Firstly to answer your question, the arbiter to decide which interpretation is correct is simply the Qur’an and Sunnah. It’s that simple.
I’m not sure if you understand this, but the Qur’an and Sunnah is not your English Literature class where every interpretation of a poem...
I’m not sure if you understand this, but the Qur’an and Sunnah is not your English Literature class where every interpretation of a poem...
is considered ‘correct’ by the teacher. You see, that is only possible because most of the time the writers deliberately wrote things that are open-ended so those writings could hold different meanings and values for different people. That is literature as an art form.
However, that is not the case with our Creator. He created us and placed us in this world so we could live in a specific way: one that gains the ridhā(pleasure) of Him. To do so, one must follow what is commanded by Allah in the Qur’an and through our Messenger pbuh.
To prove this, it is said in the Qur’an:
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn from him while you hear [his order].”
-al-Anfāl: 20
And there are numerous other verses and hadīths of the same nature, and even prohibiting us to follow our desires.
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn from him while you hear [his order].”
-al-Anfāl: 20
And there are numerous other verses and hadīths of the same nature, and even prohibiting us to follow our desires.
All of those are sufficient proof that the basis for any Muslim should be the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Do you know about Usūl al-Fiqh? It’s basically the science of interpreting scriptural sources to derive rulings from them. In orthodox Islam, as expected, the basis for...
Do you know about Usūl al-Fiqh? It’s basically the science of interpreting scriptural sources to derive rulings from them. In orthodox Islam, as expected, the basis for...
interpretation is by the Qur’an and Sunnah. The ambiguous parts of the Qur’an and Sunnah are interpreted by using other verses/hadīths from the Qur’an and Sunnah through various methods (providing more detail, specifying what is general, abrogation, etc).
The ‘lesser’ sources such as qiyās, ijmā’, sadd al-zarā’i, etc are all extensions of the Qur’an and Sunnah. If you study how they work to derive rulings, you can see how they all are:
1) accepted methods based on the Qur’an and Sunnah
2) uses the Qur’an and Sunnah as a basis.
1) accepted methods based on the Qur’an and Sunnah
2) uses the Qur’an and Sunnah as a basis.
Therefore, as I said, I (or scholars who I follow) decide which interpretation is correct based on which one follows the Qur’an and Sunnah most closely.
Let me demonstrate the danger of interpretation that is done by those without religious authority.
It is said in the Qur’an:
Let me demonstrate the danger of interpretation that is done by those without religious authority.
It is said in the Qur’an:
“O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying...”
-al-Nisā’: 43
If I used my desires (under the guise of ‘reason’ or ‘intellect’) to interpret this verse, I can declare that I am intoxicated with God’s Love.
-al-Nisā’: 43
If I used my desires (under the guise of ‘reason’ or ‘intellect’) to interpret this verse, I can declare that I am intoxicated with God’s Love.
Therefore, I cannot approach prayer and I don’t have to pray for the rest of my life.
See the obvious fault in that? I’m clearly contradicting the explicit command in the Qur’an to establish prayer. That’s easy to point out.
But not many people see the implicit fault in that...
See the obvious fault in that? I’m clearly contradicting the explicit command in the Qur’an to establish prayer. That’s easy to point out.
But not many people see the implicit fault in that...
interpretation, which is that it’s *methodologically* incorrect. I am not interpreting it based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, because the Sunnah says that this verse was revealed in the context of alcohol consumption, as mentioned in a hadīth quoted by ibn Kathīr.
You see, anyone can point out the surface-level fault in my incorrect interpretation simply because it contradicts what we know of the Qur’an and Sunnah. And that is enough for us laymen to make our judgement.
But to say that it’s incorrect even at its depth? One must have...
But to say that it’s incorrect even at its depth? One must have...
sufficient knowledge of the religion to know about that hadīth as its sabab al-nuzūl (reason it was revealed).
And that’s only one verse of the Qur’an. There are thousands of verses of the Qur’an and hundreds of thousands of hadīth that has to be interpreted.
And that’s only one verse of the Qur’an. There are thousands of verses of the Qur’an and hundreds of thousands of hadīth that has to be interpreted.
Do you not see the danger of allowing random strangers to give their interpretations of Islam? Do you not see how far astray it could be from the essence of Islam by creating a two-fold error in interpretation?
It’s blatantly obvious now why religious authority should only...
It’s blatantly obvious now why religious authority should only...
be given to those who have sufficient knowledge of Islam, i.e. scholars and muftis. To allow DIY ijtihād by random people means we are allowing the Qur’an and Sunnah to be corrupted with human desires.
So to answer your second question: do not accuse me of following what I...
So to answer your second question: do not accuse me of following what I...
(or my upbringing) pleases. There is no element of desire when all we’re trying to do is to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah as closely as possible. And while we as Muslims sometimes fail—as is our nature of being human—we still struggle to follow both, and we honour the struggle.
The implication of scholars having the exclusive right to interpret religion is that:
1) The integrity of the religion is preserved
2) Their opinions are the most correct—since they know the most—and are the ones that every Muslim should follow.
1) The integrity of the religion is preserved
2) Their opinions are the most correct—since they know the most—and are the ones that every Muslim should follow.
Now to address the second part which is acknowledging these 1.6 billion differences for “inclusivity”’s sake.
Fair enough, no one’s saying about whether they’re right or wrong. But there are still problems in even just acknowledging these differences instead of calling out...
Fair enough, no one’s saying about whether they’re right or wrong. But there are still problems in even just acknowledging these differences instead of calling out...
which ones are wrong, or instead of calling people upon the true path of Islam.
One, acknowledgement of differences has a specific connotation in Islam and it is by default one of agreement.
For example if I say, “there’s a difference of opinion on listening to music”, it’s...
One, acknowledgement of differences has a specific connotation in Islam and it is by default one of agreement.
For example if I say, “there’s a difference of opinion on listening to music”, it’s...
understood that all different rulings—harām, makrūh, mubāh—are opinions that are sound, and that are ones based on the Qur’an and Sunnah.
But notice the implication of the slogan. e.g: “oh that dude doesn’t believe in predestination/God’s will. He’s a Qadariyyah, but that’s...
But notice the implication of the slogan. e.g: “oh that dude doesn’t believe in predestination/God’s will. He’s a Qadariyyah, but that’s...
just his opinion—his way of being a Muslim”. Even if you’re withholding judgement of what’s right and wrong, do you not see how problematic this is?
There is no “difference” or “way” here even to be acknowledged whether for the sake of inclusivity or otherwise, because it...
There is no “difference” or “way” here even to be acknowledged whether for the sake of inclusivity or otherwise, because it...
is clearly contradicting the sixth pillar of faith, and classical scholars have put them outside the fold of Islam for that.
The point about “as long as they’re not harming anybody” doesn’t stand because a Qadari could be physically harmless but it’s still problematic to...
The point about “as long as they’re not harming anybody” doesn’t stand because a Qadari could be physically harmless but it’s still problematic to...
include their way as one of the ways of being a Muslim.
Two, there is no clarification on which “way” is the correct one, hence it’s an insult to the 1400 years of Islamic tradition to be grouped as a “way” among other ways to be a Muslim.
Do people not realise the efforts...
Two, there is no clarification on which “way” is the correct one, hence it’s an insult to the 1400 years of Islamic tradition to be grouped as a “way” among other ways to be a Muslim.
Do people not realise the efforts...
and cautiousness past Muslim scholars put when giving their opinions? It is said by a scholar that “the scholars of the past (salaf) used to give fatwas while trembling [out of fear]”. To put their opinions as simply another ‘way’ among many others that could potentially be...
downright wrong is undermining their enourmous efforts and knowledge.
That’s why that slogan is useless and brings no benefit to the ummah. Preaching about inclusivity but failing to call people upon the right path has no value at all.
Wallāhu a’lam.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
That’s why that slogan is useless and brings no benefit to the ummah. Preaching about inclusivity but failing to call people upon the right path has no value at all.
Wallāhu a’lam.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
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