Posted May 15, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 10 Comments
Some people often qoute the hadith of the Prophet wherein which he says, the differences within my Ummah is a mercy. However this hadith is not correct.
Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked this question and this is the reply he gave:
This is wrong (ie if they mean that the opposite is true, meaning unity is a punishment), because ikhtilaaf is not a mercy and this is due to Allahs statement
وَلاَ يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ إِلاَّ مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ
And they will never seize to differ except those whom Allah has mercy upon.
So this shows the weakness in the mentioned hadith. However those who differ and are Mujtahideen (well rooted in knowledge) then they will aquire mercy (from Allah).
Barakallaahu feek. But what would you say about this article?
http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-studies/when-is-the-difference-of-opinion-al-ikhtilaf-amongst-scholars-a-mercy/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-is-the-difference-of-opinion-al-ikhtilaf-amongst-scholars-a-mercy
wa feeka baarakAllah, we ask these people what do you mean by it is a mercy? Because if you say it is a mercy then it will be understood that the opposite is true which is that unity is a trial and punishment. And this clearly goes against the Qur’aan, Allah is telling us that those who do not differ it is them whom Allah has shown mercy too, and you tell me difference is a mercy? However if they do not mean this, we tell them rather change the wording you used and say differences has its benefits sometimes or something to the likes of this.
I reposted your post on my blog I hope you do not mind Brother http://ihsanophilic.blogspot.com
Also this Hadith which says that the differences in the Ummah are a mercy I think was graded as fabricated by Shaykh Albani (Rahimahullah) (see http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13623/differences%20opinion%20is%20a%20mercy)
Assalaamualikum Akhi,JazakaAllah Khair for your post. I have just come from a course that talked about the fiqh of salah according to the 4 madhabs (and ibn taymiyah too) and I was amazed at the number of difference in interpretation within each madhab. So now that I read your post … im more amazed and bewildered. What do you exactly mean by ikhtilaaf? Is it similar to the ikhtilaaf between the madhaahib?….Simply because to me the difference between the 4 school of thoughts can be viewed as mercy (more than anything!) Wallahual3lam. How do you answer to that akhi? I am aware that the differences are quite minor (wallahu a3lam)but nontheless its still a difference, isnt?
JazakaAllah Khair again.
wa alaikum assalam
the problem arises with the wording mercy, first of all it is not established in the Sunnah and if you say mercy then a layman might understand that the opposite is true too, meaning ok so if difference is a mercy that means unity is a punishment. Or in the very least people accept any type of differences, the legitimate ones aswell as the mistakes made by scholars and brush it off by saying difference is a mercy! It is better to say something along the lines of, the ijtihaad of the scholars is a mercy, since that is the truth and not the difference initself. There is acceptable differences and non acceptable differences, but when you say differences are a mercy you do not explain it properly.
JazakaAllah khair again. I understand if someone brings bid3ah to the deen e.g celebrating the Prophet’s birthday which is not from the sunnah, even if different muslims around the world take part in this act – it should still be regarded as bid3ah and not mercy. Thats understood and I am not questioning issues like that. But rather the difference in scholars. So when you see Malakis pray in a certain way and Hanfis pray in a certain way and hanbalis and shafis pray in another way … isnt that viewed as difference or not – even though the Prophet was seen praying in all those ways according to these scholars (wallahualam). (or does this come under acceptable difference?). And is it wrong to say ‘There is difference between scholars’ or is it more correct to say ‘There is different ijtihaad between different scholars’. Also can you also give me a few examples on what is seen as unacceptable difference and acceptable difference in islam that muslims do and differ on? BarakaAllahu feek. (I am still learning and I hope I am not being a pain!). Wasalaamualikum.
It is not only to do with things such as bid’a even within rulings of fiqh.
Today alot of muslims have really misunderstood the purpose of mathabs and have become so engrossed into them that they see it as disrespect if a person points out a mistake made by an Imaam and start saying things such as I am pretty sure the Imaam has more knowledge then you. But that is not the issue here, no one doubts that the Imaam indeed has alot of knowledge yet he is human and can make mistakes. Sometimes the scholars made rulings based upon weak hadiths which they might not have known to be weak, what do we say then? Do we say oh no but it is a difference of opinion? No we should say we respect the Imaam and love him but we will not follow him in this particular mistake. Just as a quick example, in Shaafi’i fiqh it says that when a person goes to the toilet he is not allowed to face the ka’bah nor turn away from it, nor is he to face the moon nor the sun, please tell me what is he to face then?! Remember your aim is to follow the sunnah and sometimes all the mathabs made the wrong ruling and the truth is only with Aboo Haneefah then it is for you to follow him in that particular thing.
This is not about wherein the difference is allowed, if the Prophet indeed has been established in praying like he did (in all those way) then there is no problem and that is in truth not a difference since all of those ways have been established. If the ruling has a clear strong evidence for it we follow it, if there is doubt about the evidence we stay back.
The scholars themselves used to do this all the time, Aboo Haneefah had students such as Aboo Yoosof and Muhammad, they did not just follow the Imaam blindly rather they went against the Imaam on several topics why? Because they truly loved him but their aim was to follow the Prophet. Same with Imaam Maalik and Shaafi’i, Imaam Shaafi’i studied underneath him but did he follow his mathab? And the list goes on, we should follow our Imaams in the truth but if they slipped up we tell them of that.
Hope that explained things abit.
That helps alot! JazakaAllah kul khair a 3rd time
asalamualaykum brother sorry to be of topic, but do you know when the results for 2010-2011 year will be posted,this is my 3rd time applying, i am getting a little nervous and anxious now.
jazkallahkhair
wa alaikum assalam no i am sorry i dont know excatly, but i am guessing perhaps end of june. May Allah make it easy for you brother and remember even if you do not get accepted do not give up perhaps Allah has something better for you instore?