Understanding the Holy Quran and Hadith is not easy at all

 

Understanding the Holy Quran and Hadith is not easy at all

 

I (i.e. Hadhrat ‘Urwa (May Allah be well pleased with him)) expressed my opinion to Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) that there would be no problem if anyone does not perform the Sa’ee of Safa and Marwah.  She asked me:  Why do you say it?  I told her because Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Verily, Safa and Marwa are indeed amongst the signs of Allah. So, he who performs Hajj (Pilgrimage) or ‘Umra (Visitation) to the House of Allah, there is no sin on him if he ambulates (i.e., walks up and down between) the two.  Surah Baqarah (2:158)

 

This shows that one should not perform the Sa’ee of Safa and Marwah.  If someone does perform it, there is no problem either.

 

She said:  That fact is that is the days of ignorance, there were 2 idols there, named Asaaf and Naaila.  It was the custom of the Medinians that they would wear the Ihraam from the seashore and circumambulate them.  Some would wear the Ihraam in the name of “Manaat” and they would consider the circumambulation of the 2 aforementioned idols as forbidden.  Later on, when they embraced Islam and wanted to perform Hajj, because of the 2 idols (that were there earlier), they began to consider the Sa’ee as Undesirable.  On this, the aforementioned verse of the Holy Quran was revealed that if they perform Sa’ee now, there is neither problem, as neither those idols exist nor that intention.

 

Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also performed Sa’ee and all Muslims followed Him.  As such it became a Sunnah and necessary.

 

If the intent was that there is no problem if the Sa’ee is not performed as you think, then the words would have been different.

 

Just see!  Based on the words of the Holy Quran, every person will think that not performing the Sa’ee is better.  However, Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with him) was well aware of the background of the revelation of the verse and she replied to it.  On that occasion, the intent was only to clean their minds of the thought that the Sa’ee is Undesirable.  As far as other details are concerned, what is the time for Sa’ee and whether will one be held to account if one doesn’t perform it, etc., all these affairs are dealt with only a sentence: 

 

..and whatever the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gives you, accept it, and desist from whatever He forbids you  Surah Hashr (59:07)

 

This shows that the Holy Quran contains everything and indeed Islam has been completed, but without the Hadith no one’s religion can be perfected.  Thus, understanding the subject matter of the Holy Quran is not for everyone. 

 

[Excerpted from Haqeeqatul Fiqh, Vol. 1, 161, 162]