Al-Mu’afa ibn ‘Imran reported: Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “I met the jurists and they disliked to answer a question or a request for a legal verdict. They would not issue a legal verdict unless no one else could be found, then they would give their judgment.” Source: Akhlāq al-ʻUlamāʼ lil-Ajurrī …
Salaf on Fatwa: Hesitancy in legal verdicts unless necessary Read More »
‘Imran al-Minqari reported: I said to Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah be pleased with him, one day about something he claimed, “O Abu Sa’id, this is not as the jurists say.” Al-Hasan said, “Woe to you! Do you consider only yourself as a jurist? A true jurist is only an ascetic in the world, seeking of …
Hasan on Fuqaha: Who is the true Faqih in the religion? Read More »
Yazid ibn Rukanah reported: Rukanah had divorced his wife irrevocably and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, only counted it as one divorce. Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2196 Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani Ibn al-Qayyim writes, “It was judged to count as one divorce by Al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam and Abdur Rahman ibn …
Hadith on Divorce: Evidence triple talaq only counts as one divorce Read More »
Sa’id ibn Sulayman reported: I never heard Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, issue a religious verdict on anything but that he would recite this verse, “Verily, we only consider it speculation and we are not certain.” (45:32) Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 9117 عن سَعِيد بْن سُلَيْمَان قَالَ قَلَّمَا سَمِعْتُ مَالِكًا رحمه الله يُفْتِي بِشَيْءٍ …
Malik on Fatwa: Humility of Imam Malik’s independent judgments Read More »
Layth reported: Tawus, may Allah have mercy on him, if the people became too strict in a matter, he would grant them a concessions in it. If the people became too permissive in a matter, he would make them be more strict in it. Layth said, “That is truly knowledge.” Source: Tārīkh Ibn Abī Khaythamah …
Tawus on Moderation: Tawus steers people towards a middle way Read More »
Abu Usamah reported: Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Indeed, knowledge in our view is granting a proper concession upon a reliable basis. As for giving the strictest opinion, anybody can do that well.” Source: Jāmi’ Bayān al-‘Ilm 1467 عن أبي أُسَامَة قَالَ قَالَ سُفْيَان الثَّوْرِيّ رحمه الله إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَنَا الرُّخْصَةُ …
Sufyan on Fatwa: Granting proper concessions, not strictest opinion Read More »
Anas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever seeks to be a judge and asks others to intercede so he can have it, he will be left to himself. Whoever is forced into it, Allah will send down an angel to direct him.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1324 Grade: Hasan (fair) according …
Hadith on Authority: Allah sends angels to guide an unwilling judge Read More »
Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah reported: Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “The most daring of people to issue religious verdicts are those with the least knowledge of the disagreements of scholars. The most restrained of people from issuing religious verdicts are those with the most knowledge of the disagreements of scholars.” Source: Jāmi’ …
Ayyub on Fatwa: Most ignorant people quickest to issue verdicts Read More »
Abdur Rahman ibn Mu’awiyah reported: A man asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, what is lawful and unlawful for me?” The Prophet struck his chest and he said, “Whatever your heart rejects, abandon it.” Source: al-Zuhd wal-Raqā’iq 1147 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani عن …
Hadith on Conscience: Whatever your heart rejects, do not accept it Read More »
Abu Tha’laba reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me what is lawful and unlawful for me.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Righteousness is serenity in the soul and peace of mind in the heart. Sin is not serene in the soul and not satisfying to the heart, even if …
Hadith on Conscience: Sin shakes your heart, even if scholars approve Read More »
Al-Bayhaqi reported: Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, confronted the Khawarij, saying, “As for your statement that Ali has delegated ruling to men in the affair of Allah, I recite to you a judgment delegated to men in the matter of the price of a rabbit and other hunted animals. Allah said: O …
Ibn Abbas on Khawarij: Winning argument against the rebels Read More »
Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydah reported: A man came to Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said, “Is there repentance for one who kills a believer?” Ibn Abbas said, “No, there is nothing but Hellfire.” After the man left, those sitting nearby said to him, “What is this? You have given us two …
Ibn Abbas on Fatwa: Wisdom of Ibn Abbas in issuing verdicts Read More »
Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was presented with a dispute between a Muslim and a Jew. Umar believed that the truth was on the side of the Jew, so he passed judgment in his favor. The Jew said to him, “By Allah, you have judged with the …
Umar on Judgment: The Caliph judges in favor of the Jew Read More »
Al-Shafi’i reported: Abu Yusuf, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “I know our elders among the scholars would dislike to say in their verdicts that this is lawful and this is unlawful, unless it was clearly found in the Book of Allah Almighty, without needing to be explained.” Ibrahim al-Nakha’i narrated from his companions, …
Shafi’i on Fatwa: Scholars disliked to say Halal or Haram Read More »
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, writes, “As for knowing the condition of people, this is a tremendous principle required of the scholar and judge. For if he does not have a proper understanding of commanding and forbidding and then he applies one judgment over another, it will cause more harm than benefit. …
Ibn Qayyim on Fatwa: Rulings may change by time, place, condition Read More »
‘Awf ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I fear for you six trials: foolish leaders, shedding of blood, bribery in judgments, severing family ties, those who take the Quran as music, and an excessive amount of police.” Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 18/57 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani عَنْ عَوْفِ …
Hadith on Trials: The Prophet fears six trials for the Ummah Read More »
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If you make a judgment, be just. If you have to kill, kill in the best manner. Verily, Allah Almighty is excellent and he loves excellence.” Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ 5884 Grade: Jayyid (very good) according to Al-Albani عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ …
Hadith on Ihsan: Allah is excellent, loves excellence in all matters Read More »
Ziyad ibn Hudayr reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said to me, “Do you know what will demolish Islam?” I said no. Umar said, “Islam will be demolished by the faults of scholars, the arguments of hypocrites over the Book, and the judgment of misguided leaders.” Source: Sunan al-Dārimī 214 Grade: …
Umar on Islam: Muslims ruined by faulty scholars, leaders, hypocrites Read More »
Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Verily, people were judged by revelation in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the revelation has ceased. We only judge now what is manifested outwardly of your deeds. Whoever shows us good, we …
Umar on Judgment: We judge outward deeds, not inner-states Read More »
Abu Umamah al-Bahili reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The bonds of Islam will be undone one by one, and every time a bond is undone, the people will cling to what follows it. The first to be undone will be loss of judgment, and the last will be …
Hadith on Islam: Bonds of Islam undone until people do not pray Read More »