Q: During my last Jumaah at Baltimore, MD (www.isb.org) we had a brother talk during the Jumaah bayan about the difference of Sunnah and tradition and what needs to be followed etc. This has caused some confusion in my mind. I would appreciate some clarity on the issue in specific mentioned below or just in common to make me better understand what is the correct position on this.
A few things mentioned by the brother was:
- The Topi, Turban, Thoppe is all not Sunnah but more of custom and hence no extra reward for following the custom. For women covering their bodies is order from Allah and has to be done but for men pant/shirt is just as fine as anything else as long as it covers the aura.
- There are some things that the Prophet(pbuh) did that are not sunnah, for example he slept after the Tahajjud/Sunnah of Fajr and we do not need to do this as he did not ask us to do it. One more example given was that the Prophet(pbuh) would face the person in his entirety while talking to a person and this is again not something that needs to be emulated.
- There were a couple more examples given to clarify Sunnah vs tradition and what was exclusive to the prophet like marrying more than 4.
My understanding has always been that every act no matter how simple is an act that needs to be emulated in our daily lives including his dress, mannerisms etc. I would appreciate some clarity on the issue.
A: Wearing the turban has been encouraged in the hadeeth. Hence, it is difficult to say that it is not a sunnah. Wearing of a topee is a symbol of a Muslim and to honour symbols that are adopted by Muslims generally all over the world is important. Moreover, it has become the symbol of the disbelievers not to wear a topee. Hence, not wearing the topee resembles the kuffar and wearing the topee resembles Islam and Muslims. The hadeeth says that whosoever imitates a people will be counted from amongst them.
The other examples, like sleeping after tahajjud etc. are correct.
ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ ﴿الحج: ٣٢﴾
عن ركانة قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول إن فرق ما بيننا وبين المشركين العمائم على القلانس (جامع الترمذي 1/308)
إن أمير المؤمنين عمررضي الله عنه في الصحابة رضي الله عنهم ، ثم عامة الأئمة بعده ، وسائر الفقهاء ، جعلوا في الشروط المشروطة على أهل الذمة من النصارى وغيرهم فيما شرطوه على أنفسهم : أن نوقر المسلمين ، ونقوم لهم من مجالسنا إذا أرادوا الجلوس ، ولا نتشبه بهم في شيء من ملابسهم : قلنسوة أو عمامة… ( قاله ابن تيمية رحمه الله في كتابه اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم و قال بعد نقل الحديث رواه حرب {الكرماني} باسناد جيد, 1/363-364)
روى الشيخ ابو الحافظ الاصبهاني باسناده في شروط أهل الذمة عن خالد بن عرفطة قال كتب عمر رضي الله عنه الى الأمصار في حق النصارى ” أن لا يلبسوا لبسة المسلمين حتى يعرفوا ” ( قاله ابن تيمية رحمه الله في كتابه اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم 1/366 )
عن ابن عمر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم. (سنن أبي داود رقم 4033)
عن أنس قال : كان أحب الثياب إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يلبسها الحبرة (جامع االترمذي رقم 1787)
عن أبي هريرة قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذا صلى أحدكم ركعتي الفجر فليضطجع علي يمينه (جامع االترمذي رقم 420)
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)