[In
the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful...]
The
word ikhtilaaf is not found in the Sharee'ah
with the previously discussed
linguistic meaning. It only carries the specific meaning
of "contradiction and opposition." [1] Careful contemplation
over the texts of the Book and the Sunnah regarding how the
word ikhtilaaf is used will lead one to the following
conclusions:
1
- Ikhtilaaf after having knowledge of Allaah's
clear proofs is only blameworthy differing and sinful behavior.
Allaah, the Most Blessed and Exalted, has said [2]:
(
And the only ones who differed over it (the Book)
were those who were given it after clear proofs came to them,
behaving sinfully towards each other )
And
Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, has said [3]:
(
And those who were given the Book did not differ until after
the knowledge came to them, behaving sinfully towards each
other )
And
Allaah, Glorified and Exalted, has also said [4]:
(
And do not be like those who split up and differed after the
clear proofs came to them, for them is a great punishment
)
And
Allaah, Blessed and Exalted, has said [5]:
(
And verily We gave the Children of Israel the Book, the Hukm
[6], and Prophethood [7],
and We provided them with good sustenance and preferred them
over all of the creation, giving them clear proofs about the
affair. [8] They did not
differ until after the knowledge came to them, behaving sinfully
towards each other. Verily your Lordwill judge between them
on the Day of Judgement regarding the things they used to
differ about )
2
- It is possible that ikhtilaaf takes place between
Muslims, but Allaah guides them to the truth as long as they
seek it from Him, the Most Mighty and Magnificent. Allaah
has said [9]:
(
So Allaah guided those who believed in the truthful matters
that they differed over, by His Permission )
Allaah,
the Most Glorified and Highest in Rank, has also said [10]:
(
And We only sent down the Book to you to clarify the matters
that they used to differ about )
And
Allaah, the Most Glorified and Exalted, has said [11]:
(
And whatever you differ about in any affair, its judgement
is to be taken from Allaah )
Allaah
has also said [12]:
(
O you who believe! Obey Allaah, and obey the Messenger, and
(obey) those in authority
among you. And if you differ in any matter, then refer back
to Allaah and His Messenger, if you truly believe in Allaah
and the Last Day. For that is better and a more proper solution.
)
3
- Differences in understanding a given situation are not
from the blameworthy ikhtilaaf. There are correct
and incorrect understandings. The one who holds a correct
understanding gets rewarded just like the one who has come
to an incorrect conclusion, as they both honestly tried to
reach the truth of the matter. Allaah, Blessed and Exalted,
has said [13]:
(
And Daawood and Sulaymaan, when they were referred to for
their judgements about a tribe's sheep that grazed in a pasture
during the night, verily We were a witness over their judgements.
So we gave the proper understanding to Sulaymaan, while giving
both of them wisdom and knowledge. )
4
- The ikhtilaaf that carries the meaning of contradictions
or statements that directly oppose each other is not from
Islaam. Allaah, the Most Blessed and Exalted, has said
[14]:
(
And if it was from other than Allaah, they surely would have
a number of contradictions in it )
5
- Ikhtilaaf, meaning the differences found among
the variations of approved actions in Islaam, exists in the
Sharee'ah. Someone who chooses one variation that
others have not chosen is not to be blamed.
It
is established that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) used to open his prayers with a number of different
supplications. The tashah-hud was also performed with
a number of different wordings. There are different things
that can be said in rukoo' and sujood, and there
are variations in how one can perform the Witr prayer.
There are many other examples as well.
To
perform any variation from these is perfectly acceptable,
as the one who does it is establishing a good action. This
can be understood from the hadeeth of Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah
be pleased with him) about the differences in the recitations
of the Qur'aan. He said that he heard a man reciting a verse
in way that he had not heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
'alayhe wa sallam) recite it, so he took him by the hand
to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
and mentioned that to him. Ibn 'Abbaas then noticed the disapproval
on the face of the Prophet as he (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) said:
"
Both of you are doing well, just don't differ! Those who came
before you differed and thus they were destroyed."
[15]
6
- Ikhtilaaf that causes animosity, hatred,
or division of the Muslims is not from Islaam. About this,
Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, has said [16]:
(
O you who believe! Fear Allaah as he deserves to be feared
and do not die except as Muslims. And hold together, all of
you, to the Rope of Allaah, and do not be divided. Remember
Allaah's Favor on you, as you used to be enemies and you have
become brothers, by His Blessing. And you used to be on the
brink of the Hellfire and He saved you from it. This is how
Allaah makes His Signs clear for you so that you might be
rightly-guided. And let there be a group of you that calls
to what is good, ordering righteousness and prohibiting vice,
and it is they who are the successful ones. And do not be
like those who split up and differed after the clear proofs
came to them, for them is a great punishment. )
Some
of the scholars said:
Every
issue that the Muslims differed over without becoming angry
with each other or splitting up is known to us to be from
the affairs of Islaam. And all issues that have caused the
Muslims to have animosity and anger for each other, turning
away from each other and boycotting each other, it is known
to us that these issues are not part of Islaam in any way.
And indeed this is what the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe
wa sallam) alluded to when he explained the verse [17]:
(
Verily those who split up their religion and became sects,
you have absolutely nothing to do with them )
Ash-Shaatibee
mentioned this [18], and then said, "And it is obvious
that Islaam calls for mending broken ties, mutual love and
respect, and being kind to one another. So every opinion that
leads to other than this is not from Islaam."
This
article was taken from BAKKAHnet (www.bakkah.net)
