Interpretation of Deen and Human Intellect (5)

      

Ghamdi says Sunnah is previous prophets’ practices which have been adopted by our Nabi (ﷺ) with some modifications. The question is how these acts of previous prophets have been communicated to our Nabi (ﷺ). If he says these acts have been communicated through history, and are not communicated through wahi, he would have to explain how Sunnah which is a part of Deen can be a product of history which is the un-authentic process of communication (the process of communication of Hadith is different from History). Even if these acts were communicated through history, what was the basis of modifications made by our Nabi (ﷺ) in these acts? If such modifications were based on wahi, Ghamdi would have to accept that not only Quran but also our Nabi’s (ﷺ) actions NOT contained in worded Quran (e.g. Hadith) are based on wahi. Even if  Ghamdi says  previous prophets’ acts were communicated to our Nabi (ﷺ) through Quran,  he would have to explain what was the basis of  our Nabi’s (ﷺ) modifications made in those acts of previous prophets? If he says these modifications were not based on wahi, he would be saying that   Sunnah (which is a part of Deen) is from our Nabi’s (ﷺ) person; it is not from Allah (nawzubillah).

It may be appreciated Islam is a Deen for all times to come. It implies Islam can provide solutions of all problems to be occurred in all times to come. There is absolutely no need to make any change in the Deen to solve any problem we are faced with; all problems can be solved keeping within the Deen. All principles provided in Deen i.e. Quran and Hadith, are fixed; for every situation, the principle to be applied is fixed. If there are alternative principles for any situation, it does not mean those alternative principles are not fixed; such alternative principles are also fixed in the sense that neither any principle may be added nor removed from such alternative principles. But unfortunately some scholars in the zeal of finding solutions of existing problems do not flinch in changing the fixed principles of Deen; when such scholars, due to their ignorance and shallow understanding of principles of Deen, cannot find required solution from within the fixed principles of Deen, they become prone to change the fixed principles.  The best way is if any scholar does not find solution of any problem keeping within the fixed principles, he should consult the more knowledge-able  scholars, instead of changing the principles of Deen. Changing the principles of Deen would mean we do not believe our Deen can solve all problems of all times.

The principles contained in Quran and Hadith are basic and fixed principles (except the ahadith relating to policies/methodologies). These basic and fixed principles provide a basic framework which further generates countless secondary principles to solve all problems we face with. It is the work of religious scholars having legal aptitude to exact secondary principles out of basic framework of principles contained in Quran and Hadith. The religious scholars having superficial legal aptitude fail in discovering secondary principles out of basic framework to solve problems, and resultantly are left with no option other than changing the basic framework provided by Quran and Hadith. Such scholars having low legal aptitude do not flinch in playing havoc with basic fabric of Deen, and cause much more harm to Deen than the service rendered by them. Governments should seriously consider the negative implications of allowing low level legal aptitude to corrupt the basic fabric of Deen. A scholar who should speak or write on 'Ijtihadi matters' of Deen particularly should manifest religious understanding along-with appropriate legal aptitude; all other show boys should be banned at least on media.