Third case is: Limiting the absolute (1) which means that the Qur'an contains absolute Ayahs then the Sunnah comes to limit this absolute, such as:
1- The saying of Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted): "And (as for) the male thief and the female thief, cut off (from the wrist joint) their (right) hands as a recompense for that which they committed, a punishment by way of example from Allâh. And Allâh is All-Powerful, All-Wise." (2)
The amputation of the hand that was mentioned in the Ayah was not limited by special position, therefore it is permissible to amputate the hand to the joint, the elbow, or the shoulder because the hand includes all this area. However, the Sunnah came to limit the amputation to the wrist or to the joint of the elbow.
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him), Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman used to amputate the hand of the robber from the joint. (3)
It was reported in Sunan Al Bayhaqy on the authority of `Umar that he used to cut the hand of the robber from the joint. (4)
2- The saying of Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted): "It is prescribed for you, when death approaches any of you, if he leaves wealth, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable manners. (This is) a duty upon Al Muttaqûn (the pious)." (5)
And His Saying in the Ayah of Surat An-Nisa': "After the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts." (6)
The will which was mentioned in the Ayah is absolute and unlimited, so the Sunnah came to limit it with one third. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Sa`d ibn Abu Waqqas when he wanted to bequeath much of his money, he said: "Yes, one third, yet even one third is too much." (7)
The fourth case is: Clarifying the obscure which means that there are some Ayahs of the Qur'an which contradict in their apparent meaning other Ayahs or Hadiths, so the Sunnah comes to clarify this problem and remove this contradiction, such as:
1- The saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He): "Thus, We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a middle (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) be a witness over you." (8)
This Ayah is in contradictory with the reality of his nation as it came prior to the Hour, so how will it be a middle nation? And how will it be a witness over all previous nations? And how will the Messenger be a witness over all Messengers who preceded him while he was the last?
Hence, the Sunnah came to solve these problems. It was reported from Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "A prophet will come with two men, another will come with three men, another will come with more or less men. Then it will be said to him: Did you convey the message to your people? He will say: Yes. Then, his people will be summoned and shall be asked: Did he convey the message? They will say: No. Thereupon, it will be said to him: Who is your witness? He will say: Muhammad and his nation. So, the nation of Muhammad will be summoned and it will be asked: Did he convey the message? They will say: Yes. He will ask: How did you know? They will say: Our Prophet informed us that the Messengers have conveyed the message, and we believed him. He said: This is the meaning of Allah's Saying: "Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) be a witness over you." (9)
2- Allah's Saying: "And eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Saum (fast) till the nightfall." (10)
Some Companions understood from the Ayah that the white and the black threads are real and it is permissible for a fasting person to eat and drink until he can distinct them from one another.
However, the Sunnah came to remove this confusion and explain that the white and the black threads are figures of speech which denote the whiteness of daytime and the dark of the night.
`Ady ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the following Ayah was revealed: "And eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)," I brought two headbands: One of them is black and the other is white. He said: I put them underneath my pillow. He said: I looked at them from time to time, so when I was able to distinct the white from the black, I started fasting. When it was the morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and told him about that. He said: You did not understand the meaning. The meaning is the whiteness of daytime and dark of the night." (11)
3- The Hadith that was reported from `A'ishah, the mother of the believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: he who is taken to account on the Day of Recompense shall be tortured. I said: Did not Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) said: "He surely will receive an easy reckoning?" He said: That is not reckoning, but it is the display of actions. Indeed, whoever is taken to account on the Day of Recompense shall be tortured." (12)
`A'ishah, the mother of the believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) thought that the meaning of reckoning in the Prophet's saying: "He who is taken to account on the Day of Recompense" is the same reckoning mentioned in the Ayah. Hence, the problem raised, so she came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) asking about the matter and the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained the meaning to her that the meaning of the Hadith is the reckoning but the meaning in the Ayah is the display of actions to Allah (may He be Exalted).
Accordingly, there is no contradiction between the Ayah and the Hadith.
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(1) The meaning of the absolute is: A word which indicates a general matter, but the limited is: A word that does not indicate a general matter. See Ahkam Al Ahkam (3/5) and Irshad Al Fuhul p. (164).
(2) Surat of Al-Ma'idah: 38.
(3) The Hadith was reported by Abu Ash-Shaykh in the book of the prescribed punishments from the way of Ibn `Umar. See: Talkhis Al Habir of Ibn Hajar (4/71).
(4) As-Sunan Al Kubra of Al Bayhaqy in the book of robbery, chapter on a robber steals first then his right hand is amputated from the wrist (8/270, 271).
(5) Surat Al Baqarah: 180.
(6) Surat An-Nisa': 11.
(7) The Hadith was reported by Al Bukhari in his Sahih in the book of wills, chapter on bequeathal of one third (5/434) and was reported by Muslim in his Sahih in the book of will, chapter on bequeathal of one third (2/11, 12).
(8) Surat Al Baqarah: 143.
(9) The Hadith was reported by Al Bukhari in his Sahih in the book of Prophets, chapter on Allah's Saying: "Verily, We sent Nûh (Noah) to his people (saying)." (4/163) and the book of Tafsir, Surat Al Baqarah (6/25, 26), and At-Tirmidhy in his Sunan in the book of Tafsir, chapter on Surat Al Baqarah (5/207) and said: This is a good and authentic Hadith. Ibn Majah also reported the Hadith in his Sunan in the book of asceticism, chapter on the qualities of the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) (2/1433) with his own wordings.
(10) Surat Al Baqarah: 187.
(11) The Hadith was reported by Al Bukhari in his Sahih in the book of fasting, chapter on Allah's Saying: "And eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Saum (fast) till the nightfall." (3/36) and was reported by Muslim in his Sahih in the book of fasting, chapter on starting fasting by the beginning of dawn (1/441).
(12) The Hadith was reported by Al Bukhari in his Sahih in the book of knowledge, chapter on whoever hears something then asks to know more about it (1/37) and was reported by Muslim in his Sahih in the book of Paradise, the description of its bliss and people, chapter on confirmation of reckoning (2/546).
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