The Necessity of Referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment
Allah said,
﴿ÝóÅöä ÊóäóÇÒóÚúÊõãú Ýöì ÔóìúÁò ÝóÑõÏøõæåõ Åöáóì Çááøóåö æóÇáÑøóÓõæáö﴾
((And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger). Mujahid and several others among the Salaf said that the Ayah means, "(Refer) to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.'' This is a command from Allah that whatever areas the people dispute about, whether major or minor areas of the religion, they are required to refer to the Qur'an and Sunnah for judgment concerning these disputes. In another Ayah, Allah said,
﴿æóãóÇ ÇÎúÊóáóÝúÊõãú Ýöíåö ãöä ÔóìúÁò ÝóÍõßúãõåõ Åöáóì Çááøóåö﴾
(And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah). Therefore, whatever the Book and Sunnah decide and testify to the truth of, then it, is the plain truth. What is beyond truth, save falsehood This is why Allah said, u
﴿Åöä ßõäÊõãú ÊõÄúãöäõæäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóÇáúíóæúãö ÇáÇøñÎöÑö﴾
(if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day.) meaning, refer the disputes and conflicts that arise between you to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for judgment. Allah's statement,
﴿Åöä ßõäÊõãú ÊõÄúãöäõæäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóÇáúíóæúãö ÇáÇøñÎöÑö﴾
(if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. ) indicates that those who do not refer to the Book and Sunnah for judgment in their disputes, are not believers in Allah or the Last Day. Allah said,
﴿Ðóáößó ÎóíúÑñ﴾
(That is better) meaning, referring to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for judgment in various disputes is better,
﴿æóÃóÍúÓóäõ ÊóÃúæöíáÇð﴾
(and more suitable for final determination.) meaning, "Has a better end and destination,'' as As-Suddi and several others have stated while Mujahid said, "Carries a better reward.''
﴿Ãóáóãú ÊóÑó Åöáóì ÇáøóÐöíäó íóÒúÚõãõæäó Ãóäøóåõãú ÁóÇãóäõæÇú Èöãó ÃõäÒöáó Åöáóíúßó æóãó ÃõäÒöáó ãöä ÞóÈúáößó íõÑöíÏõæäó Ãóä íóÊóÍóÇßóãõæÇú Åöáóì ÇáØøóÜÛõæÊö æóÞóÏú ÃõãöÑõæÇú Ãóä íóßúÝõÑõæÇú Èöåö æóíõÑöíÏõ ÇáÔøóíúØóÜäõ Ãóä íõÖöáøóåõãú ÖóáóÜáÇð ÈóÚöíÏÇð - æóÅöÐóÇ Þöíáó áóåõãú ÊóÚóÇáóæúÇú Åöáóì ãó ÃóäÒóáó Çááøóåõ æóÅöáóì ÇáÑøóÓõæáö ÑóÃóíúÊó ÇáúãõäóÜÝöÞöíäó íóÕõÏøõæäó Úóäßó ÕõÏõæÏÇð - ÝóßóíúÝó ÅöÐó ÃóÕóÜÈóÊúåõãú ãøõÕöíÈóÉñ ÈöãóÇ ÞóÏøóãóÊú ÃóíúÏöíåöãú Ëõãøó ÌóÂÁõæßó íóÍúáöÝõæäó ÈöÇááøóåö Åöäú ÃóÑóÏúäó ÅöáÇøó ÅöÍúÓóÇäÇð æóÊóæúÝöíÞÇð - ÃõæáóÜÆößó ÇáøóÐöíäó íóÚúáóãõ Çááøóåõ ãóÇ Ýöì ÞõáõæÈöåöãú ÝóÃóÚúÑöÖú Úóäúåõãú æóÚöÙúåõãú æóÞõá áøóåõãú Ýöì ÃóäÝõÓöåöãú ÞóæúáÇð ÈóáöíÛÇð ﴾
(60. Have you not seen those (hyprocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgment (in their disputes) to the Taghut while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaytan wishes to lead them far astray. ) (61. And when it is said to them: "Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger,'' you see the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion.) (62. How then, when a catastrophe befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, they come to you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!'') (63. They (hypocrites) are those of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts; so turn aside from them (do not punish them) but admonish them, and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves.)