With the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Bestower Of Mercy The Qur’aan Makes Obligatory Knowledge of Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) And Obedience To Him Understanding Al-Qur'aan Volume 3, Issue 10                     Jumaada Ath-Thaani 1420/October 1999 We again wish to reinforce the principle of adherence to the sunnah and the impossibility of separating the authority of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in the form of the authentic Sunnah from Islam as a source of guidance for all Muslims for all time. The increased activities of deviant groups that cast doubt or utterly reject this principle has again come to our attention. They claim to follow the Qur’aan alone. They obviously contradict themselves, yet they play upon the lack of knowledge among their victims and human weakness which seeks “shortcuts” to religion. Indeed, the Sunnah restricts people from interpreting the Qur’aan in any manner they wish, so these deviants quite naturally seek to do away with it. Knowledge about Allah’s final Messenger Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is an obligation upon every Muslim. This knowledge is such that it makes the person accept whatever he (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) brought – the guidance and the religion of truth; and such that he affirms and attests to the truth of whatever Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) informed us of; complies with whatever orders he gave; avoids whatever he forbade; judges by the revealed laws (sharee’ah) which he came with; and is fully pleased with his judgement. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says, But no, by your Lord, they do not have faith until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all matters of dispute between them, and they find no resistance in themselves against your decisions, and accept them with full submission. [An-Nisaa (4) Aayah 65] The only saying of the true believers when they are called to the judgement of His Messenger in matters of dispute, is that they say: We hear and obey. They are the successful who will dwell forever in Paradise. [An-Noor (24) Aayah 51] And if you differ with regard to any of the affairs of your religion, then refer it back to the Book of Allah and (the sunnah of) His Messenger if you are truly believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is what is good and better in its final outcome. [An-Nisaa (4) Aayah 59] Let those who oppose the command (of the Messenger) in any of their affairs fear and beware that a trial (unbelief, hypocrisy or heresy) should befall them or a severe punishment. [An-Noor (24) Aayah 63] Imam Ahmed (rahimahullah) said, “Do you know what the trial is? The trial is shirk (polytheism) since if he rejects anything from his (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) sayings, then some form of heresy may be cast into his heart and cause him to be destroyed.” Allah sent a Messenger to us, so whoever obeys him will enter Al-Jannah. We sent revelation to you (O Muhammad), just as We sent revelation to Nooh and the Prophets after him; and We sent revelations to Ibraaheem, Ismaa’eel, Ishaaq, Ya’qoob, the sons of Ya’qoob, ‘Eesaa, Yoonus, Haaroon, and Sulaymaan; and We gave the Zaboor to Dawood. And We sent revelation to messengers about whom We have related to you previously, and to messengers about whom We have not related to you; and Allah spoke directly to Moosa, Messengers as bearers of good tiding and warners, so that the people should have no excuse before Allah after the sending of the Messengers. And Allah is always the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [An-Nisaa (4) Aayaat 163 – 165] It is not possible for us to worship Allah in the manner he is pleased with except by means of the Messengers (‘alaihimus salaam), since they are the ones who explained to us what Allah loves and is pleased with, and whatever will draw us closer to Him, the Mighty and Majestic. Therefore, it was from Allah’s wisdom that He sent Messengers to the creation as bearers of good tiding and warners. The evidence is the saying of Allah, the Most High, We sent a Messenger to you, O people, as a witness in favor of you or against you on the Day of Resurrection, just as We sent a messenger to the Pharoah. But the Pharoah denied and rejected the messenger, so we seized him with a severe punishment. [Al-Muzzammil (73) Ayaat 15 – 16] And obey Allah and obey the Messenger that you may receive Allah’s Mercy and hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and to Al-Jannah whose width is that of the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious who are obedient to Allah. [Aali ‘Imraan (3) Ayaat 132 – 133] And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, then Allah will enter him into the gardens of Paradise beneath which rivers flow, in which they will live forever, and that is the great success. [An-Nisaa (4) Aayah 13] And whoever obeys Allah and his Messenger. And fears Allah and His punishment and is therefore dutiful to Him, then they are the ones successful on the Day of Resurrection, attaining Allah’s Pleasure and salvation from the Fire. [An-Noor (24) Aayah 52] So whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, by submitting to their commands and being pleased with their judgement, and withholding from what they forbid, then he is with those who Allah has blessed with guidance and obedience in this world and with Al-Jannah in the Hereafter, with the prophets, their sincere followers who were upon their way, the martyrs, and the righteous; and what an excellent companionship in Paradise are they. [An-Nisaa (4) Aayah 71] And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has achieved the greatest success. [Al-Ahzaab (33) Aayah 71] The aayaat in this regard are many. As are those which prove that whoever rejects and disobeys the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) will enter Fire. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses the limits which He has laid down, then Allah will enter him into the Fire in which he will remain forever and receive a humiliating punishment. [An-Nisaa (4) Aayah 14] And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed strayed into clear error. [Al-Ahzaab (33) Aayah 36] And whoever disobeys and rejects Allah and His Messenger, and then he will burn in the Fire of Hell, remaining in it for eternity. [Al-Jinn (72) Aayah 23] We have focused on using the Qur’aan itself as proof to show the utter falsehood of those who would insist that the authority of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) or his Sunnah are not necessary components of Islam. If they claim to follow the Qur’aan alone then let them obey these clear ayaat and desist from following their own desires and whims. AQ Reference: Explanation Of The Three Fundamental Principles Of Islaam, Sh. Muhammad Ibn Saalih Ibn Al-‘Uthaimeen