Wisdom Behind Differences Of Opinion
QUESTION:
If Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum saw Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and performed Salaah behind him, than why are there so many different variations in the way Muslims perform Salaah and not one standard way of performing Salaah for the entire Ummah?
ANSWER:
The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam performed Salaah differently at different times as a means of teaching and explaining that there are various ways of performing Salaah, and all of these ways are correct. Each Sahabi would practice on what they saw from the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and would narrate/teach it to others.
It is important to note that these differences are only connected to certain actions of Salaah such as, reciting Bismillah aloud, reciting Ameen aloud, the placement of the hands, and the raising of the hands, etc. There are no differences with regards to the sequence of performing Salaah.
With regards to the actions of Salaah, we would find various Ahaadith that seemingly contradict each other. Some Ahaadith would mention that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam did an action, while other Ahaadith would mention an action contrary to that.
It was now the work of the Imaams to thoroughly investigate all of these various Ahaadith and give preference to one over the other. Each Imaam had their own way of coming to a conclusion, hence the reason there are differences of opinions today.
The wisdom behind having differences of opinion is to show the allowance of performing an action in different ways, and also a means of ease. Similarly, with the differences of opinions present today, it is a means of preserving the Sunnah of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
قَالَ الْخَطَّابِيُّ: وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – أَنَّهُ قَالَ: (اخْتِلَافُ أُمَّتِي رَحْمَةٌ). وَالِاخْتِلَافُ فِي الدِّينِ ثَلَاثَةُ أَقْسَامٍ: أَحَدُهَا فِي إِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ وَوَحْدَانِيَّتِهِ, وَإِنْكَارُ ذَلِكَ كُفْرٌ, وَثَانِيهَا: فِي صِفَاتِهِ وَإِنْكَارُهَا بِدْعَةٌ. وَثَالِثُهَا: فِي أَحْكَامِ الْفُرُوعِ الْمُحْتَمِلَةِ وُجُوهًا, فَهَذَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ, تَعَالَى, رَحْمَةً وَكَرَامَةً لِلْعُلَمَاءِ.
(مرقاة المفاتيح 9/3853)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Muhammad Isa Ali
Date: 08 Rajab 1447 / 29 December 2025
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb