Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 911 [Read full issue]
Leadership and Guidance
[continued from issue 910]
4. Leadership (imarah)
As for the capacity of supreme leadership of state, most of its instances cannot be confused with those pertaining to the capacity of legislation, except in such situations as would happen during wartime and which may admit particular applicability, such
as the prohibition of eating donkey meat in the battle of Khaybar. The Companions disagreed on this issue. Was the prohibition of God's Messenger (peace be upon him) to eat the flesh of donkeys, and his command to spill the pots in which it was cooked, a proscriptive legislation entailing an absolute prohibition of consuming donkey meat? Or did it ensue from his capacity as supreme leader in the interest of the army, since their mounts in that battle were donkeys?
5. Guidance (hady)
The capacity of guidance and instruction is more general than that of legislation. This is due to the fact that God's Messenger may command and prohibit while his intention is not decisiveness, but rather the indication of different ways to goodness and
righteousness. Thus, words arousing people's interest to follow the way of the Afterlife or describing the eternal bliss people will enjoy in Paradise as well as most recommended matters (mandubat) flow from this capacity of guidance and instruction. It is reported in an authentic tradition narrated by al-Marur ibn Suwayd who said:
"At al-Rabadhah I met Abu Dharr, who was wearing a cloak, and his slave, too, was wearing a similar one. I asked the reason for it. He replied, 'I scolded a slave by calling his mother bad names.' The Prophet said to me, 'O Abu Dharr! Did you abuse him by calling his mother bad names? You still have some characteristics of the age of pagan ignorance (Jahiliyyah). Your slaves are your brethren, upon whom God has given you authority. So, if one has one's brethren under one's control, one should feed them with the like of what one eats and clothe them with the like of what one wears. You should not ask them to do things beyond their capacity, and if you do so, help them [with their hard job].'" (Bukhari)
..... [to be continued]
Compiled From:
"Treatise on Maqasid Al-Shariah" - Ibn Ashur, pp. 37, 38