Since the purpose of this book is to convey the guidance of the Prophet (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) regarding Prayer, it was elementary that I would not limit myself
to a particular Madhhab, for the reasons mentioned previously. Therefore, I would
give whatever is authentically proved from him (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam),
as has always been the way of the scholars of Hadeeth13,
whether of old or of the recent past14, as the excellent
saying goes:
The People of Hadeeth are the People of the Messenger, although They accompany him
not, they are with his every movement.15
Thus this book would, Allaah Willing, gather whatever is relevant to each topic
from the various contents of the books of Hadeeth and the books on the differences
between the Madhhabs, such that the correct verdicts found in this book would not
be found totally in any one Madhhab. Hence the one acting on it, Allaah Willing,
would be among those whom Allaah had guided "by His Grace to the Truth concerning
that in which they differed, for Allaah guides whom He will to a path that is straight."
16
When I adopted these principles for myself, i.e. to adhere to the authentic Sunnah,
and to implement them in this book as well as others, I knew for sure that this
would not satisfy every group of people or sect; in fact, it would result in some,
if not most of them, insulting or criticising me. This does not matter to me, for
I also know that to please everyone is an unattainable notion, and that "He who pleases
the people by angering Allaah, Allaah will entrust him to the people", as
the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said.17
The reward is with Allaah for the author of the following lines:
Nor could I ever escape from abuse, Even were I in a cave in a rugged mountain;
For who can escape from the people unharmed, Even if he hides behind the eagle's
wings?
It is enough for me that I believe that this is the most upright way, which Allaah
has commanded the believers to take; which our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam), Chief of the Messengers, has explained. This is the path which was trodden
by the Pious Predecessors: the Companions, their Successors and those after them,
including the four Imaams to whose Madhhabs the majority of Muslims today attribute
themselves. All of them were agreed on the obligation to stick to the Sunnah and
to refer to it; to ignore every view contradictory to it, no matter how great the
holder or propounder of that view, for the status of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) is far greater, and his example is far truer. Because of this,
I have acted on their guidance, followed in their footsteps and carried out their
commands to stick to the authentic hadeeth, even if this opposes their view. These
commands of theirs have influenced me greatly in my perusal of this path, and my
rejection of blind taqleed (following of opinion). I ask Allaah Exalted to reward
them greatly.
Footnotes
[12]Saheeh - collected by Tirmidhi, Ahmad & Ibn Abi Shaibah.
Later, I discovered that this hadeeth is actually da'eef: I had relied on Manaawi
in declaring saheeh the isnaad of Ibn Abi Shaibah, but then I happened to come across
it myself, and found that it was clearly weak, being the same isnaad as Tirmidhi
and others - see my book Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth ad- Da'eefah (1783). However, its
place is taken by the Prophet's saying (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), "He who
relates from me a saying which he knows is a lie is indeed one of the liars", collected
by Muslim and others.
[13]Abdul Hayy Al-Lucknowi says in Imaam al-Kalaam fimaa yata'allaq
bil-Qiraa'ah Khalf al-Imaam (p. 156), as follows: "Whoever dives into the oceans
of fiqh and the fundamentals of jurisprudence with an open mind, and does not allow
himself to be prejudiced, will know with certainty that in most of the principal
and subsidiary issues in which the scholars have differed, the madhhab of the scholars
of Hadeeth is firmer than other madhhabs. Every time I go into the branches of difference
of opinion, I find the view of the muhadditheen nearest to justice - their reward
is with Allaah, and He will thank them. How could it be otherwise, when they are
the true inheritors of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and the sincere
agents of his Law; may Allaah include us in their company and make us die loving
them."
[14]Subki says in al-Fataawaa (1/148):
"The most important affair of the Muslims is the Prayer, which every Muslim must
care about and ensure its performance and the establishment of its essentials. Related
to Prayer are issues on which there is consensus and there is no escaping the truth,
and other issues in which the scholars have differed. The correct approach is either
to keep clear of dispute if possible, or to look for what is authentically- proven
from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and adhere to that. When one does
this, his Prayer will be correct and righteous, and included in the words of the
Exalted, "So whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work correct, righteous deeds."
(Al-Kahf, 18:110)
I say: The latter approach is superior, nay, obligatory; this is because the former
appeoach, as well as being impossible many issues, does not fulfil his command (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam), Pray as you have seen me praying, but instead leads to
one's prayer being decidedly different to that of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam).
[15]From the poetry of Hasan ibn Muhammad an-Nasawi, as narrated
by Haafiz Diyaa' ad-Deen al-Maqdisi in his article on the excellence of the Hadeeth
and its People.
[16]Baqarah, 2:213
[17]Tirmidhi, Qudaa'i, Ibn Bushraan & others.
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