Summary:
The beauty of Islam is that it comprehensively encompasses minor to major issues of our lives (i.e., 6:38, 6:59) and, at the same time, offers vastness (and leeway) and ease for believers when they have an excuse, eliminating coercion and compulsion.
As for the comprehensiveness, see for example:
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ ابْنِ أَخِي حَسَّانَ الْعِجْلِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ حَلَالًا وَ لَا حَرَاماً إِلَّا وَ لَهُ حُدُودٌ كَحُدُودِ دَارِي هَذِهِ مَا كَانَ مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ فَهُوَ مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ وَ مَا كَانَ مِنَ الدَّارِ فَهُوَ مِنَ الدَّارِ حَتَّى أَرْشُ الْخَدْشِ فَمَا سِوَاهُ وَ الْجَلْدَةِ وَ نِصْفِ الْجَلْدَةِ
Al Husayn Bin Muhammad Al Ashary, from Moala Bin Muhammad, from Aban Bin Usman, from Suleyman cousin of Hassan Al Ajaly who said,
‘I heard Abu Abdullah-asws saying: ‘Allah-azwj did not Create a Permissible nor a Prohibition except for it is a Limit like the limits (boundaries) of this house of mine-asws. Whatever was from the road, so it is from the road, and whatever was from the house, so it is from the house, to the extent of the compensation of the scratch, and whatever is besides it, and the lashing and half of the lashing’.[1]
When it comes to the conditions of faith (how to connect with Allah-azwj), there is no leeway, e.g.,
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ نَحْنُ الَّذِينَ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ طَاعَتَنَا لَا يَسَعُ النَّاسَ إِلَّا مَعْرِفَتُنَا وَ لَا يُعْذَرُ النَّاسُ بِجَهَالَتِنَا مَنْ عَرَفَنَا كَانَ مُؤْمِناً وَ مَنْ أَنْكَرَنَا كَانَ كَافِراً وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنَا وَ لَمْ يُنْكِرْنَا كَانَ ضَالًّا حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْهُدَى الَّذِي افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ طَاعَتِنَا الْوَاجِبَةِ فَإِنْ يَمُتْ عَلَى ضَلَالَتِهِ يَفْعَلِ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Salih Bin Al Sindy, from Ja’far Bin Bashir, from Abu Salma,
(The narrator says) I heard Imam Abu Abdullah-asws saying: ‘We-asws are those, obedience to whom Allah-azwj has necessitated. The people have no leeway except recognising us-asws, nor are the people excused of being ignorant of us-asws. The one who recognises us-asws would be a Momin, and the one who denies us-asws would be a disbeliever, and the one who does not recognise us-asws and does not deny us-asws, would be a strayer until he returns to the guidance which Allah-azwj has Necessitated upon him, from being obedient to us-asws, the Obligatory. So if he was to die upon his straying, Allah-azwj will Do with him whatever He-azwj so Desires to’.[2]
As for the vastness and ease when there is an excuse,
قَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ أَيْضاً سُئِلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ مَنْ جَعَلَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ شَيْئاً فَبَلَغَ مَجْهُودَهُ فَلَا شَيْءَ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَانَ اللَّهُ أَعْذَرَ لِعَبْدِهِ
Abu Baseer narrates, ‘6th Imam-asws was asked about that (when one takes a vow to do something for Allah-azwj). He-asws said: ‘One who makes something for Allah-azwj upon himself, so he strives extensively (but cannot accomplish it), there is nothing upon him, and Allah-azwj is more Excusing for His-azwj servant’.[3]
Also, those who interpret the Holy Verses of the Quran from their opinion and apply logic are far from enjoying the vastness of Islam, e.g., Imam Ali-asws describes their grave situation as:
وَ مِنْهُ، بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْجُبَّةِ الْفِرَاءِ يَأْتِي الرَّجُلُ السُّوقَ مِنْ أَسْوَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَيَشْتَرِي الْجُبَّةَ لَا يَدْرِي أَ هِيَ ذَكِيَّةٌ أَمْ لَا يُصَلِّي فِيهَا
And from him, by this chain, said,
‘I asked him-asws (6th Imam), about the fur coat. A man comes to the market from the markets of Muslims. He buys the coat. He does not know whether it is a purified (slaughtered animal) or not. He prays Salat in it.
قَالَ نَعَمْ إِنَّ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْخَوَارِجَ ضَيَّقُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ بِجَهَالَتِهِمْ إِنَّ الدِّينَ أَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ شِيعَتَنَا فِي أَوْسَعَ مِمَّا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَنْتُمْ مَغْفُورٌ لَكُمْ
He-asws said: ‘Yes. Abu Ja’far-asws (5th Imam) had said: ‘The Kharijites (those who interpreted religion by opinion) have constricted upon themselves due to their ignorance. The religion is vaster than that. Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws had said: ‘Our‑asws followers are in more vastness than what is between the sky and the earth. You (the followers of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws) are Forgiven for (when with an excuse due to the vastness of Islam).[4]
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ مُثَنًّى عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْجُعْفِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ الدِّينِ الَّذِي لَا يَسَعُ الْعِبَادَ جَهْلُهُ فَقَالَ الدِّينُ وَاسِعٌ وَ لَكِنَّ الْخَوَارِجَ ضَيَّقُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ جَهْلِهِمْ
Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al Washha, from Musna, from Ismail Al Ju’fy who said,
‘I asked Abu Ja’far-asws about the Religion which there is no leeway for the servants to be ignorant of it. So he-asws said: ‘The Religion is vast but the Kharijites narrowed it upon themselves due to their ignorance’ (an extract).[5]
Therefore, those who do not learn from Ahadith the true explanations and interpretations of the Holy Verses are drifting away from the vastness and ease of Islam each day. With the above short background, we try to understand more about the topic from the Holy Quran and Ahadith:
The Meanings of Allah-azwj has not Neglected anything in the Book:
Allah-azwj Says in Holy Quran:
…. مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ {38}
..We have not neglected in the Book of anything; then to their Lord they shall be gathering [6:38]
محمد بن يعقوب: عن أبي محمد القاسم بن العلاء (رحمه الله)، رفعه، عن عبد العزيز بن مسلم، عن الرضا (عليه السلام)، قال: «إن الله عز و جل لم يقبض نبينا (صلى الله عليه و آله) حتى أكمل له الدين، و أنزل عليه القرآن فيه تبيان كل شيء، بين فيه الحلال و الحرام، و الحدود و الأحكام، و جميع ما يحتاج إليه الناس كملا، فقال عز و جل: ما فَرَّطْنا فِي الْكِتابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ
Muhammad Bin Yaqoub, from Abu Muhammad Al Qasim Bin Al A’ala, raising it, from Abdul Aziz Bin Muslim,
‘From Al-Reza-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic did not Capture (the soul of) a Prophet-as until He-azwj Completed the Religion for him-as, and the Quran was Revealed unto him-saww wherein is an explanation of all things. Therein is explained the Permissible, the Prohibition, and the legal punishments, and the ordinances, and the entirety of whatever the people could be needy to, completely. So, Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: We have not neglected in the Book of anything [6:38]’’.[6]
أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) بِمَرْوَ فَاجْتَمَعْنَا فِي الْجَامِعِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي بَدْءِ مَقْدَمِنَا فَأَدَارُوا أَمْرَ الْإِمَامَةِ وَ ذَكَرُوا كَثْرَةَ اخْتِلَافِ النَّاسِ فِيهَا فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى سَيِّدِي ( عليه السلام ) فَأَعْلَمْتُهُ خَوْضَ النَّاسِ فِيهِ
Abu Muhammad Al Qasim Bin Al A’ala, from Abdul Aziz Bin Muslim who said,
‘We were with Al-Reza-asws at Merv. So, we attended a gathering in the central Masjid on the day of Friday at the beginning of our arrival. They (people) had circled around the matter of the Imamate, and they mentioned the numerous differences among people with regard to it. I went to my Master-asws and informed him-asws of the arguments of the people regarding it.
فَتَبَسَّمَ ( عليه السلام ) ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الْعَزِيزِ جَهِلَ الْقَوْمُ وَ خُدِعُوا عَنْ آرَائِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمْ يَقْبِضْ نَبِيَّهُ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) حَتَّى أَكْمَلَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَ أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ فِيهِ تِبْيَانُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَيَّنَ فِيهِ الْحَلَالَ وَ الْحَرَامَ وَ الْحُدُودَ وَ الْأَحْكَامَ وَ جَمِيعَ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ كَمَلًا فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ما فَرَّطْنا فِي الْكِتابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ
The Imam-asws smiled, then said: ‘O Abdul Aziz! The people are ignorant and are being deceived from their opinions. Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic did not Capture (the soul) of His-azwj Prophet-saww until He-azwj Completed the Religion for him-saww, and Revealed the Quran unto him-saww wherein is a clarification of everything. There is a Clarification therein of the Permissible, and the Prohibitions, and the Legal Penalties, and the Judgments, and the entirety of whatever the people would be needy to, completely. The Mighty and Majestic Said We have not neglected in the Book of anything [6:38].
وَ أَنْزَلَ فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ وَ هِيَ آخِرُ عُمُرِهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَ أَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَ رَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلامَ دِيناً وَ أَمْرُ الْإِمَامَةِ مِنْ تَمَامِ الدِّينِ وَ لَمْ يَمْضِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) حَتَّى بَيَّنَ لِأُمَّتِهِ مَعَالِمَ دِينِهِمْ وَ أَوْضَحَ لَهُمْ سَبِيلَهُمْ وَ تَرَكَهُمْ عَلَى قَصْدِ سَبِيلِ الْحَقِّ وَ أَقَامَ لَهُمْ عَلِيّاً ( عليه السلام ) عَلَماً وَ إِمَاماً
And He-azwj Revealed regarding the Farewell Hajj, and it is at the end of his-saww age Today I Perfected your Religion for you and Completed My Favour upon you, and am Pleased with Al Islam as a Religion for you [5:3]. And the matter of the Imamate is from the completion of the Religion. And he-asws did not pass away until he-as clarified to his-saww community the information of their Religion and explained to them the ways, and left them upon a direction of the way of the Truth, and he-saww established Ali-asws for them as a flag and an Imam-asws.
وَ مَا تَرَكَ لَهُمْ شَيْئاً يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ الْأُمَّةُ إِلَّا بَيَّنَهُ فَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمْ يُكْمِلْ دِينَهُ فَقَدْ رَدَّ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ رَدَّ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ بِهِ
And he-saww did not neglect anything for them that the community would be needy to, except that he-saww clarified it. So, the one who claims that Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic did not Perfect His-azwj Religion, so he has rejected the Book of Allah-azwj, and the one who rejects the Book of Allah-azwj, so he is a disbeliever in it.
هَلْ يَعْرِفُونَ قَدْرَ الْإِمَامَةِ وَ مَحَلَّهَا مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ فَيَجُوزَ فِيهَا اخْتِيَارُهُمْ إِنَّ الْإِمَامَةَ أَجَلُّ قَدْراً وَ أَعْظَمُ شَأْناً وَ أَعْلَى مَكَاناً وَ أَمْنَعُ جَانِباً وَ أَبْعَدُ غَوْراً مِنْ أَنْ يَبْلُغَهَا النَّاسُ بِعُقُولِهِمْ أَوْ يَنَالُوهَا بِآرَائِهِمْ أَوْ يُقِيمُوا إِمَاماً بِاخْتِيَارِهِمْ
Are they recognising the worth of the Imamate and its place in the community that they are allowing their own choice with regards to it? The Imamate is more majestic and worthy, and greater of glory, and loftier of place, and more impregnable of side, and more remote from thoughts than that the people could be reaching it with their intellects, or attain it by their opinions, or that they should be establishing their own imam by their choice.[7]
In the Holy Verse 59 of the same chapter (6), Allah-azwj Says:
وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۚ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ {59}
And with Him are the keys of the unseen – none knows it except Him, and He Knows what is in the land and the sea, and there does not fall a leaf except He Knows it, nor a seed in the darkness of the earth, nor any wet nor dry except it is in an apparent Book [6:59]
عن الحسين بن خالد، قال: سألت أبا الحسن (عليه السلام) عن قول الله: وَ ما تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُها وَ لا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُماتِ الْأَرْضِ وَ لا رَطْبٍ وَ لا يابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ، فقال: «الورقة: السقط، يسقط من بطن امه من قبل أن يهل الولد
From Al Husayn Bin Khalid who said,
‘I asked Abu Al-Hassan-asws about the Words of Allah-azwj: and there does not fall a leaf except He Knows it, nor a seed in the darkness of the earth, nor any wet nor dry except it is in an apparent Book [6:59], so he-asws said: ‘The leaf – the falling, is the falling from the womb of its mother before it appears for the birth’.
قال: فقلت: و قوله وَ لا حَبَّةٍ؟ قال: «يعني الولد في بطن امه إذا هل و يسقط من قبل الولادة
I said, ‘And His-azwj Words nor a seed? He-asws said: ‘It Means the birth from the womb of its mother when it appears and falls, just before the birth’.
قال: قلت: قوله: وَ لا رَطْبٍ؟ قال: «يعني المضغة إذا أسكنت في الرحم قبل أن يتم خلقها، قبل أن ينتقل
I said, ‘His-azwj Words nor any wet?’ He-asws said: ‘It Means the embryo when it dwells in the womb before its creation is completed, before it is transferred’.
قال: قلت: قوله: وَ لا يابِسٍ؟ قال: «الولد التام
I said, ‘His-azwj Words nor dry?’ He-asws said: ‘The complete birth’.
قال: قلت: فِي كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ؟ قال: «في إمام مبين
I said, ‘كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ’ ‘in an apparent Book?’ The Imam-asws said: ‘With an apparent Imam-asws’.[8]
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ الْخَثْعَمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ الشَّامِيِّ
Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, and Al-Husayn Bin Saeed together from Al-Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Yahya Al-Halby, from Abdullah Bin Muskaan, from Zayd Bin Al-Waleed Al-Khash’amy, from Abu Al-Rabi’e Al-Shamy who said:
قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ ما تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُها وَ لا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُماتِ الْأَرْضِ وَ لا رَطْبٍ وَ لا يابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ الْوَرَقَةُ السِّقْطُ وَ الْحَبَّةُ الْوَلَدُ وَ ظُلُمَاتُ الْأَرْضِ الْأَرْحَامُ وَ الرَّطْبُ مَا يَحْيَى مِنَ النَّاسِ وَ الْيَابِسُ مَا يُقْبَضُ وَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ
He (the narrator) said, ‘And I asked him-asws (Abu Abdullah-asws) about the Words of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic: and there does not fall a leaf except He Knows it, nor a seed in the darkness of the earth, nor any wet nor dry except it is in an apparent Book [6:59]. He-asws said: ‘The fallen leaf (is the miscarried child) and the seed is the child, and the darkness of the earth is the womb, and the wet is one who lives from the people, and the dry is who has been Captured (died), and all that is in an apparent Imam-asws’.[9]
الطبرسي في كتاب (الاحتجاج): روي عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن عبد الله بن الوليد السمان، قال: قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «ما تقول الناس في اولي العزم، و عن صاحبكم؟» يعني أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام). قال: قلت: ما يقدمون على اولي العزم أحدا
Al Tabarsy, in the book Al Ihtijaj – ‘It has been reported from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Abdullah Bin Al Waleed Al Samaan who said,
‘Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘What are the people saying regarding The Determined Ones (اولي العزم) (Prophets-as) and with regards to your Master-asws?’ Meaning Amir Al-Momineen-asws. I said (they say), ‘He-asws is not ahead of any of the Determined Ones’.
قال: فقال: «إن الله تبارك و تعالى قال عن موسى: وَ كَتَبْنا لَهُ فِي الْأَلْواحِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَوْعِظَةً و لم يقل: كل شيء. و قال عن عيسى: وَ لِأُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ و لم يقل: كل الذي تختلفون
He-asws said: ‘Surely, Allah-azwj Said about Musa-as And We Wrote for him in the Tablets from everything, being an Advice [7:145], and did not Say “Everything”. And Said about Isa-as: and I shall clarify to you part of what you are differing in [43:63], and did not say ‘Everything which you are differing in’.
و قال عن صاحبكم- يعني أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)-: قُلْ كَفى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيداً بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ و قال الله عز و جل: وَ لا رَطْبٍ وَ لا يابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ و علم هذا الكتاب عنده
And Said about your Master-asws – Meaning Amir Al-Momineen-asws: Say: Suffice with Allah as a Witness between me and you and the one with whom is Knowledge of the Book [13:43]. And Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: nor any wet nor dry except it is in an apparent Book [6:59]. And the Knowledge of this Book is with him-asws’.[10]
Leeway for those who are Absent Minded/forgetful
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُطَهَّرٍ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ صَاحِبِ الْعَسْكَرِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنِّي تَزَوَّجْتُ بِأَرْبَعِ نِسْوَةٍ لَمْ أَسْأَلْ عَنْ أَسْمَائِهِنَّ ثُمَّ إِنِّي أَرَدْتُ طَلَاقَ إِحْدَاهُنَّ وَ تَزْوِيجَ امْرَأَةٍ أُخْرَى فَكَتَبَ انْظُرْ إِلَى عَلَامَةٍ إِنْ كَانَتْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ فَتَقُولُ اشْهَدُوا أَنَّ فُلَانَةَ الَّتِي بِهَا عَلَامَةُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا هِيَ طَالِقٌ ثُمَّ تَزَوَّجُ الْأُخْرَى إِذَا انْقَضَتِ الْعِدَّةُ
Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Abdullah Bin Ja’far, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Bin Mutahhar who said,
‘I wrote to Abu Al-Hassan Sahib Al-Askar-asws, ‘I am married to four wives, not having even asked about their names. Then I wanted to divorce one of them and marry another woman’. So, he-asws wrote: ‘Look at a sign which was with one of them, and you should be saying, ‘So and so woman who is with such and such a sign, she is divorced’. Then marry another one, when the waiting period expires’.[11]
The Knowledge and the Ease
تَفْسِيرُ النُّعْمَانِيِّ، بِالْإِسْنَادِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِ فِي كِتَابِ الْقُرْآنِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَ لا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكاتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ وَ لَأَمَةٌ مُؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكَةٍ وَ لَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ وَ لا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا وَ لَعَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ و لَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ
(The book) ‘Tafseer Al Numani’ –
By the previous chain in ‘Kitab Al Quran’, from Amir Al Momineen-asws regarding Words of the Exalted: And do not marry the Mushrik women until they believe, and a Momina maid is better than a Mushrik woman, and even if she fascinates you; and do not marry the Mushrik men until they believe, and a Momin slave is better than a Mushrik man, and even if he fascinates you [2:221].
وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَانُوا يَنْكِحُونَ فِي أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَ النَّصَارَى وَ يُنْكِحُونَهُمْ حَتَّى نَزَلَتِ الْآيَةُ نَهَى أَنْ يَنْكِحَ الْمُسْلِمُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِ أَوْ يُنْكِحُونَهُ
‘And that is because the Muslims were marrying among People of the Book, from the Jews and the Christians, and they were giving in marriage to them until the Verse was Revealed Prohibiting the Muslims from marrying the Polytheist, or marrying to him’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى فِي سُورَةِ الْمَائِدَةِ مَا نَسَخَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ فَقَالَ وَ طَعامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ وَ طَعامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَ الْمُحْصَناتُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِناتِ وَ الْمُحْصَناتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ
Then the Exalted Said in Surah Al Maidah what Abrogated this Verse. He-azwj Said: and the food of those Given the Book is Permissible for you, and your food is Permissible for them; and the chaste (protective) ones from the believing women and the chaste (protective) ones from those Given the Book from before you [5:5].
فَأَطْلَقَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مُنَاكَحَتَهُنَّ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ نَهَى وَ تَرَكَ قَوْلَهُ وَ لا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا عَلَى حَالَةٍ لَمْ يَنْسَخْهُ
Thus, the Mighty and Majestic Permitted marrying them after having Prohibited, and Left His-azwj Words: And do not marry the Mushrik women until they believe [2:221] upon its state, not Abrogating it.[12]
Leniency observed by Rasool Allah-saww and Imams-asws:
– ين، كتاب حسين بن سعيد و النوادر عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ مُنَاكَحَتِهِمْ وَ الصَّلَاةِ مَعَهُمْ فَقَالَ هَذَا أَمَرُّ تَمْدِيدٍ إِنْ يَسْتَطِيعُوا ذَاكَ قَدْ أَنْكَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ صَلَّى عَلِيٌّ وَرَاءَهُمْ
The book of Haseen Bin Saeed, and ‘Al Nawadir’ – Usman Bin Isa, from Sama’at who said,
‘I asked him-asws about marrying them and (praying) the Salat behind them (general Muslims). Imam-asws said: ‘This is a lenient matter, if you are able to do that (to avoid it) or (else) Rasool-Allah-saww had married them, and Ali-asws had prayed Salat behind them’.[13]
[1] Al Kafi – V 7 – The Book of Legal Penalties Ch 1 H 9
[2] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 8 H 11
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 101 – The Book of Contracts and Declarations – CH 128 H 28
[4] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 172 H 6
[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 76 – The Book Cleanliness – Ch 2 H 2 (Chapters on uncleanness and its purifiers)
[6] الكافي 1: 154/ 1.
[7] الكافي 1: 154/ 1 (Extract)
[8] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 361/ 29
[9] Al Kafi – H 14797 (Extract)
[10] الاحتجاج: 375.
[11] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Marriage Ch 184 H 26
[12] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 100 – The Book of Contracts and Declarations – CH 79 H 19
[13] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 100 – The Book of Contracts and Declarations – CH 79 H 10