RULINGS CONCERNING PEOPLE OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

[Dâr'ul Tawhîd English]

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Rulings Concerning Questions and Answers
Abû Ishâq ash-Shâtibî

His name is Ibrâhim bin Mûsâ bin Muhammad. He is famous as ash-Shâtibî. He is from Granâdâ, Andalus. He is a member of the Mâlikî Madhhab. He is, a Hâfidh (memorized the entire Qur’ân) and a Mujtahid (qualified to engage in independent interpretation of Islâmic Law and its sources), also a Usûl (principles of Islâmic sciences) scholar, Mufassir (scholar of Tafsîr i.e. exegesis), Muhaddith (Hadîth scholar), Faqîh (jurist) and (Arabic) Grammarian. In short, he is an Âlim (scholar) occupied with various fields of Ilm (knowledge). On the other hand he had Warâ (God-fearing), he was Sâlih (righteous), Zâhid (ascetic) and amongst the Sunnî. He learned Arabic and other sciences from the great scholars of his time. Amongst them are select faces such as Bin’ul Fakhar al-Albirî, Abû’l Qâsim as-Sabtî and Abû Alî at-Talâmsânî. He compiled many valuable works. Amongst them the greatest ones are the following: al-Muwafaqât, al-I’tisâm, al-Majâlis (it is the Sharh of the section of Kitâb’ul Buyû of Sahîh’ul Bukhârî), al-Ifâdât wa’l Inshâdât (literature), ‘Unwân’ul Ittifâq fî’l Ilm’il Ishtiqâq, al-Makâsid’ush Shâfi’iyyah fî Sharhi Khulasât’ul Kâfiya which consisted of five volumes and related with Nahw (Arabic Grammar). He died on a Tuesday the eighth day of the month of Sha’bân 790H (1388AD).

[Dâr'ul Tawhîd English]

Many Ulamâ (pl., Âlim; scholars) from the Salaf (predecessor) and Khalaf (latter ones) wrote concerning this matter.

Our aim in this book with inquiry is to mention some of these issues.

The First Issue:

A Question may come from either an Âlim or one who is not an Âlim. I meant the Mujtahid when I say Âlim and when I say the one who is not Âlim I meant the Muqallid (follower). For the both cases, the one who is directed a question is either an Âlim or not an Âlim. Therefore we come across four scenarios:

1- The questioning of the Âlim: This would occur in various legal forms. He would ask for such reasons; to verify something that has happened, to clarify a problem that occurred, to remind something he feared to be forgotten, to warn the one who the question is directed to for a possible mistake, which may occur, or to convict information to the students that are present which by recently or possibly be lost.

2- Questioning of a student to another alike: This may also be occur in various forms such as; to together debate something heard, to gain something he did not hear but the one who is asked heard, to exercise regarding the matters right before meeting the Âlim or benefit from ones intelligence regarding the matter that the Âlim spoke about.

3- The Âlim questioning his student: This also has various forms such as questioning; to bring attention to a problematic incident which is sought to be covered/removed, to measure intelligence, if he has a great understanding seeking aid to visualize the problem or to warn by reminding things that he knows so that he makes Istidlâl (deduction) in that which he does not know etc.

4- The student asking the Âlim: This is the fundamental base regarding this matter of questioning and it is for the aim of learning which one does not know.

It is a duty to answer the question for the one who the question is directed to, if he knows the answer, in the first, second and the third scenarios. Otherwise he shall confess his lack of ability (to answer the mentioned question).

When it comes to the fourth scenario, it is not a duty for him to answer the question rather there is Tafsilah (details) in it: If the question:

i- If it is related to something that has happened (or possibly to happen),

ii- If it is related to an issue there is a Naas (textual proof) which is not constant but according to the student,

iii- If the person who directed the question has the ability to carry the answer,

iv- if the answer is not from a type that would cause a problem in the Dîn, responsibility (for anyone),

v- if it has value deed wise etc,

In such cases, if the person whom the question is directed to has the ability to answer and there is no other who is able to answer it then it becomes Wâjib (obligatory) for him to answer.

In some cases, there may be no need to answer the question:

i- if answering the question is not binding upon him,

ii- the matter is an issue of Ijtihâd and there is no Nass regarding it.

In some cases it becomes not Jâ’iz (permissible) to answer the question:

i- if the questioner does not have the ability to handle the answer intelligence wise,

ii- if the answer would cause Ifrât (excess/exaggeration),

iii- question being Mugalah (fallacy),

iv- when the question includes objection and likes.

To clarify the matter, there is a need to shed light upon the following matters. With their explanations (i.e., the following matters) Biidhnillâh (with the permit of Allâh) these matter will be clarified.

[Dâr'ul Tawhîd English]

The Second Issue:

Asking too many questions is satirized.

The evidence for this is many Ayât (pl., Âyah; verses), Ahâdîth (pl., Hadîth) and statements from the Salaf’us Sâlihîn (the righteous predecessors). In this sense, Allâh Ta’âlâ stated:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ
"O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble." (al-Mâi’dah 5/101)

In the Hadîth the following is narrated: Upon the revelation of the Âyah:

وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِناً وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً
"Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allâh, those who can afford the journey." (Âli Imrân 3/97)

فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ أَكُلَّ عَامٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَسَكَتَ حَتَّى قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لَوْ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ لَوَجَبَتْ وَلَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ - ثُمَّ قَالَ - ذَرُونِي مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِكَثْرَةِ سُؤَالِهِمْ وَاخْتِلاَفِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ فَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَىْءٍ فَأْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ شَىْءٍ فَدَعُوهُ
"Thereupon a person (al-Akra ibn Habis) said: Rasûlullâh, (is it to be performed) every year? He (i.e., Rasûlullâh) kept quiet, and he repeated (these words) thrice, whereupon Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: If I were to say: Yes!, it would become obligatory (for you to perform it every year) and you would not be able to do it. Then he (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: Leave me with what I have left to you, for those who were before you were destroyed because of excessive questioning, and their opposition to their apostles. So when I command you to do anything, do it as much as it lies in your power and when I forbid you to do anything, then abandon it." (Muslim)

Thus upon this the Âyah:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ

"O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble." (al-Mâi’dah 5/101) was revealed. Rasûlullâh disliked too many questions being asked. He Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam stated: “Surely Allâh Ta’âlâ has made Fardh, do not abandon them, He made limitations, do not trample them, He made some things Harâm do not commission them, some things He surpassed silent, not because He forgot but because of His mercy upon you, so do not investigate them.” (al-Bayhaqî, 10/13; Hâkim, Mustadrak, 2/122, Kanz’ul Ummal, #980-981)

Ibnu Abbâs (Radiyallâhu Anhumâ Ajmâ’în) stated: “I did not see a tribe more blessed than the Ashâb of Muhammad (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam). Until the death of Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) they only asked about thirteen matters which all took place in the Qur’ân:

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْمَحِيضِ
"They ask thee concerning women's courses." (al-Baqarah 2/222)

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْيَتَامَى
"They ask thee concerning orphans." (al-Baqarah 2/220)

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ
"They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month." (al-Baqarah 2/217)

They only asked about things which benefited them.” With this he informs that their stance in general is as such.

Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) stated:

أَعْظَمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ جُرْمًا مَنْ سَأَلَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ لَمْ يُحَرَّمْ، فَحُرِّمَ مِنْ أَجْلِ مَسْأَلَتِه
"The worst criminal among the Muslims is he who asks if a matter is unlawful (or not), and it becomes unlawful because of his asking about it." (Abû Dâwûd)

مَا قُمْتُمْ بِهَا ذَرُونِي مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِكَثْرَةِ سُؤَالِهِمْ وَاخْتِلاَفِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ
"Leave me alone so long as I have left you alone. Those who came before you were destroyed because they asked too many questions and differed with their prophets." (An-Nasâ’î; Ahmad, Musnad, 2/247)

According to narration one day Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) stood, his anger was seen in his face. He mentioned Qiyâmah. Prior to it he had mentioned greater things.

سَأَلُوا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى أَحْفَوْهُ بِالْمَسْأَلَةِ، فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ تَسْأَلُونِي عَنْ شَىْءٍ إِلاَّ بَيَّنْتُ لَكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالاً، فَإِذَا كُلُّ رَجُلٍ رَأْسُهُ فِي ثَوْبِهِ يَبْكِي، فَأَنْشَأَ رَجُلٌ كَانَ إِذَا لاَحَى يُدْعَى إِلَى غَيْرِ أَبِيهِ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَبِي فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَبُوكَ حُذَافَةُ ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولاً، نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ سُوءِ الْفِتَنِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم
"The people started asking Nabî (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) too many questions importunately. So one day he ascended the pulpit and said: You will not ask me any question but I will explain it to you. I looked right and left, and behold, every man was covering his head with his garment and weeping. Then got up a man who, whenever quarreling with somebody, used to be accused of not being the son of his father. He said: O Allâh's Messenger! Who is my father? Nabî (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) replied: Your father is Hudhayfah. Then Umar (Radiyallâhu Anh) got up and said: We accept Allâh as our Lord, Islâm as our religion and Muhammad as our Apostle and we seek refuge with Allâh from the evil of afflictions..." (al-Bukhârî; Muslim; Abû Dâwûd) Then this Âyah (al-Mâi’dah 5/101) had been sent. (Ibnu Kathîr, 2/104)

Prior to it Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) had stated:

“By Allâh whose Irâdah (will) and Qudrah (power) I live by, a little while ago during Salâh (prayer), Jannah (Paradise) and Jahannam (Hell) where both shown to me over this wall. I never saw a day like today in Khayr (good) and in Shar (evil).” When we keep in mind the flow of the Hadîth Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) stating “ask me” in anger carries the meaning he distanced them by showing the outcome of their questions. For this reason the Âyah stated:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ
"O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble." (al-Mâi’dah 5/101)

The parable regarding the Banî Isrâ’îl being commanded with slaughtering a cow is like this. According to a narration by Ibnu Abbâs (Radiyallâhu Anhumâ Ajma’în) they had the opportunity to perform this command by slaughtering any cow. However with the questions they asked they went into excess, Allâh made it more difficult and difficult. Finally with much difficulty they slaughtered. “So they sacrificed her, though almost they did not.”¹

ar-Rabî bin Haytham stated: “O slave of Allâh! Praise your Lord for that which he has taught you regarding His book. Refer the Ilm you are not able to reach to the one who knows, do not delve into its responsibility. Thus Allâh Ta’âlâ commands his Rasûl:

قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ
"Say: No reward do I ask of you for this (Qur’ân), nor am I a pretender." (Sa’d 38/86)

Ibnu Umar (Radiyallâhu Anhumâ Ajma’în) stated: “Do not question things which have not occurred. For, I have heard Umar (Ibn’ul Khattâb) curse those who questioned things which have not occurred.”

In the Hadîth it is narrated Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) forbade fallacy. (Abû Dâwûd; Ahmad, Musnad, 5/435) al-Awzâ’î as explained this as gummy matters.

Some matters were discussed by Mu’âwiyah (Radiyallâhu Anh), upon this he stated: “Do you not know Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) restricted from gummy matters?”

Abda bin Abû Lubâba stated: “In this era I’d like to not ask anyone from this era any question, and they not ask me. As the owners of money boast about their money those people of matters boast with Abundance of their maters.”

It came in the Hadîth as:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ ... وَكَرِهَ ... وَكَثْرَةَ السُّؤَالِ
"Allâh has disliked that (...) asking too many questions (in religion)." (al-Bukhârî; Muslim)

Imâm Mâlik was asked about the Hadîth Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) restricted gossip and asking too many questions. He replied: “What had been meant by asking too many questions I do not know is it regarding presenting many matters which I forbade you from? As known Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) disliked matterism and condemned it. Allâh Ta’âlâ stated:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ
"O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble." (al-Mâi’dah 5/101)

Or is the restriction regarding begging? I do not know.”

While upon the Minbar (pulpit) Umar (Radiyallâhu Anh) stated: “I ask Allâh to curse the one who asks about things, which have no occurrence. For Allâh Ta’âlâ has informed of things, which have occurred.”

Ibnu Wahb stated: Imâm Mâlik was against matterism and responding to them. He said to me: “O slave of Allâh! Say what you know and point to it. Keep silent about that which you do not know. Beware of being a bad example for people!”

al-Awzâ’î stated: “When Allâh Ta’âlâ wants to keep His slave deficient of knowledge he will addict him to dealing with fallacy.”

It is narrated from Hasan that he said: “The worst slaves of Allâh are those who establish the most harmful matters and strains the slaves of Allâh with difficulty.”

ash-Sha’bî stated: “By Allâh these people have made the Masjid the most unattractive place for me. Moreover it has become more unattractive for me than the garbage of my home. I said who are they o Abû Umar! He said the Ara’aytarîs’ and added there is no other word I hate more than أَرَأَيْتَ Ara’ayta (what do you say, what is your view)!”

Again he said to Dâwûd: “Beware and keep these three things from me in your head: The first is if a matter is asked and you respond do not go to confirm it with “أَرَأَيْتَ Ara’ayta” because Allâh Ta’âlâ stated in His Book:

أَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ أَفَأَنتَ
"Seest thou such a one as taketh for his god his own passion (or impulse)?" (al-Furqân 25/43)

Secondly when a matter is asked from you do not compare one thing to another. If you do so you could make a Halâl (permissible) Harâm (impermissible) and a Harâm Halâl. Thirdly If you are asked of a matter you have no knowledge of say I do not know I am as you are regarding this.”

Yahyâ bin Ayyûb stated: “As it came to be the Ahl’ul Ilm (the People of Knowledge) use to say when Allâh Ta’âlâ did not want His slave to learn Ilm he would occupy him with fallacy.”

There are many narrations regarding this matter.

In summary: Asking too many questions, mental inferences and confirmation through theoretical possibilities have been condemned. Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) had warned the Ashâb (companions) regarding asking too many questions and they have refrained from acting upon such. Such that they would yearn for the Bedouin to come and ask questions so that Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) would respond to them and they would learn Ilm through this. Take a look at the Hadîth narrated by Anas in the Sahîh: He stated:

“Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) had restricted us from asking about something. We would love it when someone from the desert (i.e., Bedouin) came, asked him a question and we listened. The Ashâb would not ask any question. Finally Jibrîl (Alayh’is Salâm) came. Sat by the knees of Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) and asked him about Islâm, Îmân, Ihsân, Qiyâmah (Doomsday) and its signs. Later Rasûlullâh informed us:

هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ أَرَادَ أَنْ تَعَلَّمُوا إِذْ لَمْ تَسْأَلُوا
"He was Jibrîl (Alayh’is Salâm) and he wanted to teach you (things pertaining to religion) when you did not ask (them yourselves)." (al-Bukhârî; Muslim)

In the same, manner Imâm Mâlik was not asked many questions either, and those close to him would shy from asking him. Asad Ibn’ul Furat mentions: I had just come to Mâlik Ibn’ul Qâsim and his other great adherents would make me ask questions. When he responded they would ask me to say what if the situation is as such what would happen? I would say it one day he was tired of me and said: Once you open the door, it does not stop in rapid succession it will not end. If you really want to learn such things you must go to Irâq.” Imâm Mâlik disliked the Fiqh and conduct of the Irâqî because they would excessively delve into matters and exceed in Ra'y (opinion).

According to the narration:

قَالَتْ لِعَائِشَةَ أَتَجْزِي إِحْدَانَا صَلاَتَهَا إِذَا طَهُرَتْ فَقَالَتْ أَحَرُورِيَّةٌ

"A woman asked Â’ishah (Radiyallâhu Anhâ): Should I offer the prayers that which I did not offer because of menses? Â’ishah (Radiyallâhu Anhâ) said: Are you from the (town in Irâq) Harûriyyah (amongst the Khawârij)?" (al-Bukhârî)

رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْجَنِينِ بِغُرَّةٍ عَبْدٍ أَوْ أَمَةٍ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الَّذِي قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَنُعْطِي مَنْ لاَ شَرِبَ وَلاَ أَكَلَ وَلاَ صَاحَ فَاسْتَهَلَّ فَمِثْلُ ذَلِكَ يُطَلُّ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏ إِنَّ هَذَا لَيَقُولُ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍ
"Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) judged that a Ghurrah (i.e., male slave or female slave) be given in the case of a fetus. The one of the judgement was made against said: Should we give something for one who did not drink, not eat, nor cry out to shed a tear, the likes of which is useless? So Nabî (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: This is the speech of a poet." (al-Bukhârî; Muslim)

Rabî’ah asked Sa’îd Ibn’ul Musayyab (Rahimahullâh) about the Diyah (blood money/ransom) of fingers and said: “Does the amount diminish when the pain increases and the calamity increases? Sa’îd responded: Are you from Irâq? He (i.e., Rabî) said: No, on the contrary either a scholar who is trying to verify or an ignorant who is trying to learn. He (i.e., Sa’îd Ibn’ul Musayyab) replied: My nephew this is how the Sunnah is.”

Footnotes:

^1- The Story of the Israelites (Jews) and the Cow mentioned in the Qur’ân in the following Ayât:
   

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً قَالُواْ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُواً قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لّنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ فَارِضٌ وَلاَ بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُواْ مَا تُؤْمَرونَ  قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاء فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ البَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِن شَاء اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الأَرْضَ وَلاَ تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لاَّ شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُواْ الآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُواْ يَفْعَلُونَ
"And when Mûsâ said unto his people: Lo! Allâh commandeth ye sacrifice a heifer. They said: Dost thou make game of us? He said: Allâh save me from being an ignorant (fool)! They said: Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us what (heifer) it is! (Mûsâ) answered: Lo! He saith: The heifer should be neither too old nor too young, but of middling age: now do what ye are commanded! They said: Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us her colour. (Mûsâ) answered: Lo! He saith: A fawn-coloured (yellow) heifer, pure and rich (bright) in tone, the admiration of beholders! They said: Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us what she is: Lo! heifers are much alike to us and lo! we wish indeed for guidance, if Allâh wills. (Mûsâ) answered: Lo! He saith: A heifer not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without blemish. They said: Now thou bringest the truth. So they sacrificed her, though almost they did not." (al-Baqarah 2/67-71)

[Dâr'ul Tawhîd English]

This is sufficient to express asking too many questions is Makrûh (disliked).

Fasl (Part):

From all these it is established that there are times when asking too many questions is disliked. It is possible to list them as follows:

1- Questions that do not have any religious benefit: The question of Abdullâh bin Hudhayfah, “who is my father” is among these. According to what has been narrated in the Tafsîr; Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) was asked about the crescent moon and said to him “why does it appear thin as  thread first, and grows bigger until it reaches its full and once again begins to shrink and takes its previous form of being very thin?” Upon this the following Âyah was revealed:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الأهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّ
"They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage." (al-Baqarah 2/189)

In the given response the course of the question is changed and responded to with religious benefit for them. (Qurtubî, Tafsîr, 2/341)

2-Asking after he attained sufficient knowledge: For example someone asking “every year?” regarding Hajj. Whereas the apparent of the Âyah:

وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِناً وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً
"Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allâh,- those who can afford the journey." (Âli Imrân 3/97) shows that it is once in a life due to being absolute.

The Banî Isrâ’îl asking after the command of Allâh:

إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً
"Allâh commands that ye sacrifice a heifer." (al-Baqarah 2/67) is like this.

3- Asking about something that is not readily needed. We assume this part –Allâh knows best- is about those things which Hukm have not been revealed.

"Leave me alone so long as I have left you alone..." (an-Nasâ’î; Ahmad, Musnad, 2/247)

وَسَكَتَ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ رَحْمَةً بِكُمْ غَيْرَ نِسْيَانٍ فَلَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا
"Allâh has left some things without rulings, out of mercy for you, not that He forgot them, so do not ask about them." (Hâkim, Mustadrak, 4/115)

4- Asking about difficult, complicated, and harmful things: the restriction regarding fallacy is from this.

5- Asking about Ta’abbudî (related with the worship) the Illah (reason) of the Hukm which is not understood mentally or the questioned asking about something he will not understand. Like questioning about why a menstruating female does not repay performing Salah but she repays her Sawm (fast).

6- Going into extreme when questioning and taking responsibility. The following Âyah points to this.

قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ
"Say: No reward do I ask of you for this (Qur’ân), nor am I a pretender."(Sa’d 38/86)

When he (i.e., Amr Ibn’ul Âs) asked: ”O owner of the pool! Do wild animals come to your pool? Upon this Umar (Radiyallâhu Anh) said: “O owner of the pool. Do not respond because we come to the water they drink and they come to the water we drink.”

7-When there is the denotation of opposition to the book and Sunnah by Ra’y (opnion) in the question. For this reason Sa’îd (Ibn’ul Musayyab responded to Rabî’ah who asked about Diyah) said: “Are you from Irâq?”

They said to Mâlik bin Anas: “Will a man who knows the Sunnah struggle for it? He replied: No! He will inform that which is Sunnah, if it is accepted, then good if not he will keep quite.”

8- Asking regarding Mutashâbihah (allegorical) subjects. The following Âyah points to this:

وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ في قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاء الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاء تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ
"But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is not clear, seeking discord, and searching for hidden meanings in it, but no one knows its interpretation except Allâh." (Âli Imrân 3/7)

Regarding this Umar bin Abd’ul Azîz (Rahimahullâh) said: "He who allows his religion to be open to disputing will frequently change over." (Ibnu Abd’ul Barr, Jâmi’u Bayân’il Ilm, 2/113)

Imam Mâlik said: "Istawâ is known; Kayf (its manner) is unknown; and asking about it is a Bid’ah (religious innovation)."

9- Asking about the struggle between the Salaf’is Sâlih. When Umar bin Abd’ul Azîz (Rahimahullâh) was once asked about the Battle of the Siffîn and he simply replied: “That was bloodshed from which Allâh kept my hands and I have no desire for my tongue to plunge into it.” (Ibnu Sa’d, The Men of Madina, 2/246)

10- To ask in order to overcome in debate, to leave the opponent helpless and in difficulty. Acts as such are criticized in the Qur’ân and the following is stated:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ
“There is the type of man whose speech about this world's life may dazzle thee, and (on the sight of the people) he calls Allâh to witness about what is in his heart; yet is he the most contentious of enemies.” (al-Baqarah 2/204)

إِلَّا جَدَلاً بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
"And they say: Are our gods best, or he? This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people." (az-Zukhruf 43/58)

The following is narrated in the Hadîth:

أَبْغَضُ الرِّجَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ الأَلَدُّ الْخَصِمُ
"The most hated man in the Sight of Allâh is the one who is the most quarrelsome." (al-Bukhârî; Muslim)

These, which we have counted, are only some of that which is disliked in asking questions and others will be compared to them. However, the restrictions regarding these are not all the same. The disliking of some of them is more severe, some lighter, some definite Harâm and some have room for Ijtihâd. The restriction regarding struggle in Dîn encompasses some of them. For example:

الْمِرَاءُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ كُفْرٌ
"Controverting about the Qur’ân is Kufr (disbelief)." (Abû Dâwûd; Ahmad, Musnad, 2/300, Hadîth no: 7971, 424, Hadîth no: 9457; Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, 2/223, Hadîth no: 2882)

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ
"When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs, turn away from them." (al-An’âm 6/68)

There are many other similar Âyât and Ahâdîth. Therefore questions regarding matters as such are restricted. And responding is according to it.

[Dâr'ul Tawhîd English]

The Third Issue:

It is a good thing to abandon objection towards the elders and it is found worthy of praise. There is no difference between the matter objected to being comprehensible or non-comprehensible. Its evidences are as follows:

1- There is evidence in the Qur’ân for this. For example, the parable between Mûsâ (Alayh’is Salâm) and Khidhr (Alayh’is Salâm) is like this. Khidhr (Alayh’is Salâm) set the condition that Mûsâ (Alayh’is Salâm) does not ask him anything unless he (i.e., Khidhr) is to explain it. Of course as could not keep patient and abide by the condition Mûsâ (Alayh’is Salâm) separated from him as stated by Allâh Ta’âlâ:

هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ
"This is the parting between me and thee." (al-Kahf 18/78)

Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) stated regarding him:

يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى، لَوْ كَانَ صَبَرَ يُقَصُّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا
"May Allâh bestow His Mercy on Mûsâ! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case." (al-Bukhârî)

In reality Mûsâ (Alayh’is Salâm) had spoken with the tongue of Ilm. Regardless exiting the condition necessitates exiting the given condition. It is narrated the angels said to Allâh Ta’âlâ:

أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء
"Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?" (al-Baqarah 2/30)

And Allâh rejected their rejections and sent them a fire and burnt them by.

إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
"I know what ye know not." (al-Baqarah 2/30)

The rejection worst than this was by the statement of Iblîs (i.e., Satan):

وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ أَنَاْ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ
"I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay." (al-A’râf 7/12)

And with this attitude of his The One who placed all things and knows all Allâh Ta’âlâ had banished him from his mercy forever. This is evidence for our matter. The attitude of the group mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah with the request of slaughtering a cow is from this type as well. As they went into extreme with their questions Allâh Ta’âlâ made their duty more difficult.

2- The evidences which take place in narrations: As seen in the following Ahâdîth: When Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) was about to leave this world, there were persons (around him) in his house (Umar Ibn’ul Khattâb being one of them). Nabî (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

هَلُمَّ أَكْتُبْ لَكُمْ كِتَابًا لاَ تَضِلُّونَ بَعْدَهُ
“Come, I may write for you a document; you would not go astray after that.”

Those who were present in the house differed. Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) could not write (or dictate) the document for them. (al-Bukhârî; Muslim)

There is evidence for this in the parable of the mother of Ismâ’îl. Such that when she had come across Zamzam for the first time she had withheld it and prevented the water from gushing forth. Regarding her act Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) stated:

لَوْلاَ أَنَّهَا عَجِلَتْ لَكَانَ زَمْزَمُ عَيْنًا مَعِينًا
"Had she not hastened (to fill her water-skin with water from the Zamzam well). Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth." (al-Bukhârî; Ahmad, Musnad, 5/121)

Mentioned in a Hadîth a pot was boiled for Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam), it contained meat. He said: “Give me a thigh. The narrator stated: I gave him a thigh. He (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: Give me a thigh. I gave him a leg. He (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: Give me a thigh. I said: O Rasûlullâh! How many thigh does a lamb have. He (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said by the One whose hand my life is in if you had kept quite, as long as I requested you would be given thigh.” (ad-Dârimî)

Alî (Radiyallâhu Anh) stated: At night time Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) came to me and Fâtimah and asked us to get up for Salâh. I sat up rubbing my eyes. I was saying: “By Allâh we will only do what Allâh wrote for us. Of course our lives are in the hands of Allâh. He will wake him when He wills.” Upon this Rasûlullâh (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلاً
"But man is, in most things, contentious." (al-Kahf 18/54) he turned and left. (Ahmad, Musnad, 1791)

Sahl bin Hunayf said during the War of Siffîn, o people:

اتَّهِمُوا رَأْيَكُمْ، رَأَيْتُنِي يَوْمَ أَبِي جَنْدَلٍ وَلَوْ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَرُدَّ، أَمْرَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَرَدَدْتُهُ
"You'd better blame your wrong opinions. I wish you had seen me on the day of Abû Jandal. If I had the courage to disobey the Prophet's orders, I would have done so." (al-Bukhârî; Muslim)

Sa’îd Ibn’ul Musayyab’s grandfather (Hazn bin Wahb) went to Nabî (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) and Rasûlullâh asked (him):

جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَا اسْمُكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ حَزْنٌ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَنْتَ سَهْلٌ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ لاَ أُغَيِّرُ اسْمًا سَمَّانِيهِ أَبِي‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ فَمَا زَالَتِ الْحُزُونَةُ فِينَا بَعْدُ‏
"What is your name? He replied: My name is Hazn. He (Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: You are Sahl. Hazn said: I will not change the name with which my father has named me. Ibn’ul Musayyab added: We have had roughness (in character) ever since." (al-Bukhârî)

3- It is established by experience that rejecting what the elders say delivers nothing but no benefit and it disunites the teacher and student.

Especially the Sûfiyyah (mystics) give importance to this. According to them, this is the greatest illness. al-Kushayrî from among them claimed even making Tawbah (repentance) from such illness would not be accepted and that such stumbling would not be forgiven. There are two stories told regarding this.

Abû Yazîd al-Bastamî had a young servant. He was fasting. Abû Turâb an-Nahshibî and Shakîk al-Balhî said to him: “Youngster! Eat with us! He replied: I am fasting. Shakîk said: Eat there is a years worth of fasting reward for you. He did not approach. Upon this Abû Yazid al-Bastamî said: Leave him who is the one fallen from the sight of Allâh.” Then that young man began to steal and his hand got cut off.

After Imâm Mâlik was questioned one after another he said to Anas: “Once you open the door, it does not stop in rapid succession it will not end. If you really want to learn such things you must go to Irâq.”  And had brought attention to the fact that upon rejecting one will be kept distant from its benefit. Those who look into his life will find many similar incidences.

The conclusion which comes from all which we have presented is:

When a scholar known with trust and honesty, who is virtuous, religious and righteous, is asked regarding a matter, upon this if he responds or a state is established from him which is not expected or if something happens which the listener does not comprehend, it is not appropriate to object nor leave room for criticizing. If there really is a problem on hand, it is more appropriate for succession to wait for the result; this will be an attitude more virtuous to attain the goal Inshâllâh (if Allâh wills).