The companions (Sahabah) expressed their own opinions about the religion of God

Question:

Did the companions of the Prophet (s.) only talk with evidence?

Answer:

Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi writes:

ونحن نعلم أن عيسى عليه السلام إذا نزل إنما يحكم بما أوحي إلى أخيه محمد صلى الله عليهما لا برأي مالك وأبي حنيفة ونحوهما فإن قالوا لا نقدر على الاجتهاد كذبوا وما يعجز أحد عن أن يسأل عن حكم الله وحكم رسوله والبحث عن السند والناسخ والمنسوخ فإن عجز عن ذلك لزمه الانقياد لما بلغه من القرآن وعن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم

“We know that when Jesus (a.) comes down, He judges only by what was revealed to His brother Muhammad (s.) and not by the opinion of Malik Ibn Anas and Abu Hanifah and those of their kind and when people say: “We cannot undertake any effort (Ijtihad)!” Then they have lied, because nobody is not able to inquire about the judgment of God and the judgment of His Messenger (s.) and to get to the chain and the abolishing and abolished texts, but if one is indeed incapable of doing so, he must abide by what came to him from the Qur’an and Prophet (s.).” [Mulakhkhas Ibtal Al-Qiyas, page 53]

فإن سالونا متى يجوز الاجتهاد في القول بالدليل قلنا في كل وقت لأن الدليل هو النص والاجتهاد هو طلب حكم الله من القرآن والسنة فقط وقد أيقنا أن ما لم ينص الله ولا رسوله عليه فإنه غير لازم لنا وإنه ساقط عنا فبطلت الحاجة إلى الرأي والقياس

“If we are asked: “When is the effort (Ijtihad) to make a statement with proof (Dalil) allowed?” Then we say: “At any time!” Because the proof (Dalil) is the source and the effort (Ijtihad) is only the striving for the judgment of God from the Qur’an and the custom (Sunnah) and we are convinced that everything about which there is no source from God and His Messenger (s.) is not binding and invalid for us and therefore the need for our own opinion and analogy (Qiyas) is unnecessary.” [Mulakhkhas Ibtal Al-Qiyas, page 40 – 41]

والرأي هو الحكم في الدين بغير نص بل بما يراه المفتي أحوط وأعدل في التحريم أو التحليل

“Personal opinion is judging in the religion without a source for it, but rather what the person giving the clarification (fatwa) thinks is safer and more just if it is forbidden or allowed.” [Mulakhkhas Ibtal Al-Qiyas, page 4]

وقد صح عن كثير من الصحابة الفتيا بالرأي

“It has been authentically (Sahih) reported about many of the companions (Sahabah) that they gave clarification (fatwa) according to their own opinion.” [Mulakhkhas Ibtal Al-Qiyas, page 6]

فاعلموا أن الصحابة لم يصحح أحد منهم القول بالرأي قط وإنما قال القائل منهم أقول فيها برأيي فإن كان صوابا فمن الله وإن كان خطأ فمن الشيطان والله ورسول الله بريئان هكذا روينا عن أبي بكر وابن مسعود ونحو ذلك عن عمر وابن عمر ثم ثبت عن الصحابة ذم الرأي مع قولهم به

“Know that none of the Companions (Sahaba) ever considered it right for you to express your own opinion and among them one used to say: “I express my own opinion and if it is right, it comes from God and if it is wrong, it comes from Satan and God and His Messenger have nothing to do with it.” This is exactly how it was narrated to us by Abu Bakr and Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud, and in a similar way by Umar and Abdullah Ibn Umar. So it is true about the Companions (Sahabah) that they disapproved of their own opinion, even though they expressed their own opinion.” [Mulakhkhas Ibtal Al-Qiyas, page 22]

ولم يأت عن أحد منهم القول بالقياس إلا في الرسالة المنسوبة إلى عمر رضي الله عنه وما روى بقية ثنا محمد بن عبد الرحمن عن حجاج ابن أرطاة عن الأحنف بن شعيب عن عاصم ابن ضمرة عن علي قال: القياس لمن عرف الحلال والحرام شفاء العالم وهذا موضوع والأحنف ومحمد مجهولان وأما الرسالة عن عمر ففيها: قس الأمور واعرف الأشباه والأمثال ثم اعمد إلى أولاها بالحق وأحبها إلى الله فاقض به وهذه رسالة لا تصح تفرد بها عبد الملك بن الوليد بن معدان عن أبيه وكلاهما متروك ومن طريق عبد الله بن أبي سعيد وهو مجهول ومثلها بعيد عن عمر

“None of the companions (Sahabah) have been reported to have used the analogy (Qiyas) except for a letter attributed to Umar and another tradition of Muhammad Ibn Abd Ar-Rahman who reported from Hajjaj Ibn Artah, who reported from Ahnaf Ibn Shu’aib, who reported from Asim Ibn Damrah that Ali said: “The analogy (qiyas) is used by one who knows what is allowed and forbidden, a cure of the knower. ” But this is a lie, and Ahnaf and Muhammad are two unknown persons, and as for the letter from Umar, it says: “Use analogy (qiyas) in things and know the similarities and comparisons. Then intend what is closest to the truth and dearest to God and judge with it.” But this letter is not authentic (Sahih) and is only narrated by Abd-ul-Malik Ibn Walid about his father and both were discarded and in the chain is also Abdullah Ibn Abi Sa’id who is an unknown person and it is absurd that a letter like this would come from Umar.” [Mulakhkhas Ibtal Al-Qiyas, page 6]