عنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي اللّه عنه عن النَّبيِّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم قال: «دَعُونِي ما تَرَكتُكُمْ: فإِنَّما أَهْلَكَ من كَانَ قبْلكُم كَثْرةُ سُؤَالِهمْ، وَاخْتِلافُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْبيائِهمْ، فَإِذا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عنْ شَيْءٍ فاجْتَنِبُوهُ، وَإِذا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بأَمْرٍ فَأْتُوا مِنْهُ ما اسْتَطَعْتُمْ». متفقٌ عليه
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Leave me as long as I leave you, for those who came before you were destroyed because of their excessive questioning and their disagreement with their prophets. When I forbid you from something, avoid it; and when I command you to do something, do as much of it as you are able." Agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
لهذا الحديثِ سببٌ ذكَرَه أبو هريرةَ رضي اللّه عنه في روايةٍ أُخرى؛ حيث قال: خَطَبَنا رسولُ اللّه صلَّى اللّه عليه وسلَّم فقال: (أيُّها النَّاسُ، إنَّ اللّه فرَض عليكم الحَجَّ فحُجُّوا)، فقال رجلٌ: أكلَّ عامٍ يا رسول اللّه؟ فسكَتَ حتى قالها ثلاثًا، فقال رسولُ اللّه صلَّى اللّه عليه وسلَّم: (لو قلتُ: نعم، لَوَجَبَتْ، ولَمَا استطعتُم)، ثمَّ قال: (ذَرُونِي ما ترَكتُكم)، وفي هذه الرِّوايةِ قال: (دَعُوني ما ترَكتُكم). دعوني ما تركتكم: أي اتركوا سؤالي عما سكتّ عنه من تفاصيل الأمور التي لا تحتاجونها. واختلافهم على أنبيائهم: أي مخالفتهم لما أمروهم به.
This hadith has a context mentioned by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in another narration: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) addressed us and said: "O people, Allah has made Hajj obligatory upon you, so perform Hajj." A man asked: "Every year, O Messenger of Allah?" He remained silent until the man asked three times. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Had I said yes, it would have become obligatory, and you would not have been able to fulfill it." Then he said: "Leave me as long as I leave you." In this narration he said: "Leave me as long as I leave you" — meaning refrain from asking me about the details of matters that you do not need. "Their disagreement with their prophets" means their opposition to what their prophets commanded them.
الدروس · lessons
حرمة السؤال الذي ربما أوصل إلى تعقيد المسائل وفتح باب الشبهات المفضية إلى كثرة الاختلاف. ترك المنهي عنه لا يلزم منه مشقة، لذا كان النهي عنه عامًا. فعل المأمور به يتفاوت الناس في القدرة عليه، ولذا كان الأمر به على قدر الاستطاعة. تحريم الاختلاف وكثرة المسائل من غير ضرورة لأنّه سبب لتفريق القلوب ووهن الدِّين .
The prohibition of asking questions that may lead to complicating matters and opening the door to doubts that lead to excessive disagreement. Abstaining from what is forbidden does not entail hardship, which is why the prohibition is absolute. Performing what is commanded varies among people in their capacity to do it, and therefore the command is qualified by ability. Excessive questioning and disputation without necessity is prohibited because it is a cause for the division of hearts and the weakening of the religion.