Benefit 43: What does this mean,

حَمْلُ الْمُجْمَلِ عَلَى الْمُفَصَّلِ "ḥamlul Mujmal ’alal Mufaṣṣal"? This principle means, we have to refer ambiguous [misleading] statements back to detailed [clear] statements and use the latter to correctly interpret the former. This principle has two applications: (1) a CORRECT application, and (2) an INCORRECT application CORRECT APPLICATION: We use this principle as a harmonising mechanism to reconcile between seemingly contradictory texts from the Qur'ān and Sunnah. That is because the speech of Allāh will never oppose or contradict one another, as Allāh ﷻ said: {أفلا يتدبرون القرءان ولو كان من عند غير الله لوجدوا فيه أختلفا كثيرا} “Do they not then consider the Qur'ān carefully? Had it been from other than Allāh, they would surely have found therein much contradictions.” [Sūrah An-Nisā': 82] And He ﷻ said: {لَّا یَأۡتِیهِ ٱلۡبَـٰطِلُ مِنۢ بَیۡنِ یَدَیۡهِ وَلَا مِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦۖ تَنزِیلࣱ مِّنۡ حَكِیمٍ حَمِیدࣲ} “Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.” [Sūrah Fuṣṣilat: 42] Similarly, the Messenger of Allāh is infallible in that which he conveys from his Lord, as Allāh said: {وَمَا یَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰۤ (*) إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحۡیࣱ یُوحَىٰ} “He does not speak from his own desire. It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺.” [Sūrah An-Najm: 3-4] Thus, when there seems to be a contradiction, the ambiguous text is referred back to and examined in light of the detailed text, then the seeming contradiction is lifted and both statements are clear. And this process is specific to the statements of Allāh and His Messenger, because every other person is liable to making mistakes. INCORRECT APPLICATION: We find certain individuals implementing this principle on the statements of other than Allāh and His messenger - in order to justify their errors. We find them saying that we must give good interpretation to their words whenever it opposes anything from the principles of the Sharī'ah. But the truth of the matter is that we are not allowed to search for interpretations for clear, manifest errors, even if the person is a Salafi; falsehood is falsehood even if the person who said it is a person of truth, and truth is truth even if the person who said it is a person of falsehood. Al-Biqā’ē relays in “Maṣra’ At-Taṣawwuf” (p. 66) on the authority of ’Alā ud-Dīn ’Ali ibn Ismā’ēl Al-Qūnawi that he said: إنما نؤول كلام من ثبتت عصمته ! ! - حتى تجمع بين كلاميه، - لعدم جواز الخطأ عليه ! - وأما من لم تثبت عصمته، فجائز عليه الخطأ، والمعصية، والكفر، فتؤاخذه بظاهر كلامه، ولا يقبل منه ما أول كلامه عليه؟ ! ! ، مما لا يحتمله، أو مما يخالف الظاهر، وهذا هو الحق. “We only interpret the speech of one whose infallibility is established (i.e. Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ) by combining between their speech, as it is not possible for them to make a mistake! As for the one whose infallibility is not established (i.e. Others besides Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ), then it it possible for them to make mistakes, commit sin and fall into disbelief, so they are held accountable for the apparent meaning of their speech, and any interpretations given to justify their speech will not be accepted if it unfounded, or contradicts what is apparent, and this is the truth.” Furthermore, Imām Ash-Shawkāni raḥimahullāh said [Aṣ-Ṣawārimul Ḥaddād (96 - 97)]: وقد أجمع المسلمون أنه لا يؤول إلا كلام المعصوم. "Indeed the Muslims have agreed that we do not interpret the words of anyone [to make the meaning correct and proper] except the Infallible (i.e. Allāh and His Messenger).” So rather than interpreting mistakes to give them a correct meaning, we must reject them outrightly. This does not mean we attack the culprit and remove them from the Sunnah undeservedly. Nor does it mean we hold no good thoughts of them - especially if they are known to be upon Salafiyyah.