Recognizing Where Lies the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad
(p)
by Faysal Burhan
Allah
(SWT) said:
“There has certainly
been for you in the Messenger excellent pattern for anyone whose
hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah often.”
Qur’an, 33:21
As
part of their practice of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (p),
some Muslims preach and force the customs and gear of 7th Century
Arabia on other Muslims living all over the world. As a result
of their action, the image of Islam is harmed and their advice
reflects negatively on Muslims and non-Muslims alike. This article
is an attempt to draw Muslims attention to the real substance
of the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad displayed in his example.
This writing will be making a clear distinction between the method
of management and elements that the Prophet used in order to illustrate
where lays the Sunnah of the Prophet (p) to be followed.
Prophet Muhammad (p) managed his Da’wah work (inviting people
to Islam) based on the tools and customs dominant in his time.
Customs local to Arabia are common scenes in his actions and approaches,
a must method in which his success could not have been possible.
Prophet Muhammad management of his affairs was based on selecting
the best tools of his time and place. His approach was made around
tailoring the available means and customs into a meaningful solution.
The means and customs that were available to the Prophet then
may not be available in other places or times. Within this context,
the means and articulates he used may or may not become the core
part of his Sunnah, but rather it is his example of approach of
utilizing available customs and elements.
To illustrate our theory, let us examine the Prophet’s story
surrounding his trip to al-Ta’if. In the 10th year from
the first revelation, Prophet Muhammad made a decision to go to
al-Ta’if, 150 kilometers south of Mecca to make Da’wah
and seek protection. This trip was a direct result of Quraysh’s
continuous harm, blockades and obstacles before him in Mecca.
For many years Quraysh has been preventing people from speaking
to Muhammad including travelers who enter Mecca for business or
other purposes. Also, if the Prophet was able to speak to someone,
Quraysh would quickly move-in to spoil that person’s mind.
Quraysh may tell the individual not to listen to Muhammad because
he is a fool, a liar or magician. These restrictions and rejections
forced the Prophet to seek the tribes of Thaqeef at al-Ta’if
for his Da’wah.
Our interest in the story is to find the pattern that the Prophet
took to evade Quraysh and reach al-Ta’if without Quraysh’s
intervention and harm.
In this discussion, we will be able to answer the questions: What
were the means that the Prophet used in carrying out his trip?
Did he use means relevant to his time and people? Would the means
he chose became our Sunnah to use today?
The
rationality of the Prophet about these issues begins to shine
out as he eases his way out from his house for this trip with
his servant Zayd (then known as the son of Muhammad, since adoption
was not banned yet), and without any of his close followers and
without a camel loaded with supplies for the trip.
It
was customary to Arabia that when a major issue of concern was
addressed, the nobles of the concerned tribes would be visible
at the scene. The wisdom of the Prophet here is getting Quraysh
attention away from him. A simple way of doing this would be an
outlook that warrants no major concern. The Prophet got out of
his house with his servant (son) Zayd without any of his strong
companions, such as Umar, or Hamza, and he setout for the trip
without a gear for travel. Some believe that this staging sent
a message to Quraysh’s watching eyes that he was after a
local casual airing; an outlook warrants no major concern to further
monitor his movements. As a result, he was able to go to al-Taif
and return without Quraysh’s interruption.
From
this example, we see that the Prophet (p) used the logic of customs
understood by his surroundings and relevant to his time. This
simple and meaningful story tells us that the Sunnah of the Prophet
here is his example in approach not so much the gear involved,
since these tools or mechanics may not be the same in other cultures
of the world.
This pattern of management is indeed the same pattern in the definition
of Hikmah (Wisdom), which constitutes a major teaching of Islam
and dictates to manage things appropriately in the right time,
in the right manner, and in the right place. Realizing these facts,
one wonders why many Muslims today place so much weight on the
gear or tools that the Prophet utilized and pay little or no attention
to his approach, which when followed will work for every time,
place and culture.
Today’s
Muslims must not re-establish the customs of 7th century Arabia
in the world to practice Islam. Muslims’ practice of the
true Sunnah of the Prophet (p) is by constructing approaches based
on customs and logic that their people identify with, otherwise,
setbacks and failures are to be expected. Let us confirm our claim
again by examining the way the Prophet (p) determined the timing
of Ramadan.
Determination of the beginning
and ending of the lunar months
Another
meaningful example illustrating the true Sunnah of the Prophet
Muhammad, which lays in the way he managed issues, is in the matter
of the timing of the lunar month of Ramadan. Surrounding this
topic, we find several traditions for Prophet Muhammad reflecting
certain available techniques in the determination of lunar dates.
Each tradition or group of traditions however takes on a different
technique than the other.
All
the mechanisms in these traditions however are inconclusive, reflecting
the limited knowledge regarding this science. For example a group
of traditions points out to the number of days that is in a lunar
month, while others speak about the number of days in a collection
of lunar months. Another
more accurate method revealing the beginning or ending the month
of fast that the Prophet (p) pointed out is:
“Sumo le ru’ateh, wa aftiru le
ru’ateh” ”Fast when you see the crescent and
break your fast when you see the next crescent…”
This
option allows for certainty in this matter, and seems to be the
best option available to the Prophet (p), which he recommended.
This method however is still inconclusive, since the Prophet continued
to say: “But if you could not
see it then complete the 30th day [in fasting.]”
-Bukhari & Muslim.
Along side these
traditions, the Prophet points out to the reality of his day and
time, stating:
“We are Ummah (a nation) Ummiyah (unlettered)
we do not write [in astronomical circles,] nor do we calculate
[to arrive at the exact lunar dates.]…,”
The
inconclusiveness of this solution is due in part to the complications
surrounding seeing the crescent. Modern science states that the
birth of the new moon takes place exactly when it is in straight
line between the Sun and the Earth, where no reflection of the
Sun is ever possible.
It
can take 14 to 24 hours before the naked eye can see the crescent.
Astronomers indicate that the difficulty in seeing the crescent
is compounded with other factors, such as its degree over the
horizon, the moon’s orbit and the glare from the sun. Astronomers
further said that the beginning of Ramadan can be as much as two
days off, even by the method of observation of the crescent by
the naked eye. For a broader understanding of moon sighting, see
the following websites: http://www.moonsighting.com,
http://www.hilal-sighting.com
and http://www.ummah.net/moonsighting/.
Learning
today’s advanced facts about the lunar months, one can only
appreciate by far why the Prophet (p) said: “We
are Ummah (a nation) Ummiyah (unlettered) we do not write [in
astronomical circles,] nor do we calculate [to arrive at the exact
lunar dates.]…"
Muslims
must remember that the tools and technology of the 7th century
Arabia cannot in any way match the tools and technology of the
21rst century. Therefore, Muslims must, instead, adopt the technology
of today’s advanced world in order to eliminate hostilities
and further divide our Ummah. If today’s technology will
enable our Muslim communities across America and the world to
unite with respect to Ramadan’s timing issue, I think following
this method is indeed an essence of our faith.
It is quite evident that the Prophet’s approach was based
on selecting the best solution available to him during his time.
To emulate the Prophet therefore, is to base your solution on
the best tools and technology of your own time. The work and approach
that deploys the means and customs relevant to their time is the
backbone of the example the Prophet (p) and is therefore the Sunnah
deemed by Allah to be followed.
For
more on this important topic of the timing of Ramadan and the
wisdom of the Prophet in the way he managed this matter, see our
article, “The
Profound Wisdom of Prophet Muhammad Regarding the Lunar Dates
and the Unity of the Muslims.”
It
is our hope that the underlined facts surrounding the way our
Prophet (p) managed his affairs especially that of the lunar months
should bring us closed to practice the true Islam, to get us all
out of the dilemma we are in, and to set us out on the road for
a better future of prosperity and advance.
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