Tag Archives: Ibn Katheer

The Actual Footprints of Ibrahim at the Ka’bah?

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What is “Maqaam Ibrahim”? And are they the Actual Footprints of Ibrahim (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace)?
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have Mercy on him) mentioned:
The Maqaam is the rock Ibrahim (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) would stand upon to build the Ka’bah. When the walls became high Isma’il (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) brought his father Ibrahim (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) the rock so he could stand upon it, and he would pass him the stones. Every time one side was completed they would move to the other side with the rock, Ibrahim (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) would stand upon it (& build the high parts of the walls on each side).
The footprints of Ibrahim (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) were clear in the rock, and the Arabs knew of them in Jaahiliyyah.
Thereafter, the Muslims witnessed them too (once Islam was revealed). It is narrated from Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه who stated: “I saw the Maqaam and in it the imprints of the toes and soles of the feet of Ibrahim (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace), however, people constantly wiping the imprints (despite it not being legislated) have eroded them.
Source: Tafseer of Ibn Katheer (2:125)
Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen was asked, “Are the imprints in Maqaam Ibrahim his actual footsteps?” The shaikh replied: Continue reading →

Baseless Hadeeth: “Take Half of Your Religion From ‘Aa’ishah”

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The mother of the believers, ‘Aa’ishah bint Abee Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with her), was the most beloved person on earth to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace). She was highly knowledgeable in Islaamic sciences, counted as one of the most discerning scholars of jurisprudence among the Companions, as well as one of the most relied upon in Hadeeth preservation. With all these virtues and with this lofty status deeply rooted in the hearts of believers everywhere, there is no need for fabricated and baseless narrations about her level of knowledge.

Some people heedlessly quote a baseless fabricated hadeeth:

خذوا شطر دينكم عن الحميراء
“Take half of (the knowledge of) your Religion from al-Humayraa’ (‘Aa’ishah).”

This invented hadeeth appeared in a dictionary (of all places) at the end of Continue reading →

An Important Principle of Tafseer Repels Misunderstandings About Quranic Passages

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the All-Merciful…

One of our respected visitors sent in the following question:

Could you give some insight into the origin of the Verse:

فاسألوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمون
“And ask the people of knowledge when you do not know.” [16:43]

This Verse is often used to refer to Muslim scholars, but Ibn Katheer explains this to mean the people of the books that came before, i.e. the previously revealed scriptures.

The response: While it is true that Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have Mercy on him) did in fact identify that the Verse was revealed about the scholars of the Jews and Christians who had knowledge of previously revealed scriptures, he did not restrict the meaning of the Verse to them alone, in a way that excludes the Muslim scholars. This may sound a little confusing, but by the end of the article the matter should be very clear, in shaa’ Allaah.

What has been mentioned about the Verse being revealed about the people of the earlier scriptures is true. However, reading a book of Tafseer without some basic principles could prove harmful, as you may reach conclusions that were not intended. Al-hamdulillaah for this question, and for what Allaah has opened up for us in understanding of His Book!

When a scholar tries to single out the exact reason for a Verse’s revelation, like in this case, it does not mean that the Verse is restricted to those whom it was revealed about exclusively, or that the scholar was trying to restrict its meaning to that.

There is a principle in Tafseer the scholars work by:

العبرة بعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب

Meaning: The specific reason for a Verse’s revelation, or the specific event or people it was revealed about, does not restrict its meaning, rather it is to be understood to be as general as the wording allows.

An example of this would be: Verses 5-7 of Soorah al-Layl:

فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى فسنيسره لليسرى
“As for the one who gives and has piety, whilst he believes in the Recompense, then We shall grant him ease in following after al-Yusraa (the easy path to goodness).”

These three Verses were understood to be revealed about Aboo Bakr as-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him) specifically. However, to restrict the meanings of the Verses to him alone would be baseless, since the wording includes him and everyone who behaves as he did. Restricting the Verse to one man would effectively Continue reading →

Tafseer Benefits: The Scholars are Authority Figures

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful…

In a response to a recent exposition of the Almaghrib Institute and their direction, one of our visitors who has (apparently) been influenced by their teachings requested us to reflect on the Verse of the Quran:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولي الأمر منكم وإن تنازعتم في شيء فردوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر ذلك خير وأحسن تأويلا
“O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey His Messenger, and (obey) those of you who are in authority. If you differ in anything, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and a more suitable outcome.” [4:59]

The confused advisor assumed that -based on his misunderstanding of the Verse- Muslims are required to return the affairs they disagree about back to the Book and the Sunnah, and not to the scholars of Islaam, and that is one more reason to avoid “blindly following” the scholars. (While blind-following was never endorsed or encouraged in any of our writings in the first place!)

This is one of the common effects of the Almaghrib scheme – that people understand any connection to the scholars as “blindly following” them. As a result, people actually believe that removing the scholars from their lives is better and even supported in the Quran!

Response to This Point of Confusion

Yes indeed, we refer back to Allaah and His Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace). But without the scholars? How could we come to this conclusion?

We do not take one Verse and ignore other Verses! Allaah has Continue reading →