Benefits From Tafseer: Referring Back to the Scholars in Matters of Importance

 

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

 

Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee (rahimahullaah) said in his explanation of the saying of Allaah, The Most High:

 

وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ ۖ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

((And when there comes to them a matter of security or fear, they spread it around. If only they had referred it to the Messenger and to those charged with authority among them, then those of them who can extract [correct conclusions from] it would have known about it. And were it not for the favour of Allaah upon you and His Mercy, you would have followed Satan, except for a few.)) (An-Nisaa: 83)

 

“This is a discipline from Allaah for His servants from this unbefitting action of theirs, and that it is a requisite for them when there comes to them a matter from the important issues as well as the common welfare of the masses – which relates to the peace and the happiness of the believers, or that which relates to fear which has a calamity within it that afflicts them – that they should verify (ascertain) and not be hasty in spreading that news. Rather they should refer it back to the Messenger and to those charged with authority among them, the people of (correct) opinion and knowledge and advice and intellect and sound judgment. Those that know the matters and know the advantageous/beneficial affairs as well as their opposites, hence if in its propagation they see good and vitality for the believers and happiness for them as well as a safeguard from their enemies – they do that. Yet if they see that there is no good/advantage or that there is good – however its harms exceed its good – they do not propagate it. For this reason He said:

لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ

((then those of them who can extract [correct conclusions from] it would have known about it.))

 

Meaning: they extract it by way of their contemplation and their sound opinions and their rightly guided sciences. In this is a proof for the principle of good morals; and it is that if there is any research/investigation conducted into a matter from the affairs; then it is a requisite that those who are eligible should be entrusted with that – and that it be stipulated to its people.[1] Nor should anyone put themselves forward before them (hasten to decide before them), for that is closer to that which is right and is more appropriate for safeguard from error.

In it is a prohibition from precipitance and hastiness in spreading affairs from the moment they are heard, whilst the affair should entail consideration before speech as well as insight into it as to: is it advantageous/good? And thus a person gives preference to it – or not? Such that one desists from it.

Then He, The Most High said:

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ

((And were it not for the favour of Allaah upon you and His Mercy))

 

Meaning: in your being granted the ability and in your being disciplined as well as in teaching you that which you did not know.

لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

((You would have followed Satan, except for a few.))

 

Since the human – from his very nature is oppressive and ignorant, so his soul does not command him except with evil. Hence if he turns to his Lord and adheres to Him and strives in that; his Lord will be Graceful with him and will grant him the ability towards all good; and safeguards him from Satan – the rejected one.”

 

(Taken from: Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan p.170)

 

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[1] Point of benefit: Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: “The Mufti as well as the ruler cannot be versed in giving fatwa and giving a ruling by way of the truth – except through two modes of understanding:

The first of them is: understanding the event/occurrence and having comprehension of it and deducting knowledge of what actually occurred through denotative connections and signs/characteristics and indications – such that he encompasses it in knowledge.

The second mode is: understanding what is necessary in the event/occurrence, and it is having an understanding of the ruling of Allaah with which He has Judged with in His Book or upon the tongue of His Messenger in this event/occurrence, then he effectively applies one of them upon the other. Thus whoever makes his every effort and exhausts his capacity in that; then he will not be deprived of two rewards – or a single reward.

Consequently the scholar is he who – through having an understanding of the event/occurrence and having comprehension of it; arrives at the understanding of the ruling of Allaah and His Messenger.” (See: I’laam Al-Muwaqi’een vol 1 p.87-88)