Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!samsung!crackers!m2c!wpi.WPI.EDU!zahle.wpi.edu!shari From: d89-gsk@nada.kth.se (Gani Skepi) Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam Subject: Re: the nature of the Prophet Message-ID: <1991Apr30.174610.19863@wpi.WPI.EDU> Date: 30 Apr 91 17:46:10 GMT References: <1991Apr26.215310.5015@wpi.WPI.EDU> Sender: news@wpi.WPI.EDU (News) Reply-To: d89-gsk@nada.kth.se (Gani Skepi) Organization: Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden Lines: 154 Approved: shari@zahle.wpi.edu Originator: shari@zahle.wpi.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: zahle.wpi.edu In article <1991Apr26.215310.5015@wpi.WPI.EDU>, zeeshan@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Zeeshan Hasan) writes: |> |> To begin, I would like to point out the following Hadith, from |> the Sahih Bukhari: |> |> "I am only a man. He who takes something from me must |> beware, for he may have taken a portion of the Fire." |> |> This Hadith would appear to indicate that the Prophet was |> capable of making mistakes in the matter of religious guidance. Salam aliekum brother The hadith you quoted, is it a WEAK or a STRONG Hadith. You see we are all humans and we interpret things differently, and therefore a WEAK Hadith (ex Abdullah heard from Ibrahim that Lutfi heard from his wifes brother Ali which heard from Musa that heard from Rafi that heard from Hussein that the Messenger of God (PBUH) said: ......) shouldn't be taken as serious as a STRONG Hadith (ex Rafi heard the Messenger of God (PBUH) saying : ....). A WEAK Hadith that goes from mouth to mouth several steps may un- deliberately have got changed before it was written down. We are humans and as humans some of us have the bad habit to put in words that weren't said by the first transmitter. As the sayings of the Messenger (PBUH) wasn't learnt by heart and written down imidiately as the Quran, the WEAK ones can naturally have some small errors. The things the holy Prophet (PBUH) said and did were checked by God and corrected if they were wrong, as he should be an example for later generations. As an example we can take the episode with the blind man in the holy Quran: The Messenger was deeply and earnestly engaged in trying to explain the holy Quran to Pagan Quraish leaders, when he was interrupted by a poor, blind man (Abdullah ibn Ummi-i-Maktum), that wanted to learn the Quran. The holy Prophet naturally disliked the interruption and showed impatience. Perhaps the blind mans feelings got hurt because God reproached the holy Prophet(PBUH) for it. After that the Prophet always hold the blind man in high honour and adressed him by the words " thou that made God reproach me ". Twice was he appointed to the governor of Medina by the Messenger of God(PBUH). In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful (80:1 -11)" The Prophet frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow ( in spiritual understanding)? Or that he might recieve admonition, and the teaching might profit him? As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient, to him does thou attend; though it is no blame to thee if he grow not ( in spir- itual understanding). But as to him who came to thee striving earn- estly, and with fear (in his heart), of him wast thou unmindful. By no means (should it be so)! For its indeed a Message of instruction:" If God corrected the Messenger (PBUH) for a thing like that, then he would certainly correct him in religious matters. In Sahih Muslimin its written: (KITAB AL-FADA'IL - Hadith 5831)" Musa b.Talha reported: I and Allah's Messenger (PBUH) happened to pass by people near the date- palm trees. He (the Holy Prophet) said : What are these people doing? They said : They are grafting, i.e they combine the male with the female (tree) and thus they yield more fruit. Thereupon Allah's Mess- enger (PBUH) said: I do not find it to be of any use. The people were informed about it and they abandoned this practise. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) (was later) on informed (that the yield had dwindled), where- upon he said: If there is any use of it, then they should do it, for IT WAS JUST A PERSONAL OPINION OF MINE, AND DO NOT GO AFTER MY PER- SONAL OPINION; BUT WHEN I SAY TO YOU ANYTHING BEHALF OF ALLAH, THEN DO ACCEPT IT, FOR I DO NOT ATTRIBUTE LIE TO ALLAH, THE EXALTED AND GLORIOUS." (KITAB AL-FADA'IL - Hadith 5831)" Rafi b. Khadij reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) came to Medina and the people had been grafting tree. He said : What are you doing? They said: We are graft- ing them, whereupon he said : It may perhaps be good for you if you do not do that, so they abandoned this practise (and the date-palms) began to yield less fruit. They made a mention of it ( to the Holy Prophet), whereupon he said : I am a human being, so when I command you about a thing pertaining RELIGION, DO ACCEPT IT, and when I com- mand you about a thing out of my PERSONAL OPINION, keep it in mind that I am a HUMAN being. Ikrima reported that he said something like this." |> IF that is the case, the Hadith themselves must be abandoned as a |> source of Islamic law, as their authority stems from the infallibility |> of the Prophet. In that case, the vast majority of what is now known |> as "Islamic Law", which has its foundations in the Hadith, must be |> revised. The Quran would be the only reliable source. |> [ STUFF DELETED ] |> +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ |> Zeeshan Hasan zeeshan@occs.cs.oberlin.edu |> skh7063@oberlin.bitnet |> "Of course I love mankind... it's people I can't stand!" |> - Linus Van Pelt |> +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ I hope I've shown above that the Messenger (PBUH) didn't do any faults when it comes to religious matters as God the Creator and Maintainer of the Worlds whould had reacted. In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. (4:65)" But no, by the Lord, they have no (real) faith until they make you (O Prophet!) judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resentment against your desicions, but accept them with the fullest conviction." This verse lays down in unequivocal terms the obligation of every Muslim to submit to the ordinances which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) promulgated with a view to exemplifying the message of the Quran and enabling the believers to apply that to actual situations. These Ordinances constitute what is described as the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and it has full legal force side by side with the Quran (as long as they are STRONG Hadiths). In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. (33:21)"Ye have indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of (conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah." In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. (4:80) " He who obeys the Apostle, obeys Allah: But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds)." Gani Skepi d89-gsk@nada.kth.se ********************************************************************** -------------------------------------------------------------------- (SAHIH MUSLIMIN- HADITH 79)" ... I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: He who amongst you should see something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhort it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- **********************************************************************