Chapter on What Eliminates 'Ujb Regarding One's Erroneous Opinions

Chapter on That by Which Self-Admiration for Erroneous Opinion Is Negated

I said: Do you see then the negation of self-admiration for erroneous opinion, when it is not a blessing — so I mention the grace of God, Mighty and Glorious, and do not attribute that to myself. Then how do I negate it, since you have made it clear to me that it is a trial, or an abasement, or a deficiency in religion?

He said: The servant may negate self-admiration for erroneous opinion through suspicion of his own nafs (self/soul) and through abandoning approval of anything from his opinion unless it is supported by a clear proof from the Book and the Sunna (Prophetic tradition), or analogy upon them, or derivation of a ruling in a new matter.

I said: And how does he suspect it, and what is it by which he attains its suspicion, when he has not tested it to know its faults?

He said: Through his knowledge of what it was created upon in its nature — that forgetfulness and heedlessness are among its characteristics, and the abundance of its errors, and the abundance of its slips, and its misinterpretation of what cannot be counted, many times over. In all of that he sees himself as correct, not doubting within himself regarding that, it not being made clear to him that he had been heedless and erred, and that his approval of that was from the direction of caprice and the embellishment of Satan.

And even if nothing prompted him to suspect it except what is known about the generality of these creatures — their errors, and their taking a stand in the religion of God, Mighty and Glorious, with other than the truth — along with the fact that all of them claim and profess the truth while being upon falsehood, and he does not doubt that he is right and truthful, and that whoever opposes him is an invalidator and liar — from all the people of falsehood, from the people of [other] religions, and from the people of innovations among the Muslims, and many of the people of legal opinions and rulings.

And he has already come to know that souls are close to one another in their nature — indeed, none of them at all is free from forgetfulness and heedlessness — and his own self is none other than from among the selves of creatures from the children of Adam, peace be upon him; his constitution is like their constitution, and his natural disposition is like their natural dispositions. Moreover, the one who adorns [falsehood] for them is one — and he is Satan, lying in wait for them with enmity, seeking for them slips and disobedience.

So when this self-knowledge becomes firmly established in his qalb (heart), he suspects it and does not hasten to approve of what he finds pleasing without examining the Book and the Sunna, or asking the people of knowledge and insight. And that has always been the way of the righteous knowers of God with themselves — they never ceased to be suspicious of their own opinions and fearful of their own selves.

Among that is what has been reported from Ibn Mas'ud, that people came to him repeatedly over the course of a month regarding a question about a woman whose husband died leaving her [unmarried, having not yet consummated the marriage] and had not set a bride-price for her. He stayed with them for a month out of fear of error in answering them — that being out of suspicion of himself and apprehension of making a mistake. Then, when he found no escape from making a statement on the matter, he said: "I will speak on it according to my own opinion. If it is correct, then it is from God, Mighty and Glorious; and if it is wrong, then it is from myself."

And similar to that has been reported from Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him.

And 'Umar, may God be pleased with him, said: "Truly, the opinion of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, was always correct, because God, Mighty and Glorious, used to show him [the right course]; but it [i.e., our opinion] is mere conjecture and contrivance."

And Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may God be pleased with him, said — [citing] the companions of the Messenger of God, may God be pleased with them — regarding His statement: «If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would surely be in hardship» [49:7] — then how much more so for those beneath them in much of the matter among the people?

And Qatada said regarding His statement, Mighty and Glorious: «If he were to obey you in much of the matter» — then are you sounder in judgment? For they were men who suspected their own opinions and took counsel from the Book of their Lord, Mighty and Glorious.

And Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may God be pleased with him, said: God Most High says to His Prophet, blessings be upon him: «If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would surely be in hardship» — and he said: And we are his Companions, yet how feeble in opinion!

And Ibn Mas'ud, may God be pleased with him, said: "O people, you have agreed upon opinion, and you have seen me — I was on the verge of striking with my sword — in disobedience to God, Mighty and Glorious, and disobedience to His Messenger, blessings be upon him."

And Sahl ibn Hanif said: "O people, suspect your own opinions."

And 'Umar, may God be pleased with him, said: "A man who suspects his own opinion — and you have seen my opinion on the day of Jandal — had I been able, I would have rejected the opinion of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him" — meaning on the day of al-Hudaybiyya, [when] Quraysh answered him [i.e., the Prophet] regarding their [demands].

The hadiths regarding that are many, and we have omitted mentioning them out of dislike for lengthiness.

I said: If knowledge is established through that, and their opinion has failed them, how does one hold firm so as not to err?

He said: Know that from the Book of God there are decisive verses (muhkamat) upon whose interpretation the Muslims have unanimously agreed. And from it is that which is ambiguous (mutashabih), in which there can be interpretation (ta'wil), and that is what has been differed over.

And from it is the ambiguous, concerning which none have differed except the people of deviation (zaygh), whom God, Mighty and Exalted, has informed us that they seek its interpretation out of seeking tribulation (fitna) — not because of what is in their hearts of deviation and misguidance.

And likewise the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is of this same station.

So let the servant who desires correctness know that God, Mighty and Exalted, guides him through it — that from the Book and the Sunnah there is that which is decisive, interpreted by consensus through recitation, and that this is clear, requiring no investigation or scrutiny; nor out of love — but rather [let him hold] suspicion against the nafs (the self), accepting it and avoiding it.

And that which admits of error and correctness — due to the weakness of the son of Adam, his forgetfulness, his heedlessness, the overpowering of his desire upon him, and his enemy's embellishment for him — is what has been differed over therein, or a novel matter requiring recourse to analogy and comparison with the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus (ijma').

At that point, he should suspect his own self, hold firm, and not hasten, since error therein was possible from him. Hastening and abandoning steadfastness is deception and error, and abandoning careful examination for the sake of religion, and failing to guard against speaking about God without the truth . So let him not hasten, but rather hold firm and be cautious, and let him avoid and not accept.

As for the interpretation of what the community has agreed upon, or that which in its disagreement resembles the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus, or an equivalent analogy — if the one doing so is among those permitted to make analogy and investigation, then let him do so. And if he is not one who may make analogy, let him not investigate but rather ask the scholars and examine their statements and what they have concluded.

And if one is among those who do not discern well and cannot distinguish — among those who do not know the lawful (halal) from the forbidden (haram) — for example, it has been reported that the hypocrite said regarding the abrogated (mansukh) that Muhammad commands his Companions with a matter and then forbids them from it the next day.

So upon those people there is nothing but taqlīd (imitation) of the scholars when they ask them, due to the weakness of their discernment, for they do not master discernment, and there is no need [for more than that].

And likewise with the non-Arabs and some women who do not master discernment.

And a man paused, and it became general that it has no interpretation.

And by that God, Exalted and Glorious, described those firmly rooted among the common people as making clear declaration of it, while leaving its interpretation in what does not contain a ruling binding upon the servants that they must act upon.

So this is what negates self-admiration (ʿujb) regarding opinions that are erroneous, so that you will not, God willing, be astonished at error in the religion of God, Exalted and Glorious, whether from mistaken interpretation or analogy.

I said: As for the deed by which one is not blessed, how can there be self-admiration in it?

He said: Relying upon your own strength and your patience that you have not tested from yourself, and your forgetting to await the grace (minna) of God, Exalted and Glorious, in that.

Al-Aḥnaf ibn Qays narrated from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that David, upon him be peace, said:

"O Lord, the Children of Israel ask You by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Ibn ʿAbbās said regarding this ḥadīth: David told himself that if he were tested, he would seek protection.

And Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb and al-Maqburī said regarding this ḥadīth: God, Exalted and Glorious, said: "I tested them and they were patient." He said: "O Lord, and if You tested me, I would be patient." He said: "Indeed I tested them and I did not inform them by which thing I would test them, nor in which month, nor in which day. But I shall inform you: in your year, in your month, in this your month of yours. So guard yourself."

But David did not have patience upon the trial.