The Phenomenon of Responding to Islamic Evidence with Personal Desires

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. Dear brothers, with Allah's help, we continue our series in defense of Sharia. In the episode "The Corruptions of Islamizing Democracy," we discussed corruptions resulting from engaging in political work devoid of Islamic controls. Then, in subsequent episodes, we explained one of the negative ideological effects, which is the spread of the concept of absolute popular sovereignty, even over Sharia.

Today, we discuss another negative intellectual effect, a dangerous phenomenon that requires a pause, contemplation, and reform. This is the tendency of people to disrespect the Islamic text and oppose it with intellectual doubts.

Manifestations of Responding to Islamic Evidence with Personal Desires

When we discuss a certain behavior and explain its prohibition through the Quran and Sunnah, the usual responses from those who justify and defend are purely intellectual, devoid of evidence. We say to them: Allah the Almighty has said, and His Messenger, peace be upon him, has said, and they say: This path is not effective, circumstances have changed, your statement necessitates leaving the field to the secularists, if we do what you say, the call will decline and Muslims will be thrown into prisons, your statement will mislead many people, your presentation is oversimplifying the issue, the situation is more complex than this, if we do what you say, our enemies will gang up on us and we will lose our gains, and then there is no consolation for the foolish.

Some even speak with phrases like: Theorizing is easy, but when entering the arena, things differ, your words are idealistic examples that are difficult to apply when facing pressures. They say these phrases with the tone of an experienced person with a comprehensive vision and wise outlook, who has been tempered by life, addressing a naive, enthusiastic young man. Yet, these phrases are nothing but a veiled rejection of the texts of the Book and Sunnah and an accusation of their inadequacy and insufficiency, all revolving around a phrase said by those before them: "If we follow the guidance with you, we will be taken away from our land" [Al-Qasas: 57].

When we address them with "Allah has said and His Messenger has said," we assume that we have settled the matter and ended the discussion, because we are addressing Muslims. They may say: "The Prophet compromised in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah," "Islam cannot call for what you say," "What you say is your understanding of the verses," "You cling to one text and do not look at the subject comprehensively." Fine, we ask them: Bring us the correct understanding, bring us the other texts. No answer, but rather gelatinous statements and following of desires.

When we say "intellectual doubts," we are using a term that people have agreed upon, otherwise, they are followed desires. As for the intellect, it leads to following the transmitted reports and submitting to the judgment of Allah the Almighty.

The Danger of Responding to Islamic Texts with Intellectual Doubts

Here, we say to our brothers: This method involves rejecting the judgment of Allah and His Messenger. Islam is built on complete submission and surrender to the judgments of Allah the Almighty, with trust, certainty, and faith that "Perhaps you dislike something, and it is good for you; and perhaps you love something, and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you do not know" [Al-Baqarah: 216]. Islam is built on doing something contrary to your desires and intellect, with trust, certainty in the knowledge, wisdom, and mercy of Allah.

Responding to Islamic texts with intellectual doubts is a lack of respect and honor for them. Honor is not in kissing the Quran and hanging its verses as decorations in homes. Allah the Almighty has said: "The only statement of the believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, is that they say, 'We hear and we obey.' And those are the successful" [An-Nur: 51]. Therefore, whoever claims faith has no response but this.

Brothers, Allah the Almighty has forbidden the believers from doing an act or deciding a matter before the permission of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: "O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] forward before Allah and His Messenger" [Al-Hujurat: 1]. So how is it with one who receives a command from Allah and His Messenger and responds to it with his intellectual doubts? Does he not fear that his deeds will be rendered void while he is unaware?

Allah the Almighty has forbidden even raising one's voice in the presence of the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: "O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, and do not be loud to him in speech as you are loud to one another, lest your deeds become null while you perceive not" [Al-Hujurat: 2]. He, peace be upon him, raised his voice in his presence, as in the narration of Bukhari, and they were admonished: "lest your deeds become null while you perceive not." So how is it with one who is told: Allah has said and His Messenger has said, and he responds: But I see that the reality and the consequences?

Our problem with these people is not that they respond to the Book and Sunnah with the Book and Sunnah. If they had said: Perhaps this verse is general and there is a verse that specifies it, or perhaps it is absolute and there is a verse that restricts it, or perhaps it is abrogated, or perhaps the hadith is not authentic, or perhaps you have not understood the verse or hadith correctly, and the correct understanding is such and such, or perhaps you have not properly understood the context and applied the evidence incorrectly. If the responses were of this kind, the matter would have been easy and dialogue and reaching a conclusion would have been possible. But they say: Political work requires, and the stage demands.

Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmu' al-Fatawa: "And in the saying of Allah the Almighty: 'They argue about the verses of Allah without any authority having come to them' [Ghafir: 35], it is explained that it is not permissible to oppose the Book of Allah with anything other than the Book of Allah, neither by the action of anyone nor by his command, neither by a state nor by politics. For these are the ones who argue about the verses of Allah without any authority having come to them." Therefore, this is an argument about the verses of Allah that deserves the wrath of Allah, O servant of Allah, beware. Allah the Almighty has said: "Those who argue about the verses of Allah without any authority having come to them, with Allah that is greatly hated and with those who have believed" [Ghafir: 35]. Everyone who smells the scent of faith hates such a response to the speech of Allah.

Ibn Rajab said in Jami' al-'Ulum wa al-Hikam: "As for if the listener's intention is directed, upon hearing the command and prohibition, to matters that may or may not happen, then this is something that enters the prohibition and discourages one from striving in following the command." And these people say: If we respond to what you say, then such and such will happen and we will lose everything.

Examples from the Salaf in Rejecting This Phenomenon

Bashir bin Ka'b once said, "We find in some books or wisdom that there is tranquility and dignity for Allah in it, and there is weakness in it." 'Imran became so angry that his eyes turned red and said, "Shall I not inform you about the Messenger of Allah? Shall I not inform you about the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and then you contradict it?"

Ibn Majah reported that 'Ubada bin As-Samit mentioned that the Prophet, peace be upon him, forbade taking two dirhams with one dirham. A man said, "I see no harm in this, hand in hand." 'Ubada said, "Do I say that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said this and you say there is no harm in it? By Allah, I will never be under the same roof as you. By Allah, I will never be under the same roof as you." And notice, my brothers, that these responses which the Companions rejected were slips that escaped from the speaker's mouth, not expecting anything but that he would repent from it, and it was not a continuous, established methodology that they would respond to the texts with.

We conclude with a precious statement by Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, in "Madarij al-Salikin," where he said, "Was there anyone among the Companions who, when he heard a statement from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would oppose it with his own judgment, taste, opinion, intellect, or policy? Or was there anyone who would prioritize his own intellect, judgment, taste, policy, or imitation of others over a statement from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him? Indeed, Allah honored their eyes and protected them from looking at anyone in such a state or from being in their time. Indeed, 'Umar bin al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, ruled with the sword against anyone who prioritized his own judgment over a statement from the Messenger, saying, 'This is a judgment within a judgment.'"

By Allah - Ibn al-Qayyim's speech continues - by Allah, how would he have reacted if he had seen what we have seen and witnessed what we have witnessed of the prioritization of the opinion of every so-and-so over the statement of the infallible one, peace be upon him, and the enmity towards those who reject their opinions and prioritize the statement of the infallible one? Allah is the one whose help is sought, and He is the one who will fulfill His promise, and to Him is the return. His speech ends, may Allah have mercy on him.

Conclusion

We ask Allah to guide the misguided among the Muslims and to make this speech clear in the hearts of those who hear and accept our works. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.