The Anatomy of Fruitless Discourse

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah, The Most High, said:

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَا تَسْمَعُوا۟ لِهَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ وَٱلْغَوْا۟ فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ

And those who disbelieve say: “Listen not to this Quran, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may overcome.” [Fussilat 26]

Imam Al-Baghawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

(وقال الذين كفروا ) من مشركي قريش ، ( لا تسمعوا لهذا القرآن والغوا فيه ) قال ابن عباس : يعني الغطوا فيه ، وكان بعضهم يوصي إلى بعض إذا رأيتم محمدا يقرأ فعارضوه بالرجز والشعر واللغو . قال مجاهد : والغوا فيه بالمكاء والصفير . وقال الضحاك : أكثروا الكلام فيختلط عليه ما يقول . وقال السدي : صيحوا في وجهه . ( لعلكم تغلبون ) محمدا على قراءته

“And those who disbelieved” among the Quraish polytheists, (say): “Listen not listen to this Qur’an, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation)”. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said: This means “Disturb it with noise”.

Some of them used to advise one another that when “you see Muhammad reciting, oppose him with chanting, poetry, and idle talk”.

Mujahid said:

“And make noise in the midst of its (recitation)” means whistling and clapping.

Ad-Ḍaḥḥak said:

“Speak more (or a lot) so that he becomes confused (or mixed up) regarding what he says”.

As-Suddi said:

“Shout in his face”.

“That you may overcome” Muhammad in his recitation. [1]

Conjecture

Allah, The Most High, said:

سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًا بِالْغَيْبِ ۖ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ ۚ قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ ۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًا وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًا

[Some] say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth, guessing at the unseen; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): “My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few.” So debate not (about their number, etc.) except with the clear proof (which We have revealed to you). And consult not any of them (people of the Scripture) about (the affair of) the people of the Cave.

Allah informed (us) of the differing between the people of the scripture regarding the number of the people of the cave- a differing that [occurred] out of guessing at the unseen, forging statements and speaking about that which they have no knowledge. Some of them said that the people of the cave were three in number and their dog was the fourth, and others said that the people of the cave were five in number and their dog was the sixth. Allah said that these two statements are tantamount to guessing at the unseen, so this indicates that they are false. And amongst them were those who said that the people of the cave were seven in number and their dog was the eighth. This statement-and Allah knows best- is what is correct because Allah declared the first two statements false but did not declare this third one to be false, so this indicates that it is correct.

This differing is one that neither carries any benefit nor are the people benefited by knowing the number of the people of the cave. It contains neither a benefit related to religion nor the worldly affairs and that is why Allah stated:

قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ ۗ

Say (O Muhammad):My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few]; and they are those who know what is correct and known for being upon what is correct.

فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرً

So debate not [about their number, etc.] except with the clear proof (which We have revealed to you)- Meaning:

Based upon knowledge, certainty and about that which contains benefit. As for debating based on ignorance and guessing at the unseen or about that which has no benefit- either the debater being obstinate or the affair being debated having no benefit- neither any religious nor [praiseworthy] worldly benefit, such as the number of the people of the cave and what is similar to it- then too much debate about it and continuous research regarding it is a waste of time, and it makes the hearts have a strong love for that which has no benefit.

وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدً

And consult not any of them (people of the Scripture) about [the affair of the people of the Cave] -Meaning: Because their speech regarding it is based on guessing at the unseen, and conjecture can be of no avail against the truth.

This proves that it is not permissible for a person to issue a verdict when he is not worthy of it- either due to his inability to issue a verdict in that affair or due to fact that he does not care what he says about the affair because he does not possess that fear of Allah that will stop him from speaking about affairs that are unclear to him, which may harm him in the afterlife. So when it is the case that he has been forbidden from giving verdicts in the likes of this affair, then prohibiting him from giving verdicts [in general] is of a greater prohibition. Also this ayah proves that a person maybe prohibited from giving a verdict in some affair but not in other affairs, so he gives a verdict in that which he is worthy of giving a verdict and not in other affairs because Allah has not prohibited him from giving a verdict completely; rather they were prohibited from giving a verdict regarding the affair of the people of the cave and what is similar to it. [2]

Narrating a Lot of Opinions to Drown the Truth or Deliberately Isolating Important Details

When reporting a difference of opinion on a matter, one should accommodate the statements (or arguments or views) in that context- clarify what is sound and what is false, mention the beneficial points in that difference of opinion and its fruitful outcomes so that the disagreement and differing is not prolonged in that which has no benefit, thus preoccupying one with other than what is more important.

As for the one who transmits difference of opinion, but does not accommodate the statements of the scholars, he has fallen short because it maybe that what is correct is found in that which he left out, or he transmits difference of opinion but neither establish its proofs nor clarifies the correct statements, he has also fallen short. If he deliberately portrays something wrong as something correct, he has lied deliberately, and he is mistaken if it was based on ignorance. Also, the one who transmits difference of opinion in that which there is no benefit or merely transmits the wording of a number of statements (views) and then summarises them in one or two statements in meaning, then indeed he has wasted a long time and prolonged engagement in that which is not correct”. [3]

Beautified Deceitful Expressions

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

If you ponder upon the statements of the people of falsehood, you will indeed find them clothed with expressions and presented in a good light with sophisticated terms, which are quickly accepted by those deprived of sound discernment-to the extent that the wicked sinners would give (good) names to the greatest types of wicked deeds. [4]

[1] An Excerpt from “Tafsir Al-Baghawi”. (paraphrased)

[2]An Excerpt from Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan’. slightly paraphrased

[3] Manhaj Al-Bahth Al-Ilmi Wa Kitaabah Fee Uloom Ash-Shariah 21- 22

[4] An Excerpt from As-Sawaa’iq al-Mursalah 2/438 by Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim