Part 17

* Khazar, a nomadic people in the Southern Russian Steppes who flourished in the early Islamic

such as Malik? and Abu Hanifah* and all the recorded answers of Ahmad [Ibn Hanbal] are in agreement on this matter. However, Ahmad advanced an opinion concerning the Christian tribe of Taghlub. In one report it is stated that it is lawful to marry their women and eat their meat, which is also the opinion of the Companions. The other report states that it is not lawful, which follows the opinion of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. This is not because of their kinship but because they desired to stay with the ranks of the People of the Book simply because they liked to drink wine and perform similar acts. It was reported, on behalf of ‘Ata’, that some of the Successors thought it was because of kinship. Such thinking was supported by al-Shafi‘I and by some of the followers of Ahmad. Those who supported this idea discussed it in detail. This is especially true among mixed marriages in which one of the parents comes from the People of the Book. The claim that this line of thinking is supported by Ahmad and his followers is completely wrong. He did not base his judgment at all on kinship.

Malik ibn Anas, Abu ‘Abd Allah (?-179 A.H.), was a well-known jurist and the founder of the Maliki School of Law that is named after him. He was frequently referred to as the Imam of alMadinah. His famous work of hadith, Kitab al-Muwatta” is considered the earliest surviving book on hadith. {£./. 2, vol. 6, pp. 262-65 and al-Fihrist, vol. 2, p. 1037.]

Abu Hanifah, al-Nu‘man ibn Thabit (?-150 A.H.), was a famous jurist who founded the Hanafi School of Law that is named after him. He died in Baghdad and was buried there. Both the quarter and the mausoleum where he is buried are even today called al-A‘zamiyyah (i.e.,al-Imam al-A‘zam). {E-1. 2, vol. 1, p. 23 and al-Fihrist, vol. 2, p.994.]

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from among them who said: “What is meant by this is specific and no generalization is intended by it.” Allah, the Exalted, reveals, after the peace covenant of al-Hudaybiyyah: “. . . Likewise, hold not the disbelieving women as wives . . ." (60:10). What is meant by this is that Allah forbids Muslims to stay married to unbelieving women. And most people at that time were married to either polytheists or idol-worshiping women. Therefore, women from the People of the Book were not included.

The Meanings of the Terms the Righteous, the Witness and the Sincere

Each of the following words—al-salih, the righteous one, al-shahid, the witness, and al-siddiq, the sincere one—may be cited [in the Qur’an or the Sunnah} separately to refer to the Prophets. Allah says about al-Khalil [i.e., the Prophet Abraham]: “. .. We granted him his reward in this life; and he is in the Hereafter [in the company] of the righteous ones” (29:27); and “. .. We gave him [Abraham] good in this world, and he will be, in the Hereafter, in the ranks of the righteous ones” (16:122). Al-Khalil said: “Oh, my Lord! Bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous ones” (26:83). Yiisuf [Joseph] said: “...[Oh, Allah] Let me die as a Muslim and unite me with the righteous ones” (12:101). Sulayman [Solomon] said: “... And admit me, by Your grace, to the ranks of Your righteous ones” (27:19). The Prophet (pbuh) spoke to people who prayed reciting: “Peace be upon Allah before His Servants, peace be upon the Angel Gabriel, peace be upon the Angel Mika’il [Michael], and peace be upon so and so.” The Messenger of Allah said to us one day: “Indeed Allah is Himself Peace. When any one of you sits during the prayers, he should say: ‘All services rendered by words, by acts of worship, and all good things are due to Allah.’ Peace be upon you, Oh, Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah’s righteous servants, for when he says this it reaches every righteous servant in Heaven and on earth” (as recorded in Sahih Muslim).

The word, righteous, may be associated with other terms. Allah says: “. . . Whosoever obeys Allah and the Messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah, of the Prophets, the sincere ones, the witness, and the righteous ones” (4:69). Al-Zajjaj and others said: “The righteous one is he who fulfills the rights of Allah and His Servants.” In fact, the word, righteous, means

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the opposite of the word al-fasid, the corrupt. Accordingly, when the word, righteous, is used in an absolute sense it means one who works and stays righteous without being corrupted. That is, he is one whose inward works and sayings correspond exactly to his outward obedience to Allah. On this basis, righteous, refers to the Prophets and those who are below them. In the verse mentioned above (4:69), the words, the righteous ones, were used in conjunction with the phrase, the Prophets, who in turn are described in different verses of the Quran as being righteous ones. Allah says: “Mentioned in the Book is the story of Abraham: He was a sincere man, a Prophet” (19:41) and “Also mentioned in the Book is the case of Idris: He was a sincere man, a Prophet” (19:56).

The word al-shahid, witness, [in the same verse] is associated with the words “the sincere ones” and “the righteous ones.” Allah says: “. . . The Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward; and a just decision pronounced between them” (39:69). The word, witness, is attached to the people, and described the community as a whole as in Allah’s saying: “Thus We made of you a community justly balanced that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger will be a witness upon you . . .” (2:143). Such a witness is tied to the witness among the people and is like the witness mentioned in Allah’s saying: “Why did they not bring four witnesses to prove it? . . .” (24:13) and “. .. And get two witnesses of your own men. . .” (2:282). In these two verses the connotation of the meaning of the word, witness, is not intended to be the absolute meaning but rather as in Allah’s saying: “. . . [Allah] may choose witnesses from among you . . .” (3:140).

The Meanings of the Terms Disobedience, Sin and Unbelief

In this chapter the focus will be on explaining the terms al-ma‘siyyah, disobedience, al-fusiiq, sin, and al-kufr, unbelief. If the word, disobedience, is used in an absolute sense with reference to Allah and His Messenger, then unbelief and sin are implied, as indicated in the words of Allah. Allah says: “. . . For any that disobey Allah and His Messenger, for them is Hellfire; they shall dwell therein forever” (72:23) and: “Such were the people of ‘Ad; they rejected the Signs of their Lord, disobeyed His Messengers and followed the command of every powerful, obstinate transgressor” (11:59). This verse generalizes the use of the term, disobedience, beyond that of the people of ‘Ad to all Messengers, although they disobeyed only the Prophet Hiid. This is because they rejected the idea that Allah would send down any Messenger as indicated in this verse. Allah says: “. . . But we rejected him and said: ‘Allah never sent down any (Message)’” (67:9). Parallel to this sort of disobedience is that of the one who gives the lie to truth and turns away, as indicated in Allah’s saying: “None shall reach it but those most unfortunate ones who give the lie to truth and turn their backs” (92:15~16). Therefore, he is the one who gives the lie to the truth of Allah’s sending down Messengers and who turns away from obeying Allah. For people should believe in what the Messengers have brought to them, and obey their commands. Similarly, Allah says about Pharaoh: “But he rejected it and disobeyed (guidance)” (79:21). About the unbeliever Allah says: “So he neither believed nor did he pray! But on the contrary, he rejected truth and turned away!” (75:31—32). That is, an unbeliever gave the lie to the truth of sending down the Messengers and turned away from obedience to Allah. By contrast, Iman is believing in what the Messengers have brought and obeying their commands. Allah says: “. . . Even as

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We sent a Messenger to Pharaoh, Pharaoh disobeyed the Messenger . . .”

The expression al-tawali, turning away (from obedience), is mentioned in different verses of the Qur’4n. For example, Allah says: “. .. You shall be summoned [to fight] against a people given to vehement war; then shall you fight, or they shall submit. Then if you show obedience, Allah will grant you a goodly reward, but if you turn back, as you did before, He will punish you with a grievous penalty” (48:16). In many verses of the Qur’an, Allah rebukes those who turn away from obedience, thus indicating that obeying Allah and His Messenger, as well as admonishing those who turn away from obedience, are obligations. Thus absolute command requires complete obedience. In His saying: “But Pharaoh disobeyed the Messenger . . .” (73:16);' Allah admonishes people who turn away from His obedience, regardless of the kind of disobedience they commit. Indeed, it is said that the eternal penalty mentioned in the Qur’an is limited to warning unbelievers who commit certain kinds of disobedience. Allah says: “If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein forever, the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him” (4:93). Regarding transgressing Allah’s limits by deviating from what He says about dividing inheritance [Allah says]: He who disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein; and shall have a humiliating punishment” (4:14). The disobedience expressed in this verse is conditioned in a particular sense to those who disobey and transgress Allah’s limits. Allah also says: “. .. Thus did Adam disobey His Lord, and allow himself to be seduced” (20: 121). This is also a particular kind of disobedience. Allah says: “.. . until your courage failed you and you disagreed about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you [ the spoils} which you love . . .” (3:152). Disobedience in this verse makes reference to a specific event which is the disobedience of al-rumat, marksmen, against the orders of the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet ordered them to hold their own positions even when they saw that the Muslims were victorious. Thus, some of them disobeyed the order of their leader and they were attracted by the prospect of the spoils. Allah also says: “. .. and He has made hateful to you unbelief, sin, and rebellion . . .” (49:7). These three attributes are given in sequence. Allah also says: “. . . [that believing women] will