Tafseer: {No by your Lord! They have no Faith...}

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللَّهَ تَوَّاباً رَّحِيماً - فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً﴾

{We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allaah’s leave. If they, when they were unjust to themselves, had come to you and begged Allaah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them, indeed, they would have found Allaah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. * But no, by your Lord (O Muhammad!), they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 64-65]

What follows is the Tafseer of the above Aayah from the following books of Tafseer:

Tafseer of Ibn al-Katheer.

Tafseer of al-Baghawee.

Tafseer of al-Sa`dee.

Tafseer of al-Shinqeetee.

Tafseer of al-`Uthaymeen from Sharh Riyaadhal-Saaliheen.

The same can be downloaded from here.

Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله commented on the above verses, saying:

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ﴾

{We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed} meaning: obeying the Messenger was ordained for those to whom Allaah sends them.

Allaah’s statement:

﴿بِإِذُنِ اللَّهِ﴾

{by Allaah’s leave} Mujaahid said: “None shall obey, except by My (Allaah’s) leave,” meaning: no one will be able to obey them (the Messengers) except those whom (Allaah) aids.

As Allaah تعالى said in another Aayah:

﴿وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُمْ بِإِذْنِهِ﴾

{And Allaah did indeed fulfill His promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His permission} meaning: by His Command, Decree, Will and because He تعالى granted you superiority over them.

Allaah’s تعالى statement:

﴿ وَلَوْ أَنْهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا﴾

{If they (hypocrites), when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you and begged Allaah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them, indeed, they would have found Allaah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful} Allaah تعالى instructs the sinners and the evildoers that when they commit errors and mistakes, to come to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, so that they ask Allaah for forgiveness in his presence and that they ask him to supplicate to Allaah to forgive them. If they do this, Allaah تعالى will forgive them and award them His mercy and pardon. This is why Allaah تعالى said:

﴿لَوَجَدُواْ اللَّهَ تَوَّاباً رَّحِيماً﴾

{they would have found Allaah All-Forgiving (One Who forgives and accepts repentance), Most Merciful}.

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾

{But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them,} Allaah swears by His Glorious, Most Honorable Self, that no one shall attain faith until he refers to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم for judgment in all matters. Thereafter, whatever the Messenger commands is the plain truth that must be submitted to inwardly and outwardly.

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً﴾

{and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.} meaning: they adhere to your judgment, and thus do not feel any hesitation over your decision, and they submit to it inwardly and outwardly. They submit to the Prophet’s decision with total submission without any rejection, denial or dispute.

Al-Bukhaaree recorded that `Urwah said: “Al-Zubair quarreled with a man about a stream which both of them used for irrigation. Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said to Al-Zubair:

اسْقِ يَا زُبَيْرُ ثُمَّ أَرْسِلِ الْمَاءَ إِلى جَارِك

“O Zubair! Irrigate (your garden) first, and then let the water flow to your neighbor.” The Ansaari became angry and said: `O Allaah’s Messenger! Is it because he is your cousin?’ On that, the face of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم changed color (because of anger) and said:

اسْقِ يَا زُبَيْرُ ثُمَّ احْبِسِ الْمَاءَ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْجَدْرِ،ثُمَّ أَرْسِلِ الْمَاءَ إِلى جَارِك

“Irrigate (your garden), O Zubair, and then withhold the water until it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms). Then, release the water to your neighbor.” So, Allaah’s Messenger gave Al-Zubair his full right when the Ansaari made him angry. Before that, Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم had given a generous judgment, beneficial for Al-Zubair and the Ansaari. Al-Zubair said: `I think the following verse was revealed concerning that case:

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾

{But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge in all disputes between them.} [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2359, 2362, 2708, 4585) and Saheeh Muslim (2357)]

Ibn Abu Haatim reported another but strange reason for the revelation of this Aayah:

On the authority of `Abdullaah ibn Luhai`ah that Abu al-Aswad said: Two people took their dispute to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and he gave the judgment between them. The one who lost said: ‘Give us permission to take our dispute to `Umar.’ The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Go to him.” So they went to `Umar رضي الله عنه and one of them said: ‘O Ibn al-Khattaab! The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم made the judgment in my favor over him, so he requested that matter be presented to you (for judgment) and here we are.’ He (`Umar) said: ‘Is it so?’ The (other) man said: ‘Yes!’ `Umar said: ‘Stay at your place till I come out and give you my judgment.’ So he came out with a sword and struck the one who (was dissatisfied) and said ‘let us go to `Umar’ and killed him. The other person ran away from there and came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! By Allaah! `Umar has killed my companion and had not I ran away from there he would have killed me also.’ The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “I did not think that `Umar would have been so eager to kill a believer!” So Allaah تعالى revealed the Aayah:

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ﴾

{But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge} till the end of the Aayah. That person’s blood was spilled in vain and `Umar was absolved from killing him. And Allaah تعالى disliked that this incident be repeated again and said:

﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ مَا فَعَلُوهُ إِلا قَلِيلٌ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا﴾

{And if We had ordered them (saying), “Kill yourselves (i.e. the innnocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes,” very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their (Faith);} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4):66]

This narration was also reported by Ibn Mardoyah on the authority of Ibn Luhai`ah from Abu al-Aswad. (Ibn Katheer said): But this narration is strange and it is Mursal (has a broken chain) and Ibn Luhai`ah is “Dha`eef” (weak) and Allaah knows best.

Another Reason: In his Tafseer, Al-Haafiz Abu Is-haaq Ibraaheem bin `Abdul-Rahmaan bin Ibraaheem bin Duhaym recorded that Damrah narrated that two men took their dispute to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he gave a judgment to the benefit of whoever among them had the right. The person who lost the dispute said: “I do not agree.” The other person asked him: “What do you want then?” He said: “Let us go to Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq.” They went to Abu Bakr and the person who won the dispute said: “We went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with our dispute and he issued a decision in my favor.” Abu Bakr said: “Then the decision is that which the Messenger of Allaah issued.” The person who lost the dispute still rejected the decision and said: “Let us go to `Umar bin Al-Khattaab.” When they went to `Umar, the person who won the dispute said: “We took our dispute to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and he decided in my favor, but this man refused to submit to the decision.” `Umar bin Al-Khattaab asked the second man and he concurred. `Umar went to his house and emerged from it holding aloft his sword. He struck the head of the man who rejected the Prophet’s decision with the sword and killed him. Consequently, Allaah revealed:

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

{But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith}.

--end of quote from Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-`Adheem.

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Imaam al-Baghawee رحمه الله commented on the verses, saying:

[After mentioning the incident between al-Zubair and the Ansaaree which was mentioned by Ibn Katheer above, Imaam al-Baghawee narrated:]

And it is reported that the name of the Ansaaree man was Haatib bin Abu Balta`ah. So when this Ansaaree man came out, he passed by al-Miqdaad. Al-Miqdaad asked: “In whose favor was the judgment?” The Ansaaree man said: “He has judged in the favor of the son of his uncle (i.e. his cousin).” A clever Jew who was with al-Miqdaad said: “May Allaah destroy those who bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allaah but still accuse him for the judgment he makes between them. By Allaah! Once we (i.e. our forefathers) sinned in the lifetime of Moosaa عليه السلام and Moosaa called us for repentance from it. He (Moosaa) said: ‘Kill yourselves (i.e. the innocent kill the wrong doers among you).’ So we did that and the killing reached Seventy thousand in the obedience of our Lord till He was pleased with us.”

Mujaahid said: “This Aayah was revealed about the hypocrites and the Jews who took the matter to `Umar رضي الله عنه (instead of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم).”

--end of quote from Tafseer al-Baghawee.

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Shaikh `Abdul-Rahmaan al-Sa`dee رحمه الله commented:

Allaah تعالى informs us that He has enclosed herein the matter and has urged us to obey the Messenger and to submit (to his decisions). And the objective of sending the Messengers is that they should be obeyed, submitting to all that they command and prohibit, by those whom they were sent to. And that those who are suppose to follow should honor those who are being followed.

And in this there is evidence of the infallibility of the Messengers in that which they convey from Allaah تعالى and that which they command and prohibit from because Allaah تعالى commanded that they should be obeyed unrestrictedly. If they were not infallible, they might have legislated that which could have been an error and absolute obedience would not have been commanded.

And His تعالى saying:

﴿بِإِذُنِ اللَّهِ﴾

{by Allaah’s leave}, meaning: the obedience coming from the followers is under the Preordainment and Decree of Allaah. In this Aayah is an evidence for Preordainment and Decree of Allaah, as well as the urge to seek Allaah’s help in attaining that. And also in this is the message that it is not possible for a person to obey the Messenger – if there is no help from Allaah.

Then He تعالى informed us of His huge favor and His call to those who committed sin to acknowledge their mistake and to seek Allaah’s forgiveness, as He تعالى said:

﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ﴾

{If they, when they were unjust to themselves, had come to you}, meaning: acknowledging their sin and regretting for it.

﴿فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللَّهَ تَوَّاباً﴾

{and begged Allaah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them, indeed, they would have found Allaah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.}, meaning: He تعالى will forgive them because of their seeking forgiveness for their oppression, and will have mercy on them by accepting their repentance and guiding them to it and rewarding them for it. And their coming to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was limited only in his lifetime because the context of the Aayah points to that, as the Prophet’s seeking repentance for them was only possible when he was alive. But after his death it is not allowed to seek anything from him, rather it would be Shirk (to do so).

Moreover, Allaah تعالى swears by His Glorious Self that they have not believed till they make His Messenger judge in all the disputes between them; meaning: in everything in which differences have occurred should be solved based on the Book and the Sunnah. Furthermore, making him the judge is not sufficient until they remove all the resistance and constriction from their heart and that they blindly follow his judgment. Thereafter, this is not sufficient till they surrender to his judgment, surrendering whole heartedly, with tranquilness and submitting outwardly and inwardly.

(Accepting) the judgment is in the level of Islaam; having no ill feelings (towards the judgment) is in the level of Imaan; and surrendering to it (whole heartedly) is in the level of Ihsaan. Therefore, whosoever reaches these levels and perfects it has perfected the whole religion. But whosoever rejects the judgment (thinking) it is not obligatory for him is a Kaafir; but whoever rejects it while accepting it is obligatory for him to comply with it is a sinner.

--end of quote from Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan.

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Shaikh al-Shinqeetee رحمه الله commented on the verses, saying:

Allaah تعالى, in this Aayah, swears by His Glorious Self that no one truly believes till he accepts the judgment of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم in all the matters and submits to his judgment outwardly and inwardly and surrendering to it whole heartedly without hesitation, without objection and without opposing it. And this has been clarified in another Aayah that whenever the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم makes the judgment between them, the saying of the believers is that they totally surrender to it and submit to it completely, outwardly and inwardly, as Allaah تعالى says:

﴿إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ المؤمنين إِذَا دعوا إِلَى الله وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا﴾

{The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allaah (His Words, the Qur’aan) and His Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم], to judge between them, is that they say: “We hear and we obey.”} [Surah al-Noor (24): 51]

--end of quote from Adhwaa’ al-Bayaan.

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Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله commented on the verses, saying:

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (2/253-255)]

From the Aayaat which the author (Imaam al-Nawawee) رحمه الله mentioned as evidence for the importance of adhering to the Sunnah is the saying of Allaah تعالى

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً﴾

{But no, by your Lord (O Muhammad!), they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.}

This verse is in continuation to the verses before it and it is the saying of Allaah تعالى:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً﴾

{O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 59]

Allaah تعالى commanded us with His obedience and obedience to His Messenger and those in authority amongst us.

Ulul-amr (those in authority) consists of the scholars and the rulers. The scholars are in charge of clarifying for us the religion of Allaah, whereas the rulers are in charge of implementing the Sharee`ah of Allaah. To implement the Sharee`ah, the scholars are in need of the rulers and the rulers are in need of the scholars. It is upon the rulers to return back to the scholars so that they clarify the Sharee`ah of Allaah to them. And it is upon the scholars to correctly advice the rulers and that they remind them of Allaah and that they instruct the rulers till they apply the Sharee`ah of Allaah among the slaves of Allaah عز وجل.

Furthermore, He تعالى said:

﴿فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ﴾

{(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger} meaning: when you differ in one of the things, the opinion of some of you is not an argument/evidence over the others. But rather, there is the Commandments of Allaah تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, so upon you is to refer back to the Commandments of Allaah تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Referring back to Allaah تعالى means to refer to His Book – The Glorious Qur’aan. As for referring back to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم means to referring back to his صلى الله عليه وسلم Sunnah; while he was alive it meant to go back to him personally and after his death it means to refer back to what has been authentically reported of his Sunnah.

﴿إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ﴾

{if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day} and this is a strict urge to refer back to Allaah عز وجل and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. And referring back to Allaah and His Messenger is from the requirements of the Faith.

﴿ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً﴾

{That is better and more suitable for final determination.} meaning: for a better end. For referring back to Allaah and His Messenger is better for the Ummah and a more suitable end. However, when a person thinks that referring back to the Book and the Sunnah will complicate the matter and make it difficult for the people and they will not be able to implement it – this type of thinking is bad and wrong. Some people think that the (laws of) Islaam which were (present) at the beginning of this Ummah are not suitable for the present times – and Allaah’s refuge is sought from this. Do they not know that Islaam governs and is not governed over? And that Islaam doesn’t change with the change in time or place or people? Islaam is Islaam! If we truly believe in Allaah and the Last Day, then we should refer back to the Book and the Sunnah. {That is better and more suitable for final determination.} meaning: for a better wellbeing.

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (2/258-263)]

The Shaikh رحمه الله continues:

Moreover, the author (Imaam al-Nawawee) رحمه الله mentioned the saying of Allaah تعالى:

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً﴾

{But no, by your Lord (O Muhammad!), they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.} Allaah تعالى mentioned this verse directly after the following verse:

﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللَّهَ تَوَّاباً رَّحِيماً﴾

{We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allaah’s leave. If they, when they were unjust to themselves, had come to you and begged Allaah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them, indeed, they would have found Allaah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful}

In this verse, Allaah تعالى has divided his Ruboobiyyah (Lordship) for Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, indicating that the addressing of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم here is a special one. This is because the Ruboobiyyah (mentioned) here is a special one.

Allaah تعالى – over His creation – has two types of Ruboobiyyah: General Ruboobiyyah which is for everyone, example the saying of His تعالى:

﴿الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾

{All praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds} [Surah al-Faatihah (1): 2]

and a special Ruboobiyyah for whomsoever of His creation He تعالى chooses, example this verse:

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾

{But no, by your Lord (O Muhammad!), they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them}

And both these types of Ruboobiyyah have been combined in the saying of Allaah تعالى:

﴿قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ﴾

{They (the magicians) said: “We believe in the Lord of the worlds * The Lord of Moosaa and Haaroon.”} [Surah al-A`raaf (7): 121-122]

Special Ruboobiyyah is for special addressing from Allaah تعالى. He تعالى divided His Ruboobiyyah for his slave Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم stressing with the word لا (Laa) in His saying: ﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ﴾ and the لا here is for assertion. If Allaah تعالى were just to say: فوربك لا يؤمنون “By your Lord! They can have no faith”, would have been sufficient but He تعالى mentioned the لا for emphasizing like His تعالى saying:

﴿لا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة﴾

{I swear by the Day of Resurrection.} [Surah al-Qiyaamah (75):1]

The لا here is not for negation but rather for emphasis. So in this verse (of Surah al-Nisaa’) there is emphasis and warning.

﴿فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾

{But no, by your Lord (O Muhammad!), they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them} meaning: making you (O Muhammad) a judge in the disputes that occurred between them. {Until they make you judge}: making you the judge in all the disputes that take place between them from the matters of the Deen and as well as in the worldly matters.

In the matters of the Deen: if there is a dispute between two people about a religious issue and one of them says: “It is Haraam”, whereas the other says: “It is Halaal”, they have to refer it back to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Between these two neither of them will have true faith they refer it back to the judgment of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

(An example) for the disputes between the people in worldly matter is what took place between al-Zubair bin al-`Awaam رضي الله عنه and his Ansaari neighbor where the dispute between them was taken to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the issue of the water in the valley and he صلى الله عليه وسلم gave his judgment. This judgment was about the worldly matters. The important thing is that no one has true faith till they refer back their disputes in the matters of the Deen and worldly matters to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

As for the negation of Imaan, if a person is in a total dissatisfaction with the judgment of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, then this is the negation of the Faith in its entirety because the one who is absolutely dissatisfied with the judgment of the Messenger صلى لله عليه وسلم is a Kaafir – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – he is outside the fold of Islaam. But if a person is dissatisfied (but not with absolute dissatisfaction) about the judgment on an issue* and he opposes it, (he is a sinner) but not a Kaafir.

*[Note: An example is of those who shave their beard, even though they know about its ruling. Such people are sinners only but Takfeer is not made upon them.]

And His تعالى saying:

﴿حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ﴾

{until they make you judge in all disputes between them}

So if someone says: How can the matter be referred to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم for judgment after his death? The answer: After his death his judgment is sought by referring it to his Sunnah.

There are three issues regarding this:

The first:

﴿لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾

{they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them}

The second:

﴿ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ﴾

{and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions} meaning: for a person judgment was made based on the Qur’aan and the Sunnah but in his heart he finds some objection to it, meaning he is not satisfied with the judgment or is satisfied but still reluctant. A person in no way should find in himself and dissatisfaction or resistance to the judgment of Allaah and His Messenger.

The Third:

﴿وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً﴾

{and accept (them) with full submission} meaning: there should be complete submission. There should be no delay or falling back on this (once their judgment is known)*.

*[Note: An example is when the verse regarding the prohibition of the wine was revealed, the Companions رضي الله عنهم immediately broke the containers and spilled the wine till the streets of Madeenah were seen flowing with it. They did not delay it by saying let us have a last drink before we break the containers nor were they dissatisfied with the prohibition. This was their trait because of which Allaah was pleased with them and they were pleased with Allaah. We seek Allaah’s help in being firm upon His Deen.]

So, these are the three conditions without which the Imaan is incomplete.

First: Referring to the judgment of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Second: The person should not find in himself any dissatisfaction or resistance about the judgment made by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Third: He should submit to it completely and wholeheartedly.

A lot of ignorant people think that the Sharee`ah is limited with acts of worship only – which is between a person and his Lord only; or personal issues like marriage and inheritance and the like. But rather they are wrong. The Sharee`ah is general, it includes everything (religious matters as well as the worldly matters).  How can one know this? Ask yourself: which is the longest verse in the Qur’aan? The answer is, verse 282 of Surah al-Baqarah, and the complete verse is about how to deal regarding worldly matters. So how can one say that the Sharee`ah is limited for acts of `Ibaadah or personal issues only?! This is ignorance and deviation. If this is deliberate, then he is a deviant and arrogant; and if it is due to ignorance, then he is lacking knowledge. It is obligatory that the person learns and knows – we ask Allaah’s guidance for us and for them.

The most important thing is that a person cannot have Imaan if he does not fulfill these three conditions:

First: Referring to the judgment of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Second: The person should not find in himself any dissatisfaction or resistance about the judgment made by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Third: He should submit to it wholeheartedly and surrender completely.

With these three conditions a person becomes a believer. And if he does not meet all the three conditions, then either he is completely devoid of Imaan (i.e. a Kaafir) or there is a deficiency in his Imaan.

And Allaah is the one who Grants success.

--end of quote from Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen.