Kitaab Sharh us-Sunnah
by Al-Barbahaaree
Trans. Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank


103: One who speaks about Allah or His religion without knowledge has overstepped the bounds

May Allah have mercy upon you! Know that whoever speaks about the religion of Allah from his opinion, analogy and interpretation, without proof from the Sunnah and the Jamaa’ah has spoken about Allah that which he does not know [1]. Whoever says about Allah what he does not know is one who has overstepped the bounds [2].


NOTES

[1] In the Book of Allah, speaking about Allah without knowledge is shown to be a form of Shirk. He, the One free from all defects, says:

Say: The things that my Lord has forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret, sins (of all kinds), assigning of partners to Allah for which He has given no authority and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge. Soorah al-A’raaf (7): 33

[2] Masrooq (rahimahullaah) said: We entered upon Abdullah ibn Mas’ood and he said, “O people! Whoever knows something then let him speak according to it. Whoever does not know, let him say, ‘Allah knows best,’ since this, too, is from knowledge, that you say concerning that which you do not know: ‘Allah knows best.’ Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to His Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam):

Say: No reward do I ask of you for this (Qur’an), nor am I a pretender. Soorah Saad (38): 86

Reported by al-Bukhaaree (Eng. trans. 6/314/no.333).


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