Ismail Kamdar – Tolerance in Fiqh Issues
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Salam Alaikum Alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
and how did you mean are Salatu was salam wa rahmatullah alameen Omen Tabby, Edina, who built a San elijo meeting in de la crisi, Judah, Allah subhanho, wa Taala, our Creator and sustainer. And we ask Allah to send these pieces of listings upon his final messenger, the mercy to this universe, Muhammad in the Abdullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and everybody who follows his way with righteousness until the last day.
The topic I have chosen for this discussion, in the importance of tolerance in dealing with differences of opinion in issues of faith.
It is no surprise to Muslims, It is no secret to Muslims, that differences of opinion do exist in the oma on issues of
it has been this way from the time of the Sahaba that they've always been issues on which the oma is divided.
But we find that many of the Muslims
in the approach to dealing with issues, they have taken a very rigid approach, which has become unhealthy for the unity of the oma.
The approach that we find, which is rigid amongst Omar today is of two extremes. The first extreme is the blind following of the must have in such a manner that my massage can never be wrong.
And so you will find people who even do they have studied Islam for 10 years or 20 years, they will still cling to every single opinion of the Muslim even issues which have been proven that they must have been wrong. And this rigidity creates a lot of friction amongst oma because as long as we are clinging to our opinions in such a way that we are no we are not willing to discuss our differences, these differences will remain cemented, and they will remain a means of dividing oma
on the other extreme of people who have abandoned all the bus hubs and simply be affirming the Quran.
And these people are every issue of the GCD is one opinion.
And this one opinion, they try to force it upon the entire oma. And if you follow a different opinion from them, you are leaving the deviant. This too is not the way of the righteous precesses. This is not the way of the salaf. This is another form of extremism.
In order to understand the we have the early generations in dealing with big differences, we first need to clarify some terminology.
In English, we talk about Islamic law. But the Arabic we have two separate words for Islamic law, we have the Sharia and we have
the Sharia adoos agreed upon principles or laws found in the Quran,
which are fixed and did not change.
So, there are certain laws which are in the Quran is tuna which the entire oma has agreed upon in terms of its scholars, these cannot be disputed, these cannot be opposed. For example, the idea that merger is prohibited or the shoot is the greatest sin or the five daily prayers, these things are agreed upon, and nobody can deny them. Nobody can claim to have a difference of opinion on these issues.
Then we go into
the Arabic word fake means to understand. For example, in the IDS generated by Mario rajala, one who with the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said we use the low the higher you focus
on what's good for he gives him the current understanding of the religion. The word used here for quick understanding is quick you forgetful. So fake means to have a quick understanding. In terms of Islamic law. It means understanding and deriving laws from the Quran is true or not
Or the application of Sharia to daily life.
And the main difference between speak and Sharia is to number one, we can change, we can change based on evidence based on circumstance based on individual cases.
Number two fic is open to differences of opinion, this has been the way from the time of the Sahaba that they have different issues of fake.
Now, these differences are various types,
you have those differences of opinion, which are complimentary,
when it comes to these differences, we should not even read them an issue, for example, the various ways of raising the finger into shout according to some of the reasons you point towards the Qibla and you keep your finger straight, according to organizations, you point towards the Qibla and you move your finger up and down. Now, if somebody is keeping the finger straight or somebody else is raising the finger up or down, either way, it is permissible that is not a problem. So, these issues, we should not raise and fight over them. Because Buju is acceptable. Likewise, there are many other issues in Islam, where there is more than one acceptable way of doing it, these are known
as complimentary differences. And yeah, we should not make them an issue at all everybody should follow whatever they want in these things, as these are issues with every way is permissible for dealing with differences of opinion, which are contradictory.
Yeah, we have scholars stating things which are completely opposite to each other. For example, some of the scholars of the opinion that for women to cover her face is obligatory it is watching Well, I this call is out to opinion for me to cover a piece is most the hub It is recommended.
So, one has to be right one has to be wrong, both can't be right on this issue.
Likewise, some scholars have the view that all forms of musical instruments are prohibited while the Ask College website it is permissible. So, you have to somebody is right and somebody is wrong.
And so, the God of the Muslims in such issues is that these differences need to be discussed, we need to sit together, discuss our differences of opinion and try to come to a common conclusion.
Now, many times even after discussing these differences of opinion, scholars might not be able to come to a common conclusion.
When this happens, we need to respect our Bradley's right to differ with us and we need to be tolerant of these differences of opinion as the early college hacker parlance does not mean that you believe the next person is right. But tolerance is where you believe that you are right in an expression is wrong, that you respect his right to differ and you will not hold a grudge against him for doing so. And showing these issues of where differences are contradictory. It is something which we need to sit down and discuss it is something which we should try to arrive at the edge of consensus on but if that is not possible, respect should be there. And you should not be a means and
the reason for this uniting to oma
there is a third type of difference of opinion and that is the prohibited differences. This is where somebody invents a opinion, which goes against the consensus of the early generations.
In these differences, the scholars have a right
to
label such a person a deviant diliman scholars have the right to label such a person a deviant, for example, entire oma all the scholars of the oma of the early generations agreed that the Akai de Sala, which are compulsory
for somebody to come to the end see that they are no obligatory Salah or to see the only two obligatory Salah are the only four obligatory surah This is something which is deviation, it is not permissible to even get into such differences, once the oma has agreed upon something. Now there is no room for differences of opinion, because the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him has said that by Allah will never unite upon falsehood.
And it is inconceivable and illogical that for 1040 years, every single scholar was wrong. And now today, suddenly you
one individual has grabbed the correct understanding. Definitely there's something wrong with this position. And this is the way of the modernists the day
did not look at the consensus of the scholars and they arrived with their own conclusion, which contradicts what the entire oma has agreed upon this is deviation.
So, differences of opinion to repeat are three types, those which are complimentary and everybody does as they wish those which are contradictory in these we sit and discuss our differences and everybody has a right to be to do wrong the next person is the right to the next person is wrong, but they respect slash to be there for the individual to follow the the conclusion that they have arrived at. And finally, there is differences which are not permitted, this is for somebody to go against the consensus of the oma.
So, these are the various types of differences of opinion that exists among the scholars.
Now, some of you might see that this one I love these one, these one D. So they should be new for difference of opinion.
Use these one a lot is one karandi is one Dean. But people differ in the understanding of that.
And these differences have been there from the time of the practice of law yourself. These are very famous incidents, that when the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him for the Sahaba to go to an equaliser and not to be arsa until the rich day
as the Sahaba were moving towards one equaliser.
The time for us to do is about to end. And so they now discuss amongst themselves. The first group say the Prophet Muhammad slowly slowly told us to not pay after until respond equaliser. So we only preach when we reached it, even though it could be Margaret time.
The other group said he said that, but that's not what he meant. He meant we should hurry and we should get there as quickly as possible. We still have to pray on time, as one group is so on time and then continued with the journey, while the other group DVDR. So until they respond equaliser. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to not chastise either group.
Why? Because both of them were following.
Or they will differ in the understanding of the Sunnah. And this is where the differences of opinion among the scholars comes in. When scholars differ in the understanding of this, where scholars differ in the understanding of a verse, and this is something which discard the early generations will tolerate, they will not allow you to cause this unity in the yamba. Another example from the time of the Sahaba
is during the time of porcelain rajala was
when he was a hedge, he will perform for aka of Zoho and after a
while, the general norm of the whoever who came before him and of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was a demon, they will go for Hajj, they will perform pooraka and now someone is paying for a bill bill who said that what this man is doing? This is not the correct opinion. The correct way is to perform touriga
but still he paid for the
next one Peters law he prayed for aka by smile, and he didn't make issue about it. So he students asked him that why would you fake a smile when you do is wrong. Abdullah bin Massoud replied, that this unity is evil. This unity is evil, that the unity of the oma was more important in the personal difference of opinion on whether they should be paying for Torah.
Likewise, Quran Omar rajala one home if you read the life stories, they differ on many issues. But these differences never ever cause them to fight against each other.
And you find this amongst many of us However, they will differ on issues of pick, but it never led to this unity and never led to one called calling the other a deviant. Rather, they would see that I am right and he's wrong. But Allah knows best. And they would still respect each other and treat each other as brothers in Islam.
And this is not only the way
of the Sahaba even the scholars you can lead to the same thing.
One example of this was Mr. Malik,
Mr. Malik rahula. When you were the young students, two of his teachers were discussing a difference of opinion.
And his teacher had given a patois
shoes other teacher turned to him and said, Molly, what is your opinion? While he says I cannot speak in front of my teachers
You all have more knowledge in me, I have no right to speak in front of you.
He just said, No, I want to hear your opinion. So Mr. Malik stated, the complete opposite of a conclusion and opinion of his teacher, the complete opposite.
And then his other teacher said, I agree with you. Look at Mr. Malik, he disagreed with the patois of his teacher. But out of respect for his teacher, he did not even voice his opinion. He said, I cannot speak when my teacher has spoken.
Nowadays, you find many young students, that if the teacher gives a patois, which is different from the understanding, immediately they go on the forums, they go on Facebook, is that calling the teacher deviant? And is that blaspheming him and misquoting him and attacking him?
While the will of the early generations was our teachers have a right to come to different conclusions from us. And we still have to respect Him as our teachers.
A very, very important point, and a very powerful lesson from the story of Mr. Medina.
And we find he was not the only one to have this approach. In algo hanifa. His entire approach to fit revolved around tolerating differences of opinion. every issue was raised. Abu hanifa Rahim Allah will get his students around him, and he will ask each of them the opinion
and we will discuss the different opinions. And if they arrive with a common conclusion, he will write it down as a common conclusion, and they will not arrive with a common conclusion. He would respect his students rights to differ with him. This is not a man respecting his elders rights to differ with him is not a man respecting his contemporaries right to differ with him. This is a man who respected his students rights to differ with him. This is the way of the salaf This is the solar PV. This is the way of the early generations to respect these differences and to tolerate them and to accept that the next individual has the right to arrive at a different conclusion from you.
As you refine spoils them Ahmed Hassan ashay, Bani Rahim Allah, Muhammad, Hassan, studied and NEPA. And he's known as one of the leading scholars of the honeybee.
But he still went to Medina and spent three years studying with the harmonica and he is also one of the readers of the water one Malik. Even though the logic was very different from the honeypot,
Mr. Mohammed issues he agreed to the Maliki Mata and the many issues he agreed to the jalapenos. Many issues he disagreed with both.
But he still had complete respect for his teachers. And the Buddha had complete love and respect for him as the student. This is the way of the early generations.
Ima sharpy Rahim Allah, he did the same thing. He studied under Mr. Malik. And even in your mount Malik's class, he would sometimes state opinions are different to your money
and your money with respect to the podium in the image. a sharpie was a child when you were studying with you on Moloch Eva Marie for the elderly man at this point in time. But he still respected these youngsters right up to the podium.
And then even more sharply, he didn't have limited knowledge to what he studied under Mr. Malik, he then studied the underpinnings for
a shibani. And you will be studied the opinions of the leaves he must have from the students have at least been side by him.
And he took each of these careers, whatever he felt was strongest. And he combined all of these opinions together. And that is what we have to be as the shop he must have
in a sharpie study and the different people have different understandings of who even the further some of the principles are.
But neither did he call any of them a deviant. Neither did he say any of them on the wrong path. Rather, he respected the right paper with him and he should have
and this is the way of the early generations. Imola Sharpie, on one occasion,
was having a discussion with one of his students on the issue of pick. And D any student had complete opposite views on this issue. And they discussed it and he could see that the student was getting angry. And you could see the signs of anger and frustration on a student's face. Enormous Sharpie. He smiled. He reached out his hand to shake hands with the students and he told him can't be defer and still be brothers.
Listen to their statement again. If I'm a sharpie,
30 students notice contemporary teacher, he told his students who have differed in a country differ and still be brothers.
And so this should be something every Muslim should keep in mind when it comes to issues of a country differ and still be brothers.
Nowadays, we have Scott people who will disown you if you differ with him on issues like raising the hands before and after Roku, or wearing the pants below the ankles or which types of machines are permissible or prohibited. As soon as you state your opinion, which is different from this, they will disown you, they will label you a deviant and they will want to kick you out of the fold of punishment. I will Gemma. This is not the way of the Salah facade. This is not the way of the early generations, there really was tolerance there we will wise
to respect the individual's right to arrive at a different conclusion with HDR.
Even if you feel that the HDR conclusion was wrong,
even my show carnie rahimullah.
If you look at his approach towards fit in his book about music, what does he state, he states that I have never listened to music in my life.
And I believe it is prohibited. But I writing my book and showing the different opinions and the approves to people did not call others as disbelievers. And people probably the difference of opinion and the stand where everybody's viewpoint is coming from imagine that he will have a view that it is prohibited. He could have very well written a book just proving his viewpoint and why he arrived at that conclusion. But he felt that this was unjust. And he had to do justice to the other opinions, right other opinions with the proofs, and with the evidences as well so that people can see an unbiased view at the topic.
Do we have this approach to expect today.
This is the way of the early generations, this is the way we're supposed to have and deal with our differences. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him has told us that alone will not show mercy to dues when and merciful to mankind, to all of mankind. So how much more to dues who are students of knowledge, or scholars how much more should be our mercy in dealing with them, our opponents in dealing with them, our justice in dealing with such people, it should be on a higher level, it should not be there when somebody gives a different conclusion for us, we want to label them an extremist, or we want to label him a deviant. If this opinion is within the realm of acceptable
differences of opinion, if this is within the realm of separate of, you know, these differences of opinion which are acceptable, then we need to tolerate it and respect it. Even though we clearly stated we disagree with it. We can tell off better. I don't agree what you are saying. This is my opinion. I believe your opinion is wrong, but Allah knows best and you'll still be brothers will still be friends and do not allow this to break the unity of the oma.
So hopefully this short discussion has been of benefit. And I hope that people can take from this some lessons. And you can help increase the unity of the oma in our approach to dealing with issues of fake.
Akiva abomination our Jamal is one. But when it comes to fake, there is a lot of room for discussion is a lot of room for dealing with differences of opinion. And we need to be able to respect this and tolerate this to become intolerant and rigid in your opinions in such a way that you just own people for differing on such issues. This is not the way of the Salah. This is not the way of the early generations. We ask Allah to unite us all upon the correct understanding of Islam and to unite our hearts and to grant us all
the correct understanding of Islam every single issue and to grant the entire Ummah unity, aka Davina and hamdulillah alameen wa Salam alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh