How best to explain the Quran (1)

Allaah chose Muhammad (SallaLLaahu alayhi Wassalam) as His Prophet and picked him to deliver the final message. He revealed the Qur’an to him and ordered him to explain the messages in it to the people. Therefore, the Prophet should know the interpretation of the Qur’anic verses than anyone else. The Sunnah, which is his sayings […]

Allaah chose Muhammad (SallaLLaahu alayhi Wassalam) as His Prophet and picked him to deliver the final message. He revealed the Qur’an to him and ordered him to explain the messages in it to the people.
Therefore, the Prophet should know the interpretation of the Qur’anic verses than anyone else. The Sunnah, which is his sayings and deeds is necessary to understand the Qur’an.
The sunnah clarifies the sentences and specifies the verses called ‘Amah’ (general) and defines what is ‘mutlaq’ (unbounded) and explains the ‘Mujmal’ (comprehensive).
For instance, Allah says: “The male thief and female thief cut of their hands” (5:38). The thief in this verse is general, and also the hand. The sunnah explains the first of them and restricts it by ‘as-saariq’ (the thief whose hand is to be cut is one ) who steals something worth a fourth of a Dinar, according to the saying of the Prophet: There is no cutting – of the hand – unless the thing stolen is worth a fourth of a Dinar or more (Buhkari & Muslim).
Again, the other (which part o the hand to cut) is explained by the action of the Prophet or the action of his companions and his confirmation.
 Shaykh Naasirudeen Al-albaanee said in his book ‘The Status of Sunnah in Islaam’: “They (the prophet and his companions) used to cut the hand of the thief from the wrist as is known in the work of Hadeeth. The oral tradition explains the hand mentioned in the verse on Tayammum (dust ablution) And rub therewith your faces and hands (5:6) is also the palm of the hand as is stated in a Hadeeth Tayammum is the wiping of the face and the hands recorded by Bukhaary, Muslims, Ahmad and others from a tradition reported by Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them). “
The shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) also mentioned that there are other verses that cannot be completely understood except through Sunnah. They are:
1.    It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong,’dhulm’that are(truly) in security for they are on(right) guidance (6:82).
The companions of the Prophet (SAW) understood the word ‘dhulm’ in its general sense to mean every wrong doing, even if it be little. On this account the verse is regarded as dubious and they said, "O Messenger of Allah, which of us did not involve his faith with obscurity?" He (SAW) said; It is not that. It is only the ‘shirk’. Have you not heard what Luqmaan said: Verily Shirk is a very great sin (dhulm) (31:13). The two shaikhs have recorded it with others.
2.    Allah says: When you travel on earth, there is no blame on you to shorten your prayer, for fear the unbelievers will persecute you (4:101). It is obvious from this verse that fear is a pre-requisite for the shortening of prayers. Some of the Prophet’s companions asked him: "Why do we shorten our prayers while we feel safe?" He said: It is a charity from Allah, so accept it (Muslim).
3.    Allah says: The carcass and its blood are forbidden to you (5:3). In explanation of this verse, the corpse of locusts, fish, the livers, spleen of blood are lawful. So the Prophet (SAW) said: He has made two dead things and blood lawful: the locusts and the fish, the liver and the spleen. (Baihaqi)