Advice for the Muslim

cannot find in Rasûlullâh’s sunna, either?’ Ma’âdh said, ‘I will do
it according to what I understand as a result of my ijtihâd.’
Rasûlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) put his blessed
hand on Mu’âdh’s chest and said, ‘Al-hamdu li’lillâh! Allâhu ta’âlâ
made His Rasûl’s rasûl (deputy) agree with Rasûlullâh’s approval.’
At-Tirmidhî, Abu Dawûd and ad-Dârimî wrote this hadîdth sharîf
in their books. This hadîths sharîf openly indicates that ‘Ulu ’lamr’
means ‘mujtahids’ and that Rasûlullâh is pleased with those
who obey them.
“2) A hadîth sharîf narrated by Abu Dâwûd and Ibn Mâja
says, ‘ ’Ilm is composed of three parts: al-Âyat al-muhkama, as-
Sunnat al-qâ’ima and al-Farîdat al-’âdila!’ The great scholar of
hadîth ’Abd al-Haqq ad-Dahlawî, while exponding this hadîth
sharîf in Ashi’at al-lama’ât, his Persian commentary to Mishkât,
wrote: ‘Al-Farîdat al-’âdila is the knowledge conformable to the
Book and the Sunna. It refers to ijmâ’ and qiyâs, for, ijmâ’ and
qiyâs were drawn from the Book and the Sunna. Therefore, ijmâ’
and qiyâs were counted as equivalent and similar to the Book and
the Sunna and were called al-Farîdat al-’âdila. Thus it was ordered
as a wâjib to do one’s deeds conformable to both of them.
Consequently, the meaning of the hadîth ash-sharîf became that
the sources of Islam were four, namely the Book, the Sunna, ijmâ’
and qiyâs.’
“3) ’Umar ibn al-Khattâb (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh) appointed
Shuraih as a qâdî and told him: ’Look at what is revealed explicitly
in the Book. Do not ask others for such matters! If you cannot find
[an answer to what you are asked] in it, resort to the Sunna of
Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm)! If you cannot find in it, either,
perform ijtihâd and give your answer according to how you
understand.’
“4) When plaintiffs came, Hadrat Abu Bakr (radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’anh) used to look at Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Book and make decisions
based on what he found in it. When he could not find it, he would
answer according to what he had heard from Rasûlullâh (sall-
Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam). If he had not heard [anything
concerning the matter in question], he would ask as-Sahâbat alkirâm
(radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhum ajma’în) and settle the question
according to their ijmâ’.
“5) When he was asked to judge, ’Abdullâh ibn Abbâs (radî-
Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhumâ) used to give the answer he would find in
the Qur’ân al-karîm. When he could not find it in it, he would
quote what he had heard from Rasûlullâh. If he had not heard
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