because the most well-known narrations that attempt to specify the Quran do not possess the widely transmitted status and clarity of the Quran, and therefore lack the authority to do so; considering that, in cases of conflict, a weaker narration is not given precedence over a stronger one—and the Sunnah is the weaker narration while the Quran is the stronger one. From here, it is understood that the function of the Sunnah of the Prophet is not to abrogate or specify the Quran, but rather to explain it by stating the subjects and details of its rulings, which does not necessitate abrogating or specifying it; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾[1]; “And We sent down the Quran to you so that you explain to the people what has been sent down to them, and that they may reflect.” He has not said: “So that you abrogate or specify for them,” but rather: “So that you explain to them”—such as stating the rak‘ats and manner of prayer, the objects and amount of Zakat, the conditions and rituals of Hajj, and the number and examples of those in authority. It is clear that none of these cases is regarded as abrogating or specifying the Quran.

[The Impossibility of Generalizing the Quran by the Sunnah of the Prophet]

Furthermore, from the impossibility of specifying the Quran with the Sunnah of the Prophet, the impossibility of generalizing it by his Sunnah becomes clear. This is because generalizing a ruling is a form of abrogating and specifying it, since it abrogates and specifies its restriction to its subject—such as generalizing the forbidden foods in the Quran to many other foods, despite its explicit restriction; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿قُلْ لَا أَجِدُ فِي مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَى طَاعِمٍ يَطْعَمُهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًا مَسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنْزِيرٍ فَإِنَّهُ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ﴾[2]; “Say: ‘In what has been revealed to me, I do not find anything forbidden to one who would eat it, unless it is carrion, spilled blood, the flesh of swine—which is unclean—or a sinful offering in the name of other than Allah.’”