Men are known by Truth

Compiled by Ali Hussain Dhuniya

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بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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Men are known by truth

The scholar Al-Shatibi نقل from Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak that he once debated people in Kufah regarding the issue of nabīdh (a drink that can become intoxicating). Ibn al-Mubārak challenged them to bring authentic proof from the Companions to support their claim that it was permissible. However, every evidence they presented was countered with another authentic narration from the same Companion showing the opposite ruling. In the end, they could not produce any clear and authentic proof for permissibility.

When one of them relied on the opinion of Abdullah ibn Masud, Ibn al-Mubārak strongly responded that even if Ibn Mas‘ūd himself declared it permissible, the authentic teachings of the Prophet ﷺ and other Companions regarding its prohibition would still take priority. This shows that truth is not based on personalities, even great ones, but on authentic revelation.

The people then tried another argument by mentioning famous scholars like Ibrāhīm an-Nakha‘ī and others. Ibn al-Mubārak refuted them with a powerful principle:
“Leave off the naming of men as evidence. A man may be العظيم in Islam, yet he can make mistakes.”

He further demonstrated their inconsistency by mentioning other كبار scholars such as ‘Atā’, Tāwūs, and Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, who held a different opinion in another issue (riba exchange). When asked, the people still rejected that opinion—proving that they were selectively using scholars instead of following evidence.

Qur’anic Principle (Core Foundation)

Quran commands:
“If you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and His Messenger.” (4:59)

From this, Al-Shatibi explains:
👉 Any statement that opposes the Qur’an and Sunnah cannot be accepted, no matter who says it.

Explanation of Nabīdh (Important Context)

Nabīdh is a drink made by soaking dates or raisins in water.
✅ Permissible: If it remains fresh and non-intoxicating
❌ Forbidden: If it ferments and becomes intoxicating

The Prophet ﷺ used to drink it when fresh, but after some time (around 3 days), he would throw it away to avoid intoxication. This was explained by scholars like Al-Nawawi.
👉 Important rule:
Anything that intoxicates becomes harām, even if its origin was halal.

Key Lessons (VERY IMPORTANT)

• ✔️ Do not use scholars’ names as proof. Even the greatest scholars can make mistakes.
• ✔️ Evidence comes first. The Qur’an and authentic Sunnah are the ultimate authority.
• ✔️ Respect scholars, but do not blindly follow. Their opinions are accepted only when supported by evidence.
• ✔️ Avoid selective reasoning. You cannot accept a scholar in one issue and reject another based on desires.
• ✔️ Follow the methodology of the Salaf. They always returned matters back to revelation, not personalities.

Final Message

The article concludes that those who reject clear hadith and instead say, “there is اختلاف among scholars,” without bringing authentic proof, are mistaken. The correct path is the path of the Salaf:
👉 Truth is known by evidence, not by men.
👉 Revelation comes before opinions.

References

https://abukhadeejah.com/ibn-mubarak-said-leave-off-the-naming-of-men-as-evidence/

https://www.troid.org/conference-the-truth-is-not-known-by-men-men-are-known-by-the-truth/

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