Rules taught by Ahlebayt about opposing/conflicting narrations.

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Assalam O Alaikum, Wa Rehmatullah, Wa Barakatuhu.

GENERAL RULE: Compare every narration with book of Allah and Sunnah of His Prophet (S), if it agrees with book of Allah and Sunnah of His Prophet (S) then accept it, otherwise reject it.

Similarly only those narrations of Ahlebayt will be accepted which are in accordance with Book of Allah and Sunnah of His Prophet (S). But major problem with Asna Ashri Shias is that they consider narrations of Ahlebayt and Sunnah of Prophet (S) same. Which is totally against the rules taught by Ahlebayt themseleves. You have to first compare narrations of Ahlebayt with the Quran and with the Sunnah of Prophet (S). Absolute authority is only Book of Allah and Sunnah of His Prophet (S).

BOOK: UYUN AKHBAR REZA A.S, Volume 1, Chapter 30, Author: Shaikh Sadooq.
https://www.al-islam.org/uyun-akhbar-ar-ridha-volume-1-shaykh-saduq/chapter-30-various-traditions-al-ridha#fref_6eb2e8c6_34


RULE #1: Prophet (S) never allowed what God forbade, never forbade what God allowed, and never changed any of God’s Decrees or anything which God made incumbent.

30-45 My father and Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Waleed - may God be pleased with them - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Mesma’ee, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Al-Hassan al-Maythami,

“One day a group of people had gathered around Al-Ridha’ (a.s.), and were arguing about two opposite traditions on the same subject which had been narrated on the authority of God’s Prophet (S). They asked the Imam (a.s.) about it. He (a.s.) said, ‘In fact, the Honorable the Exalted God has forbidden the forbidden things, has allowed the allowed things, and has made incumbent the incumbent deeds. One cannot rely on or act according to any traditions which allow what God has forbidden, or forbid what God has allowed. One cannot cancel any of the incumbent deeds which God has made incumbent (upon the people) in His Book and are clearly supported by traditions for which there are no instances of having been cancelled. God’s Prophet (S) never allowed what God forbade, never forbade what God allowed, and never changed any of God’s Decrees or anything which God made incumbent (upon the people). He was completely subject to God’s revelations and decrees and only delivered them (to others) from God. That is what the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…I follow but that which is revealed to me by inspiration…’ The Prophet (S) followed only God and delivered what God had ordered him to deliver.”


RULE #2: We Ahlulbayt never allow what God’s Prophet (S) has not allowed to do, and never order to do the opposite of what God’s Prophet (S) has ordered to do. Since we are all the followers of God’s Prophet (S). We submit to the Prophet’s (a.s.) orders and admonishments, just as God’s Prophet (S) submitted to the Honorable the Exalted Lord’s orders.

Ahmad ibn Al-Hassan al-Maythami added, “I asked the Imam (a.s.), ‘What should we do in instances in which there is a ruling on something from you - the Members of the Holy Household - which does not exist in God’s Book, but it is in the traditions and there is also an opposite tradition narrated on your authority.”

The Imam (a.s.) answered, “Yes, sometimes God’s Prophet (S) admonished against something. That is a kind of admonishing which is like that of God. It is no longer permitted to do what the Prophet (S) has admonished against. He (a.s.) has also ordered to do things which are considered to be like the orders of the Sublime God’s. His orders are according to the Sublime God’s orders. Therefore, whenever there is an admonishment by God’s Prophet (S) for which there is a tradition which opposes it, acting according to that tradition is not permissible. The same holds true for what the Prophet (S) has allowed. That is because we (Members of the Holy Household) never allow (the people to do) what God’s Prophet (S) has not allowed (them) to do, and never order (the people) to do the opposite of what God’s Prophet (S) has ordered (the people) to do - except for in conditions in which there is some fear of harm (cases of concealment of faith ). It will never be the case that we allow what God’s Prophet has forbidden or forbid what God’s Prophet (S) has allowed, since we (- Members of the Holy Household -) are all the followers of God’s Prophet (S). We submit to the Prophet’s (a.s.) orders and admonishments, just as God’s Prophet (S) submitted to the Honorable the Exalted Lord’s orders. The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from  you…’ Indeed God’s Prophet (S) has admonished against things, which are not forbidden, but are not good to do. He (a.s.) has also ordered to do things, which are not incumbent upon one to do, but are better to be done to be more noble. He (a.s.) has then left the people free to chose to do them or not, whether or not they are excused from doing those things. There are cases in which God’s Prophet (S) has admonished against something since it is not good to do, or has ordered to do what is not forbidden to do or not incumbent upon one not to do. Therefore, if there are two traditions from us (Members of the Holy Household) in which one has ordered you to do something, while in the other one he (a.s.) has admonished you against doing it, and someone has compiled both these traditions in the same book and has not denied either one of them; then you can follow either one if the tradition narrators are reliable. You are allowed to submit to God’s Prophet’s (a.s.) words or reject his knowledge and ours on that issue whenever the duty is not clear. Whoever refuses to submit due to being stubborn or wanting to deny  God’s Prophet (S) is, in fact, a polytheist regarding the Majestic God.

RULE #3: In case of conflicting traditions, use the narration which agrees with the Quran. If you dont find it explicitly in Quran, then refer to Sunnah of the Prophet (S), and use the narration which agrees with Sunnah of Prophet (S). But if you dont find anything clearly, both in Quran and Sunnah then refer to us (Ahlulbayt).

Therefore, you should first review the traditions that are narrated to you for which there is also an opposite tradition related to what is in God’s Book. Then use the one which agrees with God’s Book regarding what is forbidden and what is allowed and act accordingly. If you cannot find it in God’s Book, then refer to the traditions of the Prophet (S). Use the tradition which is in agreement with the traditions of the Prophet (S) regarding its being allowed or forbidden. However, when there is something which has been admonished against in the traditions, but then a tradition has come opposite to that, this is a permission to do what God’s Prophet (S) has admonished against, but has not forbidden to do. In such cases you can rely on either one. The person is allowed to chose, since both traditions are narrated on the authority of God’s Prophet (S). However, in cases which are neither of the above, you should leave the knowledge regarding them to us - Members of the Holy Household - and do not issue your own decrees, since we are more deserving to do so. You must be careful and stop at the doubtful instances, wait to understand them and search about them, until you get enough clarifications on  them by us – Members of the Holy Household.”

JAZAK ALLAH KHAIRAN