In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Kind.
As
Muslims, the best role model we have is of course, the Prophet Muhammad
ﷺ(peace be upon him). About him, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala (exalted is
He) says:
“And indeed, you are of a great moral character.”
And
as Aisha radi allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her) described the
Prophet’s character and mannerisms as a walking Qur’an, we will look at
one of the ways in which the Prophet Muhammad embodied Qur’anic values.
In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) orders the Prophet ﷺto:
“[…]
consult them [i.e. the Muslims] in the matter. And when you have
decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon
Him].”(Qur’an 3:159)
Allah
(Subhanahu wa Ta`ala) commands the Prophet ﷺto consult his companions
despite revelation coming to him. The question is why does he do this?
Imam al-Razi gives several explanations in his Tafsīr al-Kabīr.
Firstly,
the Prophet ﷺconsulting the companions makes them feel important and
respected. This in turn, reciprocates good feelings towards him, and
ensures a healthy and respectful relationship, which would ultimately
benefit the Companions. Note how this is intended to benefit those who
are consulted more than the one consulting. This is a good reminder for
those in authority to always keep those who are in their charge
involved. This is more so when it comes to the domestic realm, where
husbands sometimes may not feel it necessary to consult their wives. As
we know the Prophet ﷺconsulted Khadija (ra) when he received the first
revelation.
More
telling is the incident of Hudaibia, when the Muslims had set out from
Medina towards Mecca intending `Umrah. The polytheists of Mecca had
blocked them and agreed to allow them to perform the `Umrah the
following year. Now the Muslims had already assumed the ihram (a ritual
state which prohibits certain things usually permissible). To come out
of this state, the Muslims had to slaughter their animals, and trim or
shave their head. The Prophet ﷺcommanded the Muslims three times to do
this, but because they were overcome with grief, none of them were
obeying this command at first.
The
Prophet ﷺwas worried, and came back to his tent, where his wife, Umm
Salama (may Allah be pleased with her), was. She advised him by
suggesting he simply go outside, slaughter his offering, and shave his
head. No sooner had the Prophet ﷺdone this in full view of the
Companions, then they too followed and thus all had come out of ihram.
The Prophet ﷺconsulted his wife in such grave matters, and did not see
it below himself to do so.
Secondly,
even though the Prophet ﷺhad an intelligence and qualities far above
any other creation, Imam Razi says it is not impossible, due to the
vast nature of human knowledge, for him to over look something which
someone else may not. Moreover, others may offer different perspectives.
Thus we see the Prophet ﷺconsulted the Companions when making very
important decisions. For example, the location of the battle of Uhud was
decided based on the opinion of the Companions, as the Prophet ﷺwanted
to fight the battle from within Medina.
In
fact, Imam Razi mentions that the order to consult the Companions came
after the Battle of Uhud, because the Companions may have felt the
Prophet ﷺwas upset with them, as he followed their advice, and went out
of Medina for the battle, which ultimately lead to the Muslims’ defeat.
This was also the case in the battle of Badr, when, based on the advice
of Hubab ibn al-Mundhir, the Prophet ﷺchanged his initial location for
battle. If such is the case with the Prophet ﷺ, what of an average
Muslim, living fourteen hundred years after?
Thirdly,
Imam Hasan al-Basri and Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna are of the opinion that such
an order was given to the Prophet ﷺso that consulting each other will
become an established sunnah (tradition) of the this Umma (community).
This consultation, even in domestic affairs, is something we can do
religiously, intending reward from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta`ala), by
adhering to this sunnah. This is significant as we often do not see such
actions, e.g. consultation and holding a family meeting, as something
‘religious’ or something that is encouraged by our faith.
Fourthly,
by consulting the companions, the Prophet ﷺwas able to gauge the
understanding and intelligence of the Companions. Of course, this
benefit is clear when a man consults his family. He will be able to keep
his children involved, as well as be on the same ‘wavelength’ as them,
ultimately leading to better communication and a more open and honest
relationship.
Fifthly,
by consulting the Companions, they would have ownership in what
happens. This means that they would exert their utmost as they will be
responsible for the outcome. This is an effective way to share
responsibility with children, and give them an opportunity to mature
organically under the guidance of their parents. Thus they won’t be cut
off, simply receiving do’s and don’ts, but actually taking part in
deciding what these rules are.
Lastly,
after the verse encourages the Muslims to consult, it also reminds them
that they should ultimately be dependent on Allah (Subhanahu wa
Ta`ala):
“And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].”(Quran 3:159)
May
Allah makes us of those whom He describes as “their affairs are
mutually decided between them” and peace and blessings be upon our
master and final messenger.
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