How Correct Islamic Knowledge Is Transmitted
1. Allah revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad(SAWS)
2. Muhammad(SAWS) was the Messenger of Allah
a) He was a Prophet and Messenger
b) He was the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers
c) He was divinely inspired by Allah(SWT)
d) The Prophet(SAWS) taught the Sahaba the Divine Knowledge
3. The Sahaba were students of the Prophet(SAWS)
a) Sahaba(RA) were taught directly by the Prophet(SAWS)
b) Sahaba (RA) were Muslims who saw the Prophet(SAWS) and died as Muslims
c) Only a few of the Sahaba (RA) were scholars capable of issuing legal rulings (fatawa)
d) The Sahaba (RA) taught the Tabi'een
4. The Tabi'een were students of the Sahaba (RA)
5. Tabi Tabi'een were the students of the Tabi'een (RA)
6. The Mujtahid Ulama were students of the Tabi'een(RA), and one was a Tabi'een himself (Abu
Hanifa(r))
a) Most of our written Islamic information is from the scholars
b) The Ulama are explainers of the Qur'an, the sunnah, and the views and opinions of the Sahaba,
the Tabi'een, and the Tabi Tabi'een
There are very few people today, with the requisite knowledge to go directly to the Qur'an and
Hadith and extract Islamic Law. Because we are unable to extract detailed rulings ourselves, it is
incumbent upon us to look to the qualified 'ulama for our understanding