Also, these scholars found that there are correct analogies, but there are narrations from the Noble Messenger (ﷺ), that they did not have knowledge of.
Hence, al-Imâm Ahmad was very stern in refuting the usage of analogy. He used to refute many affairs where it was claimed that there is a consensus. And likewise, he used to refute those who say that 'the people have united upon such and such an issue.' He would respond by saying: "𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞?" Rather, say
"𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞!"
It is safer to say: "𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞," because perhaps there is an opposing opinion that just has not reached you, or you have not come across.
*Al-Imâm Ahmad says: [𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭.] In the presence of a clear text, submit!
As Allah-The Most High--says:
"𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨, 𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 (𝐎 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 ﷺ) 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 (𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦) 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧."
[An-Nisa: 65]
If someone narrates to you an authentic or sound narration, do not say "By Allah, By Allah," and then begin to put forth examples. Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) mentioned this same principle, as it is found in the introduction of Sunan Ibn Majah. He said:
"𝐀𝐥- 𝐖𝐮𝐝𝐮' 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝."
[Introduction of Ibn Majah, hadith no. (22), Book of Purification hadith no. (485); at-Tirmidhi, The Book of Purification hadith no. (79), al- Albânî graded it hasan]
So he narrated this hadîth that commands the one who eats that which fire has touched to perform wudu’. At this point one of the Companions said: "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐮𝐝𝐮' 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭?"
Abu Hurayrah said: "𝐎 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐢𝐟 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬."
Meaning, it is not upon you except but to submit. This is a key principle--may Allah bless you.
*[𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬] rather it is only reached by narrations. If you want the Sunnah and you want guidance, then it is a must that you study and learn the Religion. If a prophetic text reaches you, use (sound) intelligence and try to understand it.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫, 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧."
[Collected by al-Bukhârì, The Book of Knowledge, hadith no. (71); Muslim, The Book of Charity, hadith no. (1037)]
Hence, al-Imâm Ahmad was very stern in refuting the usage of analogy. He used to refute many affairs where it was claimed that there is a consensus. And likewise, he used to refute those who say that 'the people have united upon such and such an issue.' He would respond by saying: "𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞?" Rather, say
"𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞!"
It is safer to say: "𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞," because perhaps there is an opposing opinion that just has not reached you, or you have not come across.
*Al-Imâm Ahmad says: [𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭.] In the presence of a clear text, submit!
As Allah-The Most High--says:
"𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨, 𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 (𝐎 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 ﷺ) 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 (𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦) 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧."
[An-Nisa: 65]
If someone narrates to you an authentic or sound narration, do not say "By Allah, By Allah," and then begin to put forth examples. Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) mentioned this same principle, as it is found in the introduction of Sunan Ibn Majah. He said:
"𝐀𝐥- 𝐖𝐮𝐝𝐮' 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝."
[Introduction of Ibn Majah, hadith no. (22), Book of Purification hadith no. (485); at-Tirmidhi, The Book of Purification hadith no. (79), al- Albânî graded it hasan]
So he narrated this hadîth that commands the one who eats that which fire has touched to perform wudu’. At this point one of the Companions said: "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐮𝐝𝐮' 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭?"
Abu Hurayrah said: "𝐎 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐢𝐟 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬."
Meaning, it is not upon you except but to submit. This is a key principle--may Allah bless you.
*[𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬] rather it is only reached by narrations. If you want the Sunnah and you want guidance, then it is a must that you study and learn the Religion. If a prophetic text reaches you, use (sound) intelligence and try to understand it.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫, 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧."
[Collected by al-Bukhârì, The Book of Knowledge, hadith no. (71); Muslim, The Book of Charity, hadith no. (1037)]