. V૤I< (cont.)

If even there the situation was not dealt with, he can look to see how the well-known and accepted scholars who adhered to the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his pious successors dealt with such an issue. The Muslim should cling dearly to their ways. When he does this, he will be safe from innovations and misguidance. Allah knows best. "Bite onto that with your molar teeth." The Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to his sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided successors as being one entity .1 This implies the closeness between the two and the fact that they were following the same path as his path. This is further evidence that the path oflslam is one and not many.2 There is only the correct path of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). His path is one path and it is the same path as the path of the rightly-guided successors after him. Anyone who claims any other way has fallen into innovations and misguidance. The exhortation to bite onto their way with one's molar teeth is a way of expressing how closely one should adhere to their path. One must cling to their way in a manner similar to how one bites onto something with one's molar teeth. If anyone tries to pull away what the person is biting on, it would be difficult. Similarly, it would be very difficult to pull the believer away from the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers who tread his path. 1 In other words, he said ƕ instead ofƖ. The former would be translated as, "stick to those two," instead of, "stick to that." 2 Cf., Taataay, pp. 234-235. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi This portion of the hadith, as al-Haitami points out, may also be implying the type of patience that it takes to strictly adhere to the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him). One must have great patience to stick to that path and the only way that can be done is to stick to it in a manner similar to the way one bites onto something with his molar teeth. 1 "And avoid newly-introduced matters." What is being referred to here are those matters that are newly­ introduced into the religion after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), also known as bidah or heresies. This is not in reference to technical innovations and matters of that nature which are, in most cases, permissible. In general, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not restrict what people did for their material or technical welfare in worldly matters. In fact, the Prophet (peace be upon him) once told his companions, when they had stopped cross­ pollinating dates, J / ,; ,; ,; V LP '1: ª '1-&: 0f WI ઴ : t. - ? , : , · - uu.-:- c.S- "Allah refuses to accept the deeds of the companion of innovations until he leaves his innovation."2 It is true that people who follow innovations are not following the path of Allah and, it should be noted, that the path of Allah is one path and only one path. Abdullah ibn Masood said, "The Prophet (peace be upon him) drew a line for us and then said, 'This is the path of Allah.' Then he drew some lines on the right and the left of the first one and said, 'These are paths upon each of which is a devil calling to it.' Then he recited the verse, 'This is My Straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, as you will then stray from His way. "'3 Thus, there is only one path of guidance and that is what is found in the Quran and sunnah. Such is also the path of the rightly-guided successors. That path is the opposite of the paths of innovations. 1 Recorded by al-Tabaraani. According to al-Albaani, it is sahih. See al-Albaani, sahih al­ Targheeb wa al-Tarheeb, vol. 1, pp. 25-26. Al-Shaatibi has offered an explanation for why there is a barrier between the innovator and repentance. He says,"The reason they are away from repentance is because it is hard for them to obey the shareeah because they are following a way that opposes the shareeah and that is only consistent with their own desires. The truth is very hard on them. Their souls only follow what they like and do not wish to follow any other thing. Every innovation is followed due to the power of desires as its source is their invention and not the shareeah .... Furthermore, the innovator claims to be following some proof and claims to be implementing the shareeah [therefore, it is very hard for him to repent and follow the real truth]." Al-Shaatibi, Itisaam, vol. I , p. 124. 2 Recorded by ibn Maajah and ibn Abu Aasim. According to al-Albaani, it is sahih. See al-Albaani, sahih al-Targheeb wa al-Tarheeb, vol. 1, p. 26. 3 Recorded by Ahmad. According to al-Albaani, it is sahih.