The Faith of Islam | Page 9

once appeared and informed him that now, and on account of his act, he was appointed an Im��m.[21] In short, it is distinctly laid down that the best of all works is the following of the practice of Muhammad. The essence of religion has been stated by a learned theologian to consist of three things: first, to follow the Prophet in morals and in acts; secondly, to eat only lawful food; thirdly, to be sincere in all actions.
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The Sunnat is now known to Musalm��ns through the collections of Traditions gathered together by the men whose names they now bear. The whole are called Sihah-Sittah, or "six correct books." Not one of these collectors flourished until the third century of the Hijra, and so, as may be easily supposed, their work has not passed unchallenged. There is by no means an absolute consensus of opinion among the Sunn��s as to the exact value of each Tradition, yet all admit that a 'genuine Tradition' must be obeyed. Whether the Prophet spoke what in the Traditions is recorded as spoken by him under the influence of the highest kind of inspiration is, as will be shown in the next chapter, a disputed point; but it matters little. Whatever may have been the degree, it was according to Muslim belief a real inspiration, and thus his every act and word became a law as binding upon his followers as the example of Christ is upon Christians.
The Sh��a'hs do not acknowledge the Sihah-Sittah, the six correct books of the Sunn��s, but it by no means follows that they reject Tradition. They have five books of Traditions, the earliest of which was compiled by Abu Ja'far Muhammad A.H. 329, or a century later than the Sah��h-i-Bukh��r��, the most trustworthy of the Sunn�� set. Thus all Musalm��n sects accept the first and second ground of the faith--the Qur��n and the Sunnat--as the inspired will of God; the Sh��a'hs substituting in the place of the Traditions on which the Sunnat is based, a collection of their own. What it is important to maintain is this, that the Qur��n alone is to no Musalm��n an all-sufficient guide.
3. IJM��'.--The third foundation of the Faith is called Ijm��', a word signifying to be collected or assembled. Technically it means the unanimous consent of the leading theologians, or what in Christian theology would be called the "unanimous consent of the Fathers." Practically it is a collection of the opinions of the Companions, the T��bi'��n and the Taba-i-T��bi'��n. "The Law," says Ibn Khaldoun {17} "is grounded on the general accord of the Companions and their followers." The election of Abu Bakr to the Khalifate is called Ijm��'-i-Ummat, the unanimous consent of the whole sect. The Companions of the Prophet had special knowledge of the various circumstances under which special revelations had been made; they alone knew which verses of the Qur��n abrogated others, and which verses were thus abrogated. The knowledge of these matters and many other details they handed on to their successors, the T��bi'��n, who passed the information on to their followers, the Taba-i-T��bi'��n. Some Muslims, the Wahh��b��s for example, accept only the Ijm��' of the Companions; and by all sects that is placed in the first rank as regards authority; others accept that of the 'Fugitives' who dwelt at Mad��na; and there are some amongst the orthodox who allow, as a matter of theory, that Ijm��' may be collected at any time, but that practically it is not done because there are now no Mujtahid��n. The highest rank a Muslim Theologian could reach was that of a Mujtahid, or one who could make an Ijtih��d, a word which, derived from the same root as Jih��d (a Crescentade), means in its technical sense a logical deduction. It is defined as the "attaining to a certain degree of authority in searching into the principles of jurisprudence." The origin of Ijtih��d was as follows:--Muhammad wished to send a man named Mu'��z to Yaman to receive some money collected for alms, which he was then to distribute to the poor. On appointing him he said: "O Mu'��z, by what rule will you act?" He replied, "by the Law of the Qur��n." "But if you find no direction therein?" "Then I will act according to the Sunnat of the Prophet." "But what if that fails?" "Then I will make an Ijtih��d and act on that." The Prophet raised his hands and said, "Praise be to God who guides the messenger of His Prophet in what He pleases."[22] This is considered a proof of the authority of Ijtih��d for the Prophet clearly sanctioned it.
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When the Prophet was alive men could go to him with their doubts and fears: an infallible authority was always present ready to give an inspired direction. The Khal��fs who succeeded the Prophet