Nature of ‘Wahe Ghair Matlu’

                 

                       

We have already seen in the article  https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2011/09/wahi-and-intuition.html    that wahi revealed to a ‘Rasool’ and revealed to a ‘nabi’ (a.s) are different not only in the form  but also in the medium through which these ‘wahi’ are revealed. ‘Wahi’ to a Rasool is initiated through Hazrat Gabriel (as) or directly by Allah. When ‘wahi’ is revealed to a Rasool through Hazrat Gabriel (a.s), it is revealed  in the form of Book,  and in the form of Allah's Words [it is the basic identity of a Rasool that he is given Book/'saheefa'(ale-Imran-184)]. When ‘wahi’ to a Rasool is revealed directly from Allah without any Angel, it is revealed in the form of Allah's Idea translated into words by the Rasool himself.

‘Wahi’ to a 'Nabi' is initiated always through Hazrat Gabrael and in the form of Allah's Idea translated into words by Hazrat Gabrael (e.g. Hadith e Qudsi) or by the 'Nabi' himself (Hadith e Nabi). A Nabi may also be given a portion of a Book to be revealed completely to a Rasool, but this partial Book revealed to a Nabi is  not in the form of Allah's Words; rather it is revealed in the form of Allah's Idea translated into words by Gabrael or by Nabi himself (al-Imran-81). 

In the article https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2013/02/types-of-wahi-and-sunnah.html we have seen that, in case of prophet who is Rasool and Nabi combined, the ‘Rasool’ receives complete Book through Gabriel (as) in the form of Allah’s words, and being Nabi receives, in respect of the Book he receives, Allah’s Ideas/ ‘wahi’ which is translated by Gabriel (e.g. Hadith e Qudsi) or the Nabi (as) himself (e.g. Hadith e Nabi). Such a 'wahi' received as a Nabi by a 'Rasool' and 'Nabi' combined and translated by Rasool himself has been called as 'words of Rasool' (al-haqah-40); and such a 'wahi' translated by 'Gabriel' has been called as words of Gabriel (al-takwir-19). Such ‘wahi’ received as a Nabi by a ‘Rasool’ and ‘Nabi’ combined is called Sunnah/Hadith of that ‘Rasool’/Nabi. In other words, Sunnah/Hadith of a ‘Rasool’/Nabi is Allah’s ideas/ ‘wahi’ regarding the Book revealed to him; Sunnah/Hadith is the interpretation of Allah’s words/ Book revealed to a Rasool; such interpretation is done either by the 'Rasool' himself or by Gabriel and is based on 'wahi' sent by Allah.

In the article https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2016/09/following-allah-and-following-rasool.html we have seen that there is difference between  obeying (ata,at) and following (itba,a). Obeying is related to commandment; whereas following is related to every act/saying whether commanded to obey or not. We are under obligation to obey Allah but we are not under obligation to follow Allah. The reason is simple; we do not have capability to follow Allah. However we are to obey Allah through following Allah’s ‘Wahi’. But we are  to follow our Nabi ﷺ ; it means we are  to follow our Nabi (ﷺ) in all his acts/sayings/qualities- whether we have been commanded to or not to obey such acts/sayings/qualities of our Nabi (ﷺ) -except those which have been explicitly prohibited to be followed.

In the article https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2016/12/nabuwwat-and-its-functions-in-light-of.html we have seen that      the basic function of nabuwwat is always to interpret Kalam ullah i.e. revealed Book.  This interpretation of Kalamullah is done by the respective nabi in the light of wahi. The followers of respective nabi are bound to understand Kalamullah/Book as it has been interpreted by the nabi (a.s). That is why a nabi’s interpretations of a revealed Book  are part of Deen; these interpretations are made in the form of ahadith. In other words, believing in nabuwwat of our nabi s.a.w.w means ahadith are part of Deen.

In the article https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2017/07/why-hadith-is-essential.html we have seen that Quran tells us what we should do and what we should avoid, but Hadith tell us how people can practice/ act upon what they are supposed to do and what they are supposed to avoid according to Quran. You know when people start acting upon a scripture there may be thousands of variations/ differences as to how scripture should be acted upon. Hadith is a MODEL of ways and means we must go for to act upon Quran in all times to come. This Model is based on people's acts/omissions to follow Quran as well as our Nabi's acts/omissions/sayings; the people acted/ omitted to act in their lives, and our Nabi ﷺ declared such acts/omissions as right or wrong in the light of Quran and wahi ghair-matlu.

In the light of the foregoing, we can say that ‘Wahi e Ghair Matlu’ which is basis of sayings/ acts of our Nabi ﷺ may be divided into following categories.

The first category of ‘Wahi Ghair Matlu’ is through which Quranic verses are interpreted by Gabriel a.s. and such interpretations are communicated verbatim by our Nabi ﷺ to the people;  

The second category is that through which our Nabi ﷺ  is dictated to undertake certain act or make a statement and our Nabi ﷺ  acts accordingly;

The third category of ‘wahi e ghair matlu’ is that our Nabi ﷺ  makes a statement or takes an action in the light of permissions/ prohibitions revealed to our Nabi ﷺ regarding a statement/act to be done by our Nabi ﷺ or by the people around our Nabi ﷺ .  It may be appreciated that such category of wahi revealed for a situation needs not to be revealed every time such situation arises; one time wahi revealed for a situation is enough for every time such situation occurs. For instance, regarding ‘qattal’, permissions/ prohibitions once revealed were to be applied every time ‘qattal’ was to be undertaken. Keeping with such permissions/ prohibitions, people are free to undertake ‘qattal’ in whatever manner they like to.

The fourth category of ‘wahi e ghair matlu’ is that through which our Nabi ﷺ  and people were made free to act according to their situation or choice. The choices exercised by our Nabi ﷺ or people in such cases are according to Deen and wahi e ghair matlu.

Another type of sayings/acts of our Nabi ﷺ are those which are apparent words of Quran; such sayings/acts of our Nabi ﷺ are according to apparent Quranic wahi/Words; they are also ‘wahi e ghair matlu’. 
In other words, our Nabi's saww sayings/acts- whether they were exact wahi or according to wahi- were according to meanings of the Quran and such meanings were revealed to our Nabi saww through ‘Wahi ghair matlu’.

It may be appreciated that our Nabi’s ﷺ all sayings/ acts are to be followed by the people (except which have been specifically prohibited for people to be followed); in the situations in which people are to exercise their choice according to their situation/ liking, people actually follow our Nabi ﷺ  because it is our Nabi’s ﷺ  act to allow through ‘wahi ghair matlu’ such choice.  

      

Decision making and ‘Qattal’ by an Islamic State

                  

We have seen, in many previous articles, salient features of decision making by an Islamic state.

In the series of  articles titled  https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2012/07/islamic-political-system-its-main.html & https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2013/04/islamic-political-system-its-main_30.html we have seen that decision making by an Islamic state has to be made on the basis of majority will of the people. The principle of majority has been given sanctity in Islam (if decision reached at is not contradictory to Quran and Hadith). But what is to be noted is that people’s participation is a must to constitute a majority; majority cannot be formulated without participation of all (at least majority) people in the process. In other words, a majority emerged without participation of at least majority people in the process would not be a majority given sanctity in Islam. It means in order to avail blessings attached with the majority (of  Muslims), Muslims are obliged to formulate majority by taking part in the process of decision-making, directly or indirectly, through the political system. In other words, decision-making is a sacred trust given to Muslims which have to dispense with this trust by constituting majority in the process of decision-making. Islam makes it compulsory for the Muslims to take part in the process of decision-making through formulating majority under the political system.

But in the same articles, we have also seen that majority will of the people has to be operated on the basis of Quran and Hadith. It means Muslims may opt for one of the solutions presented on the basis of Quran and Hadith; but Muslims are not allowed to opt for a solution which is contradictory to Quran and Hadith. 

In the article https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2013/04/islamic-political-system-its-main_30.html we have also seen that Islam has also provided for a second stage of decision making. At the second stage, If issue cannot be resolved on the basis of  knowledge of Quran and Hadith (due to any reasons), the matter would be referred to men of piety and knowledge. At this second stage, the inequalities in terms of piety and knowledge found in the Body of Muslims may be made up and resultantly defects and inadequacies found in the decision making of the majority Muslims due to inequalities in terms of piety and knowledge may be rectified.

But it may be appreciated that majority Muslims may reject the solution presented by the men of piety and knowledge, if there are more than one solutions presented by Islam. (If our Nabi s.a.w.w. has reacted differently in two different situations in case of same matter, the state may exercise its choice  in respect of that matter (keeping in view the situation) irrespective of the solution presented by men of knowledge and piety, provided such choice adopted by the state is NOT contradictory to Quran and Hadith ; for details plz see https://secondriseofislam.blogspot.com/2017/09/wahi-islamic-thinking-islam-and-deen.html).   It may be appreciated it would be the majority Muslims who would implement the decision rectified by the men of piety and knowledge; men of piety and knowledge themselves, if they are in minority or lack support of majority people, cannot implement the decision on their own, violating the will of majority people. The implementation of decisions in an Islamic state is responsibility of majority Muslims through the state. Quran says:

“[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters” al-hajj-41).

The words " if We give them authority in the land" means this verse is about a state. This verse explains two things clearly. Firstly, it makes it clear that one of the basic duties of an Islamic state is to establish such society which is based on enjoining the right and forbidding from the wrong so that a society based on principles of equity and justice may be established. In other words- social, legal, economic, educational, political systems- in short all systems in Islamic state have to be based on principles of equity and justice. For this purpose the state is advised to constitute a special group of people; in modern age such a group of people may be called institutions. “And let there be [arising] from you a group inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful” (al-imran-104). Secondly, this verse makes clear that state is to be run by majority Muslim people. The addressee of this verse are Muslim people/ nation collectively; it means at least majority Muslim people/ nation would control the state. In short, it would be responsibility of the state to implement the decisions aiming at establishment of a society based on principles of equity and justice.

  

Now suppose, state does not implement the decisions rectified by the men of piety and knowledge (except where state is allowed to do so (it may also be appreciated that decisions rectified by men of knowledge and piety means decisions rectified by majority of men of knowledge and piety). In such case, the relevant state authorities would commit Sin ; and minority Muslims, who want to implement such rectified decision, would not incur Sin but they cannot implement such decision on their own violating the state’s orders as in Islamic state implementation of decisions is the responsibility of the majority Muslims through the state apparatus. However such minority Muslims- who want to implement decisions rectified by majority of men of knowledge and piety-  may struggle to amass majority and can take over the state after getting the majority support. But the most appropriate and feasible option, in order to save the state apparatus from committing the Sin, mentioned above,  should be to  institutionalize the opinions of men of knowledge and piety in the form of 'Shura' and to authorize such 'Shura' to restrain the state apparatus/ parliament from doing wrongful acts; in this way the Shura would become a part of state, and  when Shura would become a part of state, it would be considered as representing ' majority will' of the people of the state. But in Islamic states where there is no such 'Shura' , the minority Muslims - who want to implement decisions rectified by majority of men of knowledge and piety- are not authorized to implement such decisions of men of knowledge and piety on their own in disregard to will of majority people manifested through state; however such minority Muslims can amass majority support and enforce such decisions after taking over the state after achieving majority.  However such minority would not incur Sin committed by the state, if they show their displeasure and disapproval to the wrong acts of the state. Our Nabi (saw) states: “ you will find your rulers doing both righteous deeds and wrong deeds. One who will show annoyance over wrong deeds or disapprove such wrong deeds, he will be absolved of the responsibility of such wrong deeds. But one who will be pleased with such wrong deeds and follow them, he will not be absolved of responsibility of such wrong deeds”.  The words used in this hadith are very suggestive; the Muslims who would be pleased with and become a part of wrong deeds of the rulers, would not be absolved of the responsibility of such wrong deeds. Similarly, suppose  the rulers do not take any action and such inaction is a wrong deed, in such case, Muslims who are annoyed over such inaction and disapprove (through their act or saying)  such inaction, cannot be labelled as part of that inaction. But it may be appreciated the Muslims showing annoyance and disapproval cannot undo that inaction, if they are in minority, until such Muslims are able to amass majority and take over the state. 

The foregoing discussion states the general principle of decision making by an Islamic state, and this principle also applies to the decision about ‘qattal’ by an Islamic state. It may be appreciated, the addressee of all Quranic verses, through which ‘qattal’ has been permitted or ordered, are Muslims collectively; nowhere an individual or a certain group has been asked to undertake ‘qattal’. It means the decision about ‘qattal’ is also to be taken by majority Muslims through the state like other decisions to be taken by the state.