect example Muslims have been given is clearly seen and easy to emulate. Allah, , says:

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. (33:21) In Tafseer Ibn Katheer, it is written concerning this verse, This Ayah is an important principle, to follow the Messenger of Allah in all his words, and deeds, etc. Hence, Allah commanded the people to take the Prophet as an example on the day of Al-Ahzab, with regard to patience, guarding, striving and waiting for Allah to provide the way out; may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him forever, until the Day of Judgement.

Another role of the Messenger,

, is that of being an independent source of law in gives rulings , says:

the Shariah apart from the Quran. As an explainer of the Quran, he, that are not explicitly found in the Quran but must be obeyed. Allah,

Bukharee and Muslim. Narrated by Aisha.

Who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful. (7:157) From this verse it is evident that the Messenger, , came to bring legislation and that

this legislation was sanctioned by his Lord and it upon the Muslim to take this legislation.

The final role of the Messenger,

, is one to whom obedience is due. This is the basis

of the second half of the Shahadah, that one must believe, love, obey and accept all that the Messenger, His Messenger, , came with. Obedience to Allah, , as seen in His statement: He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah. (4:80) , is equivalent to obedience to

Regarding the position of the Sunnah in relation to the Quran there are three main views: the Quran takes precedence over the Sunnah, the Sunnah takes precedence over the Quran and both are equal. As for the first opinion, it is based on the Quran being miraculous, its authenticity is preserved and that the Sunnah explains the Quran. The problem with these reasons is that they have no bearing on the fact that the Sunnah has to be followed. In fact, the strongest evidence for this position, the Hadeeth of Muadh ibn Jabal collected by Abu Dawood, Ahmad and Trimidhi, is weak. The opposite position of the Sunnah taking precedence over the Quran is based on the fact that Sunnah explains the Quran. However, here too without an explicit proof from the Shariah, one has to stay away from either extreme and chooses the middle path.

By looking the role of a Messenger as an explainer of the Quran, an independent source of law, a perfect example to mankind and one to whom obedience is due one sees how the Quran and Sunnah

are equal in authority. As an explainer of the Quran, the Messenger,

, informed the

Muslim how to implement the Quran. The same thing can be said from the role of the Messenger, , as a perfect example. For example, an act of worship can be explicitly stated in the Quran and Sunnah or it can be derived from the practice of the Messenger, is consensus in Islam of this and it shows that if the life of the Messenger, . There , can be

used to derive virtuous acts it is a source of guidance equal to the Quran. Therefore, its intended meaning was conveyed, this shows that both are needed together to convey a message. The Messenger, , as an independent source of law in the Shariah, shows that a legal

ruling in Islam does not have to be found in both the Quran and Sunnah. If found in any one it is valid, hence both the Quran and Sunnah are equal sources of laws. Finally, the fact that both the Quran and Sunnah command the obedience of the Messenger, , along with Allah, , together shows the equal standing of both.