2. Is the Prophet Subject to the Opinion of the Majority?
SomeSunniMuslimssaythatinsocialmatterstheopinionofthemajor-
itytakesprecedenceoverthecommandsoftheProphet.Adeeperlookat
theversesmentionedabovewouldmakeitclearthatthisviewisincor-
rect.Nowweshallproceedtoaninvestigationoftheirevidenceandthen
answer them.
Their evidence is verse 159 from chapter 3 of the Qur'ān:Itwas by somemercy of God that you are gentle to them;had you
beenharsh and hard of heart, they wouldhavescattered fromaround
you.Sopardonthem,andpray[toAllah]forforgivenessoftheir[sins],
andtakecounselwiththeminthe affair;andwhen youhaveresolved,
put yourtrust in God,surely God loves those who put theirtrust [in
Him].
Theanswertothisisthatthisverseitselfgivesclearevidencethatthe
Prophetisnotsubjecttotheopinionofthemajority.Inotherwords,the
rightof decision-makingbelongsto theProphet even insocialmatters,
andhehasaduty,afterconsultation, toputhis viewinto practice,not
the opinion of others. We say so because the above mentioned verse
says:“Takecounselwiththemintheaffair,andwhenyouhaveresolved,
put your trust in God.”
Ifithadbeenotherwise,andtheviewofotherswastobeactedupon,
thenitshouldhavesaid,“Whentheopinionofthepeoplehasbeenob-
tainedonamatter, thenacceptitandcarryitout.”Butwe seethatthe
verse was not revealed in this manner.
Whatismore,thereisevidenceinhistoryagainsttheviewoftheSun-
nis. For example, the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
TheProphetofIslamleftMedinatovisitMeccaforthesolepurposeof
theminorpilgrimage(knownas‘umrah).NearMecca,theMeccanforces
stoppedhimandsaidthattheunbelieversofMeccawerenotpreparedto
admithimintotheircity.The Prophetrepliedthathehadnotcomefor
war, but only to visit the Ka‘bah.