Q. There is
a Hadith quoted very frequently by some writers and orators in which the
Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam)is reported to have said: "The
Difference of my Ummah is a Divine Mercy". some people do not accept
the authenticity of this Hadith while others maintain it to be authentic.
What is the correct position in this respect?
(Ibid)
A. This Hadith referred to in the question is mentioned in some
of the Books of Hadith with two different versions. Firstly, it is narrated
by Abdullah ibn Umar (R.A) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi
Wassallam)has said:"
"The
differences between my Ummah are a blessing".
Secondly, it is narrated on the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas
that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam)has said: The difference
bet ween my Companions is a blessing." The first version has been
reported by some scholars of Hadith like al-Baihaqi and al-Maqdisi, but
they have not based it on any chain of narrators. Therefore, the scholars
have not taken it as n authentic hadith, the second version has been given
by al-Baihaqi in his Book al-Madkhl and by al-Daylami in his Book al-Firdous.
Both of them have given chain of narrators also but the authentic scholars
have decided that its chain is to weak to be relied upon. (See al-Siraj
al-Munir by al-Azizi v.1, p.64). It is, therefore, established that
the above quoted Hadith has not been reported through any authentic source
on the basis of which it can be held as reliable. Therefore, it should
not be quoted as an authentic Hadith of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi
Wassallam).
However, the sense conveyed by it can be held as true to some extent,
because the difference of opinion in the interpretation of the Verses
of the Holy Qur'an or the Traditions of the Holy Prophet which occurred
between the Companions of the Holy Prophet and between the authentic scholars
of Islamic jurisprudence was based on their sincere efforts to find out
the truth. Therefore, the ruling of each one of them is based on the sacred
source of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah. All such findings are to be
held as a possible interpretation of the Shari'ah. Therefore, in the case
of a genuine collective need arising out of the ever-changing circumstances,
the view of any of the authentic scholars can be adopted to solve a common
problem of the Muslim Ummah and it is in this sense that such like differences
bet ween the scholars are nothing but a Divine blessing for the collective
cause of the community. But it is true only in relation to the sincere
differences of interpretation which have occurred between the competent
scholars of the Shari'ah who are called the 'mujthids'. It does not apply
to the sectarian differences which have done nothing but to divide the
Ummah between several groups and sects each one reproaching the other
and waging a continuous war against him without a sincere effort to find
out the real intention of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. This type of differences
can never be taken as a blessing, rather they are a curse for the community
which should be eliminated as far as possible.
Q. I have learned
from on of my relative s who has learned Arabic that most of the arguments
propounded by Imam Abu Hanifa are based on the weak narrations of Ahadiths.
i would like to know the correctness or other wise of this statement.
(A.B.
Siddique. Mauritius)
A. It is totally wrong allegation that all the rulings given by Imam
Abu Hanifa are based on the weak Ahadith. This baseless propaganda has
been in vogue since a number of centuries and the honest scholars of Hadith
and Fiqh have vehemently refuted it on very solid grounds even admitted
this in a number of their writings. Imam Al-Sharani has devoted a separate
chapter in his book Al-Mizaan Al-Kubra to establish this fact that the
rulings are taken by Imam Abu Hanifa on the Holy Quran and authentic Ahadith
and on the practice of the noble companions of the holy prophet ( Sallaho
Alaihi Wasallam)
Although the arguments on which the views of Imam Abu Hanifa are based
have been explained by numerous scholars, yet Maulan Zafar Ahmed Usmani
a well know scholar of the subcontinent of the Indo-Pakistan has written
a voluminous book on the very subject under the title i laussunan which
has been published in 20 volumes, each comprising at least 300 pages .
The whole book is dedicated to explain the strength of arguments advanced
by Imam Abu Hanifa and his followers. On can differ from some of the arguments
given by Hanafi Jurists but the same applies to other views also and it
does not mean that the whole Madhab of Imam Abu Hanifa is based on weak
arguments
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