Remembering Hadith doesn't mean understanding it

[Many people think that memorizing Hadith is equal to understanding it. Here, we present a classic piece by Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwarullah Farooqui, the founder of Jamia Nizamia, on this very issue]

There is a Hadith in Sunan Daarimi which says:  Most of those who relate Hadith don’t have any relation with understanding it. 

 

The intent of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in that task of the experts of Hadith (Muhadditheen) is to convey the Traditions to the Jurists (Fuqaha) so that contemplate over them and extract highly beneficial points from them, which are beyond the ability of the narrator of the Tradition……..There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul ‘Ummal, which says:  It is narrated on the authority of the Imams of the Prophet’s Family that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  You acquire understanding.  Don’t be of those who relate.

 

Thus it is established through many Hadith that the intent of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was not only the conveyance of Hadith, but to contemplate over them and convey them to the Jurists, whose responsibility was to extract rulings from the Hadith as time and need demanded.

 

Every person who narrates Hadith can’t be called a Jurist because linguistically, the meaning of the word, “Faqeeh” can’t be applied to someone who relates Hadith, neither linguistically nor as per the terminology of the Shariah.  “Fiqh” literally means to split, to open, as ‘Allama Zamakshari has written in “Faaiq”: “Fiqh” means to split and to open and a “Faqeeh” (Jurist) is such a scholar who contemplate over the rules and gain access to their reality and open up complex and abstruse matters.

 

As a narrator Hadith has nothing to do with any of the aforementioned tasks, thus he can’t be a Jurist.  Wherever the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used this word, He also clarified that many narrators of Hadith aren’t Jurists, which shows that every expert of Hadith can’t be a Jurist.  Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also praised Jurists.  There is a Hadith in Jame’ Ul Sagheer:  Every thing has a pillar on which it depends and the pillar of this religion is Fiqh (Jurisprudence). Also:  A thousand worshippers are not as hard on Satan as a single Jurisprudent is.

 

Apart from these, there are many other Hadith in which Fiqh has been praised and its virtues extolled.  This shows that among the experts of Hadith, the Jurisprudents are distinguished and are seated on even higher stations.  There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul ‘Ummal, in Kitab Ut Taharah, the substance of which is:

 

Mujahid says:  Once me,‘Ata, Taoos and ‘Akrama (May Allah shower His mercy on them) were sitting together and Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) was offering Salaat.  One man came and asked:  Whenever I urinate, some liquid (semen) comes out.  Does this make a bath Compulsory (Wajib).  We asked: Is it the same liquid through which children are begotten?  He said:  Yes.  We said:  Then a full bath becomes Compulsory on you.  That person went away muttering “Inna Lillah………”  Hadhrat Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) finished his Salaat fast and asked ‘Akrama to call back that person.  When he returned, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah (May Allah be well pleased with him) asked us:  Did you give a ruling from the Holy Quran?  We said:  No.  He asked:  From Hadith?  We said:  No.  He asked:  From the sayings of the Companions?  We said:  No.  He asked:  So on whose opinion did you give this ruling?  We said:  On our own opinion.  Hearing this, he said:  That’s why the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said that one Jurist is harder on Satan than 1000 worshippers.  Then he asked that man:  When that liquid comes out after urination, do you have any lust, i.e. desire of women?  That man said:  No.  Do your muscles relax after it?  He said:  No.  Then he said:  In this situation, only ablution is enough for you.

 

When Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) saw that the Hadith-Experts were mistaken and they gave a ruling based on only the linguistic meaning of it and didn’t contemplate over the reason for bath, he understood that there was no Jurist among them.  If there was any Jurist among them, he would certainly have contemplated the reason why a bath becomes Compulsory.

 

This shows that the praise showered on the Jurists in the Hadith, requires a very high level of intelligence.  Even Mujahid, ‘Ata, Taoos, ‘Akrama (May Allah shower His mercy on them) weren’t considered Jurists.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said that a Jurist is harder on Satan than 1000 worshippers.  This is because what Satan wants is to make people do things against the Shariah.  The worship of the worshipper doesn’t leave him (or her) enough time to contemplate over the meanings and intent and give a ruling that is as per the intent of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)?  The different sciences of the Hadith-Experts didn’t allow them to do so either.  This is the specialty of the Jurist.