"The consultant is reliable." Will you explain this hadith?
Dear Brother / Sister,
Umm Salama and Abu Hurayra narrate: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,
"The consultant is reliable." [Tirmidhi, Adab 57, (2823, 2824), Zuhd 39, (2370); Abu Dawud, Adab 123, (5128); Ibn Majah, Adab 37, (3745).]
The explanation of the hadith:
Istishara (consultation) is derived from the word isharah; it means to want a sign. Mustashir lexically means the one that wants a sign; mustashar (consultant) means a person from whom a sign is wanted. If we understand the word isharah (sign) as an idea and advice, we will understand that istishara is a deed of consulting and asking for advice.
In the hadith above, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) mentions the manner of exchanging ideas, which is an indispensable need in civilized life.
The person who is consulted (mustashar) must be a reliable person. In other words, the consultant must not treason and must tell the truth in his opinion about the thing he is asked. He must not treason by hiding the truth about the benefit of the person who consults. In a sense, the hadith addresses the person who consults as follows:
"Do not ask a person who does not look reliable and a person about whom you are not sure whether he will tell the truth or not for advice and do not consult such a person; your consultant must be reliable.."
(bk. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-ü Sitte Tercüme ve Şerhi)
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