Shortening of Prayers and Difference Between Sect and School of Thought

Queries

Question:

When you go on a journey, there is no harm, if you shorten your Salat, (especially) when you fear that the disbelievers might harass you, for the disbelievers are openly bent upon enmity against you. (Surah Al-Nisa: 101).

After this Ayat in Surah Al-Nisa, there is no mention of shortening of the prayers (Salat) in the Holy Qur’an. Many religious leaders say not to shorten the prayers on a journey is a sin. Is this correct? When a person is on a short journey to another city should he offer prayers with the jamat in the mosque?

Answer:

The shortening of prayers is a rukhsat (relaxation) that is an exemption granted by Almighty Allah. It becomes a rebellious attitude if a person does not take advantage of this exemption, and so it is in this regard that some religious leaders consider it a sin. Besides, the Holy Prophet (sws) has been reported to have said that whosoever tries to wrestle with the religion of Allah, he will be knocked out by it. So the right attitude in this regard is to take advantage of the exemptions granted by Allah. However, there is no harm if a person on a short journey offers complete prayers with jamat and it will not be a sin.

Question:

You have nothing to do with those, who have split up their religion and became sects. Their case rests with Allah, and He Himself will let them know what they have done. (Surah Al-An’am: 159-160)

What are Hanafi, Shafi, Humbali etc. if not sects? These did not exist at the time of Prophet Muhammad (sws) and no reference to them is found in the Holy Qur’an. Moreover, the above mentioned sects do not agree even on one point in their interpretation, and these sects are not above the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (sws). Explanation to the above Ayah is solicited.

Answer:

It is true that nothing is above and beyond the Qur’an and Sunnah, and only these two basic sources of religion should be considered as the criteria for right and wrong. Hanfi, Shafi, Humbali etc. are schools of thought and not sects. There is no harm if different schools of thought exist, because they initiate a healthy trend of discussion and are examples of different thinking patterns and interpretations. But one should only follow the teachings / interpretation which one feels to be the most closely related to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Sect on the other hand is referred to such a group which amputates itself from the rest of the Ummah, declaring everyone else infidel. It is these sects which are referred to in the above mentioned Ayah of the Qur’an and not schools of thought.