Evidence from the Book of Allāh ﷻ

 *Evidence from the Book of Allāh ﷻ*

Rabī narrates: We were with Imām Shāfiīؒ one day, when an old man dressed in a woolen garment came to us with a walking-stick in his hand. Imām Shāfiīؒ stood up, neatened his clothing and after greeting the old man, sat down again. The Imām then continued gazing at him respectfully. The old man then said, "May I ask a question?"

Imām Shāfiīؒ replied, "Yes, you may."

The old man asked, "*What is the ḥujjah (proof) in the religion of Allāh ﷻ?*"

Imām Shāfiīؒ replied, "*The Book of Allāh ﷻ*."

The old man then asked, "*And what else?*"

Imām Shāfiīؒ answered, "*The Sunnah of Nabī ﷺ*."

The old man continued, "*What else?*"

Imām Shāfiīؒ replied, "*The consensus of the Ummah*."

The old man enquired, "*What is your proof for saying 'consensus of the Ummah'?*"

Imām Shāfiīؒ pondered for a while and the old man said, "I will give you three days' grace. You either produce the evidence from the *Book of Allāh ﷻ* or else you should repent to *Allāh ﷻ*."

Imām Shāfiīؒ's face changed colour and he then left us. He returned on the third day, between Zuhr and 'Aṣr Ṣalāh. His face, hands and legs were swollen and he was visibly ill. He sat down, and after a few moments, the old man arrived. He greeted, sat down and then said, "Did you find the answer to my question?"

Imām Shāfiīؒ replied, "Yes," 

"*And whoever opposes the Rasūl ﷺ after the guidance has been made clear to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will keep him on the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell. And what an evil destination.*" (*Sūrah An-Nisā', 115*)

*Allāh ﷻ* would certainly not burn a person in Hell for opposing the believers unless it was compulsory to follow them."

The old man exclaimed, "*You have spoken the truth.*" He then stood up and left.

*Imām Shāfiīؒ* then said to those around him, "I read the Qur'an thrice daily for the last three days until I found this verse."

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The *Imāmsؒ* of fiqh invariably based their rulings upon solid evidence obtained from the authentic sources of *Islām*. May *Allāh ﷻ* reward them for sacrificing their health and time in order to search for answers to the intricate matters of faith.

*REMEMBER TO INCREASE YOUR DUROOD UPON OUR BELOVED NABI SAL ALLAAHU ALAIHI WA SALLAM ان شا الله*