QUESTION:
Concerning these two verses:
And We have sent down upon you the Book as clarification for all things.
Qur’an 16:90
In fact, the Quran does not have an explanation for all things; does not the verse contradict the reality that the Qur’an does not have an explanation for all things. For instance, there is not an explanation for the number of raka’at (units) in the midday prayer.
In their stories was a lesson for those who possess intelligence. This is not a fabricated tale, but rather a confirmation of what came before it, and a detailed explanation of all things, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe.
Qur’an 12:112
Hence, would it not be that our saying that the Sunnah details a few things, such as prayer, conflict or contradicts with what the verse said about the Qur’an? “A clarification for all things” well, is not the number of units in prayer, a thing? Yes, it is a thing and has not been clarified. Hence, the fact that the number of units is not specified, contradicts the verse if it has not spoken of it, correct?
ANSWER:
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Family and damn their enemies.
Part 1:
The Quran itself has explained how the book can be a clarification for all things. The holy verse about which you are asking, is apparent about that that the clarification is the duty of the one whom the Quran has been sent down upon, because the Holy Quran is addressing the Holy Prophet (Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family) in the verse:
And we have sent down upon you.
Qur’an 16:90
For example, you may take a book that comprises all the laws of physics, and in the preface of the book it is mentioned that it aims to explain all laws of physics, and when you find that the book is referring you to other sources when it comes to clarifying and explaining some of its rules on which there is some unclarity, you wouldn’t say that what has been mentioned in the preface of this book is not correct.
In the Holy Quran there are some verses which guide us to the method of seeking clarification from the Holy Book, and these have explained that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family) and his Family (peace be upon them) after him are the ones who clarify, interpret and explain to us this book that Allahhas revealed to His Messenger Allah (Exalted is He) said:
And We sent down the Message to you that you may clarify to the people that which has been sent down to them, and that they might consider.
Qur’an 16:45
In ‘Tafseer-ul-Burhan’ it was narrated by Imam Abu Abdllah (peace be upon him) that he said:
The Glorious said: So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.
Qur’an 16:44
The Book is the knowledge and its people are the Family of Mohammed (peace be upon them). Allah has ordered to ask them and did not order to ask the ignorant. Allah has named the Quran a Message and so He (Glorious and Exalted is He) said:
And We sent down the Message to you that you may clarify to the people that which has been sent down to them, and that they might consider.’
Qur’an 16:45
And He said: 1It is, indeed, a Message for you, and for your people; and you will be questioned.
Qur’an 43:45
Our Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
Allah did not leave anything that this nation needs until the Day of Resurrection except that He revealed it in His Book (and clarified it to His Messenger) and He has made a definition for everything and made evidence for it.
Basa’er-ud-Darajat, p. 6
It was said to Imam al-Kadhim (peace upon him):
May Allah sacrifice me for You, tell me about the Prophet (Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family) did he inherit from all the Prophets (peace be upon them)?He said to the narrator:
Yes, from Adam to himself until it reached himself.” He said: “Allah did not send a Prophet except that Mohammed was more knowledgeable than him. We have inherited this Quran; it has what cuts mountains, and cuts (the distance) between lands. Hence, what He wrote to the predecessors, He made it in the Source of the Scripture.
Indeed, Allah says in His Book: ‘There is no mystery in heaven and the earth, but it is in a Clear Book.’
Qur’an 27:75
and then said: ‘Then We passed the Book to those of Our servants whom We chose.’
Qur’an 35:32
We are the ones whom allah chose, and so we inherited this that has everything.
Basa’er-ud-Darajat, p. 114
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family) is the most firmly rooted in knowledge because he knew all what Allah has revealed from probative interpretation and revelation, and Allah would not send down a thing upon him that He did not teach him its probative interpretation; and his successors after him know it all.
Tafseer-l-Qommi, p. 87
Part 2: It has been responded to in the previous answer.
The Office of Sheikh al-Habib
