Manners of Disagreement in Islam
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal used to consider that ablution (Wudu) will be voided if blood came out of the nose or if someone did cupping (Hijamah). When he was asked, “Would you pray behind someone from whom blood came out of his nose or did Hijamah?” He replied, “How would I not pray behind Imam Malek and Saied Ibn Al Musayyab?” When Imam Al Shafei prayed dawn (Fajr) in the Mosque of Abu Hanifa, he did not make Supplication (Qunoot) although it is a Sunnah (Mouakkadah) in his Mazhab; when questioned why? He said, “How would I disagree (practicing against Abu Hanifa’s Mazhab) while I am in his presence?”Such were the examples set by our great Imams. While disagreeing about matters, they still held respect for each other and practiced acts of worship even if it was from a school of Fiqh (Mazhab) different than the one they adopted.
Allah (SW) created people differently in size, color, race and minds. The well being of our world is based on such diversity, Allah (SW) said: {yet, (still), had your Lord so willed, He would, most surely, have made all people one (faith)-community. But (He has endowed them with moral choice; thus) they shall not cease being disputants (regarding faith)- except for (the firm believe among them, to) whom your Lord shows mercy-and for this (choice) did He create them} 11:118/119.
In this article I will be focusing on the reasons behind the natural positive disagreements about ideas in Islam and its practices and on the Islamic manners that should go along with it. Indeed, there are hated, dangerous, negative and harmful disagreements that Allah (SW) and His Prophet (PBUH) spoke against in the Quran and Sunnah which separates people into different ideologies and concepts about God and the truth that came with His Prophets. Such harmful disagreements are the ones motivated by pure desires and whims, Allah (SW) said: {so is it that whenever a messenger comes to you with a (message) that your souls do not desire, you grow so very arrogant and you belie some (messengers), while others you kill} 2:87. Such disagreement mentioned in this verse led people to reject the truth that came with Prophets, and even elevated to criminal actions by killing those Prophets. Following whims and desires will lead people to be unjust and unfair in making choices, as Allah (SW) said: {so do not follow whim such that you pervert equity} 4:135.
Positive disagreements under the umbrella of Islam occurred during the time of the Prophet (PBUH), Sahabah and Tabeien. Sahabah differed on the place of the battle of Uhud and where it should have been fought. They differed over the Prophet's death (PBUH), whether it happened or not, over his place of burial, over who would be his successor (Khalifah), over fighting people who rejected Zakah, and many other major or minor areas. Yet they preserved for us the rich history of combining the art of positive disagreement and the manners that should be associated with such positive disagreements.
These positive differences existed because of the way Quran and Sunnah were interpreted. For example, the Prophet (PBUH) once told a group of Sahabah, “Let no one of you pray ASR but in (the tribe) of Bani Quraitha.”[1] Some said, “We shall not pray until we reach (it.)” and some said, “We shall pray (on time.)” The first group took the literal meaning of the text and said we will not pray until we arrive in Bani Quraitha, and the other group understood a certain deeper meaning (that they were expected to arrive by ASR at Bani Quraitha but not that ASR should be delayed if they did not). When they brought this matter to the Prophet (PBUH), he approved both methods of understanding.
As to the literal meaning of the text, it is clear for the scholars who know the Arabic language how to interpret it, and you will rarely find much disagreement in that. But scholars put guidelines to weigh the validity of interpretations into the deep meanings of the Quran and Sunnah,. Next to piety, knowledge and sincerity interpreting the deep meaning of the text (Al Ta’weel) was seen in three levels, two are accepted and one is not:
1. The close Ta’weel (Al Qareeb). It is the ability of understanding a meaning that the text carries in its language. For example, Allah (SW) said: {indeed, those who consume the wealth of the orphan unjustly are only consuming fire into their bellies} 4:10. It is a very close interpretation to say consuming the money of an orphan for personal gain is equal to donating the money to someone else.
2. The far Ta’weel (Al Ba’eed). It is the Ta’weel that needs deeper looking into the text with the condition that the text carries such meaning in the language. For example, Imam Al Shafei concluded that consensus (Ijma’) is a major source of ruling after Quran and Sunnah because of this verse, {but whoever rebels against the Messenger after the (revealed) guidance has become clear to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We shall turn him over to that which he (himself) has turned. And We shall roast him in Hell-and what an evil destination it is!} 4:115 in this verse {and follows other than the way of the believers} Imam Shafei concluded that consensus (Ijma’) is a source of ruling in Islam saying that there shall always be a path or way for the believers to follow and for that it is the Ijma’.
3. The far unlikely Ta’weel (Al Mustab’ad). It is the interpretation that the text does not carry it in relation to language. For example when people interpret that the verse: {and landmarks. And by the star (they) are guided} 16:16 is saying that the star is the Prophet (PBUH) and the landmarks are the scholars! This kind of interpretation is a forced one into the verse and no true scholar will include such meaning to the verse. Another example; {about what are they asking one another? About the great tiding} 78:1 saying that the great tiding is Imam Ali![2] Any fair scholar would tell the meaning is all about the Day of Judgement for all the verses after that is detailing such great tiding as being the Day of Judgment.
Ibn Abbas left us with a great rule of how to understand Al Ta’weel especially in relation to language. He said, “Al Ta’weel is of four kinds; one is known only by Allah, one is known by scholars, one is known by Arab in relation to their language and one leaves no excuse not to be known.”[3]
The four practiced and famous schools of Fiqh are a great example of the positive disagreement among them. They were all (Abu Hanifa, Malek, Shafei and Ahmad) seeking the truth in their point of view. One of the great statements that illustrated the methodology of the combination between positive disagreement and manners was said by Imam Shafei when he said, “My view is correct with a possibility of being wrong, and another's view is wrong with a possibility of being correct.” When the Khalifa Al Mansour wanted to enforce the book of Imam Malek (Al Muwatta) as the Fiqh reference to all Muslim Lands, Imam Malek refused and said, “Prince of believers, do not do that, for people have previously known (different) ways and heard Hadiths and narrated narrations… so leave people of each town to choose for themselves.”[4]
The differences among such schools can be related to language, narration of Hadiths and sources of rulings. What is most noticeable is that regardless of their disagreement they demonstrated the best example in keeping the Islamic manners among them.
Finally in relation to our time and place, Muslims in the US are diverse on many levels. It very important and essential to keep the community together and united by educating each other about this rich history of positive disagreements combined with manners. We need to urge people to invest in studying and learning about this history, sponsor young men and women to study Islam and work in the field of Daawa for this purpose in the Muslim community, have the leaders of organizations demonstrate such values in their leadership, and open our hearts to welcome our differences as a sign of strength not of going against each other. The great Imam Mohammad Rida said, “Let us work together on what we agree upon and give excuses to what we differ upon.”
Sh Kifah Mustapha
[1] Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari through Abdullah Ibn Omar
[2] Refer to Tafseer Al Quran by Ali Alqumi and refer to Usool Alkafee
[3] “Manners of disagreement” by Alwani
[4] Hujjatul Allah Albaligha