What Does the Prophet’s Statement on Quran Reading and Disagreement Mean?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti

Question

What is the meaning of the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) statement, “Read the Quran as long as your hearts are in agreement on it, but if you disagree, then stand up and leave it”?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.

Detailed Answer

This noble hadith is mentioned in the books of Sahih and Sunan. It is narrated from Jundub Ibn Abdullah al-Bajali (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Recite (and study) the Quran as long as your heart agrees it, but if you disagree, then stand up and leave it.” And in another narration: “Then disperse from it.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Commentators’ Interpretation

Scholars—commentators on the hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and others—have mentioned several statements explaining the intended meaning. [Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari; Zakariya al-Ansari, Munhat al-Bari; Birmawi, al-Lami‘ al-Sabih; Qadi ‘Iyad, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]

In summary, the saying of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), “As long as your hearts agree on it,” means:

• What your hearts unite upon in understanding its meaning.
• What the reading agrees upon.
• Read it while you are eager, and your hearts are gathered (your hearts are present).

His saying (Allah bless him and give him peace), “But if you disagree, then stand up and leave it,” means:

• The occurrence of disagreement in the aspects of reading.
• The onset of boredom and lack of heart presence.
• The occurrence of a disagreement that is not permissible or leads to impermissible actions, such as their disagreement on the interpretation of the Quran or their disagreement on meanings where ijtihad (independent reasoning) is not allowed. However, disagreement in the branches of religion or in matters subject to interpretation is inevitable in the law.

His saying, “Then disperse from it,” means stand up and leave the disagreement so that it does not lead to evil, discord, confusion, boredom, or a lack of presence and reverence.

Thus, the general meaning of the hadith is to read the Quran, adhere to consensus, and gather upon what it indicates and leads to with presence, reverence, and contemplation. If disagreement in reading occurs or boredom arises, or if an issue arises that leads to dispute and calls for division, then stop reading, hold firmly to what is clear and leads to unity, and turn away from the ambiguity that leads to division.

What It Guides To

Imam Muslim included this hadith in the chapter: “The Prohibition of Following the Ambiguous Verses of the Quran, the Warning Against Those Who Do So, and the Prohibition of Disagreement in the Quran.” [Muslim]

He mentioned it after the hadith of ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her), where she said: “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) recited:

‘He is the One Who has revealed to you (O Prophet) the Book, of which some verses are precise—they are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive. Those with deviant hearts follow the elusive verses seeking (to spread) doubt through their (false) interpretations—but none grasps their (full) meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, “We believe in this (Quran)—it is all from our Lord.” But none will be mindful (of this) except people of reason.’ [Quran, 3:7]

She said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘When you see those who follow what is ambiguous in it, then they are the ones whom Allah has named (as having deviation), so beware of them.’” [Muslim]

From the above, this hadith indicates several matters, including:

1. Warning against associating with the people of deviation, innovation, and those who follow complexities for the sake of fitna (corruption). However, for those who ask about what is unclear to them for guidance and approach it with gentleness, there is no harm upon them and their question deserves an answer. As for the former, they should not be answered but rather rebuked and punished… [Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]
2. Warning against resembling the state of the People of the Book and their disagreements over it, as narrated by Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (Allah be pleased with him), who said:

   “I arrived early to meet the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) one day. He heard the voices of two men who were disagreeing about a verse. The Messenger of Allah came out to us with anger recognizable on his face and said: ‘Indeed, those before you were destroyed because of their disagreement over the scripture.’” [Muslim]

   The intended meaning of the destruction of those before us here is their destruction in religion due to their disbelief and innovation. Thus, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) warned against doing like their actions.

3. The command to stand up during disagreement in the Quran refers to impermissible disputes, such as those over the text, meanings that don’t allow ijtihad, or disagreements leading to doubt, suspicion, fitna, contention, or division among Muslims. However, scholarly debate on deriving branches of religion for the sake of benefit and truth is not prohibited; it is commanded and considered a virtue, as unanimously agreed upon from the time of the Companions to the present…[Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]
4. He did not command them to abandon reading the Quran if they disagreed in its interpretation. Due to the consensus of the nation that reading the Quran is for those who understand it and those who do not, it indicates that his statement: “Stand up for it,” is in the form of a recommendation, not a prohibition, in this situation. [‘Ayni, ‘Umdat al-Qari]
5. It is possible that the prohibition was specific to his time (Allah bless him and give him peace):
   • To prevent it from being a cause for the revelation of what would distress them, as in His statement (Most High):  “O believers! Do not ask about any matter which, if made clear to you, may disturb you.” [Quran, 5:101],
   • Or because there was no reason for disagreement and contention at that time—neither in its letters nor in its meanings—as he (Allah bless him and give him peace) was present among them. They could refer back to him for any difficulties, and he would resolve their disputes with his explanations.
6. It is also conceivable that he prohibited reading—when a disagreement occurred in the manner of delivery and the readings—by advising them to disperse upon disagreement, and each to continue in their own recitation as happened among some of the Companions, like ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab, Ubay Ibn Ka‘b, and Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with them). They appealed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who said: “All of you are proficient,” and he approved their readings.

These are the most important judgments and guidelines that scholars have mentioned that the hadith indicates, and Allah knows best. [Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari; Qadi ‘Iyad, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]

Summary

This noble hadith guides us to read the Quran, gather around it, study, discuss, learn, and teach it, especially during times of vigor, heart presence, and benefit. However, if there are those in the assembly who wish to disrupt the attendees, sow doubts, and stir up disagreement and strife among Muslims, then, in such cases, it is obligatory to disband that assembly.

Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti