Shaykh Abū ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān Muqbil ibn Hādī al-Wādiʿī (d. 1422 AH / 2001 CE) ؒ said:
Guidance on Resolving Differences
The differences that have arisen among the people of Sunnah will disappear through implementing the following measures.
Judging by the Qurʾān and Sunnah. Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. If you differ over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in outcome.” [Q 4:59]
He also said:
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ
“Whatever you differ over, its judgement belongs to Allah.” [Q 42:10] (excerpt)
And He said:
وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
“When news of security or fear reaches them, they broadcast it. Had they referred it to the Messenger and those in authority among them, those capable of drawing conclusions would have understood it. Were it not for Allah’s favour and mercy upon you, you would have followed Satan, except for a few.” [Q 4:83]
Asking the scholars from the people of Sunnah. Allah said:
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
“Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” [Q 16:43] (excerpt)
Some students of knowledge, however, are pleased with the knowledge they possess and use it to argue with everyone who disagrees with them. This causes division and disagreement. Abū ʿĪsā Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā at-Tirmidhī (d. 279 AH / 892 CE) ؒ reported in his Al-Jāmiʿ, through Abū Umāmah al-Bāhilī ؓ, that the Prophet Muḥammad said:
ما ضل قوم بعد هدى كانوا عليه إلا أوتوا الجدل.
“No people went astray after having been guided except that they were given to disputation.” (At-Tirmidhī, Al-Jāmiʿ, no. 3253.)
Then he recited:
مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًا بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
“They presented it to you only for argument. Rather, they are a disputatious people.” [Q 43:58] (excerpt)
Knowledge and recognising one’s shortcomings. If you examine your shortcomings and recognise how little you are in comparison with the early scholars, such as Abū al-Fidāʾ Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUmar ibn Kathīr (d. 774 AH / 1373 CE) ؒ and the eminent scholars who preceded him in various disciplines, studying these accomplished scholars (ḥuffāẓ) would occupy you instead of criticising others.
Considering the differences among the Companions and the eminent scholars who followed them. If you examine their differences, you will give the person who disagrees with you the benefit of the doubt and will not demand that he submit to your opinion. You will recognise that demanding his submission calls on him to disregard his understanding and intellect. In reality, you are calling him to follow you blindly, and blind following in religion is prohibited.
Allah said:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ
“Do not follow that of which you have no knowledge.” [Q 17:36] (excerpt)
There are further extensive proofs set out by Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ash-Shawkānī (d. 1250 AH / 1834 CE) ؒ in Al-Qawl al-Mufīd fī Adillat al-Ijtihād wa-t-Taqlīd (Beneficial Speech on the Evidences of Independent Judgement and Blind Following).
Considering the state of the Muslim community and the dangers surrounding it. Many Muslims are unaware of these dangers. If you consider the condition of the Muslim community, this will occupy you instead of preoccupying yourself with a brother whose understanding differs from yours. You will give precedence to what is more important.
When the Prophet Muḥammad sent Muʿādh ibn Jabal ؓ to Yemen, he instructed him to begin by calling people to the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muḥammad is Allah’s Messenger. This report is related by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim, through ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbbās . The corresponding wording in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim is:
إنك تأتي قوما من أهل الكتاب، فادعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله.
“You are going to a people from the People of the Book. Call them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that I am Allah’s Messenger.” (Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, no. 19a; excerpt. Compare al-Bukhārī, no. 1395.)
References
The Qurʾān, 4:59; 4:83; 16:43 (excerpt); 17:36 (excerpt); 42:10 (excerpt); 43:58 (excerpt).
Al-Bukhārī, Abū ʿAbd Allah Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl (d. 256 AH / 870 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 1395.
Muslim, Abū al-Ḥusayn Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj (d. 261 AH / 875 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 19a.
Ar-Rāziḥī, Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Aḥmad, An-Nuṣḥ al-Amīn li-Ṭalabat al-ʿIlm min Naṣāʾiḥ Shaykhinā al-Imām Muqbil ibn Hādī al-Wādiʿī: Dār al-Maʿārij, Cairo, second edition, 2014, p. 11.
Ash-Shawkānī, Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad, Al-Qawl al-Mufīd fī Adillat al-Ijtihād wa-t-Taqlīd
At-Tirmidhī, Abū ʿĪsā Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā, Al-Jāmiʿ, no. 3253.
