Taqleed, the greatest fitnah!

In the Name of Allah,

All praise is due to Allah, the owner of the day of judgement.

"As for those who divide their din (religion) and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did." (Quran 6:159)

One question that I get the most is "What madhab do you follow?". What people are trying to figure out is what school of thought I am working for, so they can either categorize me or attack the weak points of that madhab. Following is my answer.

“O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Apostle, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Apostle, if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.” (Quran 4:59)

So, I believe in every command of Allah, then, I believe in every command of The Prophet (PBUH), then I believe in every scholar of Islam, but if there is a difference among them, I refer to Quran and Sunnah to settle it.

This is what Allah selected for me, and I believe him when he tells me that this is the best method for final determination on Sharia law.

However, The method that most Islamic Scholars use today is called “Taqleed”. It is not proven through Quran and Sunnah that Taqleed is allowed or suggested.

On the contrary, following Ibn Khatir tafsir is very tough about following the tradition of forefathers, and other books for Sharia law, when Quran and Sunnah provides the answer.

http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=4&tid=11545

Here is what Mufti Taqi Usmani believes in. He says that a person should follow one of the 4 Imams hundred percent of the time, even when he knows the ruling is incorrect, because his actions will not be approved by the Imam or that school.

http://www.cometoislam.com/fiqh/legal/48-49.htm

Linguistically, taqleed means: Placing something around the neck, which encircles the neck. Technically it means: Following he whose sayings is not a proof (hujjah). Animals when demosticated are given a collar so the master controls their actions. So, the concept in following a school of thought is similar, where a person removes his or her inclination towards the possible truth, and surrenders to the will of the scholars, but we suppose to only surrender to will of Allah.

"Indeed the people of Truth and the Sunnah do not follow anyone [unconditionally] except the messenger of Allaah SAW, the one who does not speak from his desires - it is only revelation revealed to him." [by Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo'ah al-Fataawaa, vol 3, page 216,
Daar Ibn Hazm Print, Trans: Aboo 'Abdis-Salaam]

Abu Haneefah (d. 150H) (rahimahullaah) said: "Adhere to the athar (narration) and the tareeqah (way) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) and beware of newly invented matters for all of it is innovation" [Reported by As-Suyootee in Sawn al Mantaq wal-Kalaam p.32]

Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullaah, said:

"And the four Imaams, may Allaah be pleased with them, all forbade the people from blindly following them in all that they may say; and this was an obligation upon them [to do]."

Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah) said:

"When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab." [Ibn 'Aabideen in al-Haashiyah (1/63) and in his essay Rasm al-Mufti (1/4 from the Compilation of the Essays of Ibn 'Aabideen), Shaikh Saalih al-Fulaani in Eeqaaz al-Himam (p. 62) and others. Ibn 'Aabideen quoted from Sharh al-Hidaayah by Ibn al-Shahnah al-Kabeer, the teacher of Ibn al-Humaam]

Imaam Maalik ibn Anas (rahimahullaah) said:

"Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it." [Ibn 'Abdul Barr in Jaami' Bayaan al-'Ilm (2/32), Ibn Hazm, quoting from the former in Usool al-Ahkaam (6/149), and similarly Al-Fulaani (p. 72)]

Imaam Shaafi'i (rahimahullaah) said:

"The sunnahs of the Messenger of Allah (saaws) reach, as well as escape from, every one of us. So whenever I voice my opinion, or formulate a principle, where something contrary to my view exists on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (saaws), then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allah (saaws) has said, and it is my view." [Related by Haakim with a continuous sanad up to Shaafi'i, as in Taareekh Dimashq of Ibn 'Asaakir (15/1/3), I'laam al-Mooqi'een (2/363, 364) & Eeqaaz (p. 100).]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah) said:

"Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi'i, nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took." [Fulaani (p. 113) & Ibn al-Qayyim in I'laam (2/302).]

"Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) is on the brink of destruction." [Ibn al-Jawzi (p. 182)2)]

In Islam, we accept Allah's word, and Prophet (PBUH) commands as the truth, and it doesn't require evidence or logical explaination. This is called Ita'at and Taqleed of Allah and Rasool (PBUH). Since we know that Allah is all wise, and whatever he tells is good for us, we don't have to verify it or explain it. Similarly, in matters of din, Prophet (PBUH) did not say anything from his own, and whatever he told us was from Allah, so we accept it as a law.

Once I presented the argument to one of the local scholar on the format of the Friday Sermon. After many arguments and counter arguments, finally, he agreed that the format needed rectification. I asked him to support me in changing the format, he refused. I asked why. He said he is not capable of doing that. Wow! I was shocked. Here I present the truth, and ask to come to straight path, and the taqleed of others against Prophet's Sunnah prevented him from following it.

Now, Ita'at and Taqleed (follow unconditionally) of anyone else except Allah and Rasool (PBUH) is not permissible, because they are fallable, and can make mistakes. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafii, Imam Hanbali, Imam Muhammad, Imam Yusuf, Mufti Taqi Usmani... They all are great scholars, and we should learn from them, and follow their opinion if they don't contradict Quran and Sunnah. However, it is ok to challenge their opinions (fatwas), with sound ahadith and Qiyas (logical reasoning).

Some scholar use the following ayah to support taqleed.

"Then ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know" (Quran 16:43)

However, this is completely out of context. This ayay in full reveals that Allah was refuting the claims that the Messengers could not be human, and Allah is asking us to check with the scholars of Judiasm and christianity, if we were not sure.

"And before thee also the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: if ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message. " (Quran 16:43)

"(So ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know.) meaning, ask the people of knowledge among the nations such as the Jews and Christians and other groups: `were the Messengers who came to you human beings or angels' Indeed they were human beings. " (Tafsir ibn Kathir)

Another evidence used is the hadith below.

"Aswad bin Yazid narrates, "Mu'aath came to us in Yemen as a teacher and commander. We questioned him regarding a man who had died leaving (as his heirs) a brother and sister. He decreed half the estate for the daughter and half for the sister. This was while the Rasulullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam was alive." [Kitaabul Faraa-idh: Bukhari and Muslim Shareef]

Of course, following a scholar in the absence of clear and authenticated evidence is always allowed, and is an obligation from the verse above, but taqleed requires that one must not question the rulings of a single fiqh school, regardless of the mistakes present in the rulings, which is what in question here.

In fact, these Imam themselves rejected taqleed, and encouraged debate in their sessions. Imam Abu Hanifa is famous for having lengthy contested debates with his students and other Imams, and if there was one person disagrees, he would not write his opinion. In fact, He sent his son to study under Imam Malik, so he can diversify his education.

After the famous meeting with Imam Abu Hanfia, Imam Malik asked for his books and changed his many rulings based on them. And, Imam Shafii was the student of Imam Malik, but Imam Malik used to visit him, and respected his opinions.

So, Is it wrong to follow a single scholar?

No. It is permissible to follow a single scholar for all Sharia ruling for the whole life, if needed, but if a clear evidence is presented from Quran and Sunnah against the ruling of that scholar, then it becomes fardh upon us to not follow that Scholar. If we follow the scholar, and his ruling is wrong, but no one points it out to us, we will not be responsible for it, as long as we are making an effort to learn din, and tried our best to find the truth.

Wait, how would a laymen know the difference between the opinions of the scholars?

Many scholars who claim to follow "Salaf" ignore this question, but lets try to answer this. Allah has created humans with different abilities, and they grow in their understanding as time passes, so it is not fair to consider everyone at the same level of skills to analyze opinions (fatwaas).

Some are at below minimum level of undestanding the din, and they should follow a scholar without looking for evidence, because evidences won't make much sense.

Some are starting to learn the din, and have some knowledge of major topics, and they can follow a scholar without looking for evidence, or demand evidence to verify, if they like.

Some are reaching basic understanding of the science of fiqh, and are able to interpret the opinions, and they could try to explain others the meanings.

In this fashion, there are many levels of understanding, and there should be no restrictions on someone to try to reach the next level. However, the golden rule of proof with authenticated evidence has to be followed. One can do Ittib'a (following with condition) of the scholars, but should avoid taqleed (followed unconditionally).

In essence, there are two extremes that exists today. One prohibits any question against the opinions of the scholar, even if the refuting evidence is so clear that they agree it to be correct, but they will ask everyone to keep the collar and keep moving with the herd. Other extreme questions everything, and claims to follow the way of the salaf by taking literal meaning to be superior to the logical meaning, and they would refuse to accept the opinions of certain scholars, even if the Quran and Sunnah is quite on the subject.

How to avoid sects (firqa) in Islam?

First, understand that labels like "Hanafi", "Maliki", "Salafi", "DeoBandi", "Barelwi", "Ahl-e-Shunnah wal Jama" ... are all names of firqa or sects, because they require people to follow their beleif system blindly, and any evidence that contradict their opinion is ignored.

Then, learn your din. It is Fardh upon us. Follow the sunnah. If someone contradicts Quran and Sunnah, do not follow that opinion. If you don't have time, follow the most trusted opinion, and ask for evidence. If the opinion links to Quran and Sunnah, follow it.

Islam is not a religion (madhab), but it is "the way" (din). Allah uses the word "din" to describe Islam not madhab, and madhab is cerated by humans, so make your choice.

For Non-Arab brothers, please spent sometime listening to Arab Scholars, and verify what they say, and if they say the truth, follow it. Just diversify your knowledge.

For Arab brothers, don't walk away when they are doing tafseer of Quran, or reading ahadith in the corner of the Masjid, just because the reader is not an Arab. Listen to any Muslim who is willing to teach. If you don't agree verify it, and if there is evidence, follow it.

"Verily, this is My way, leading straight: follow it: follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His (great) path: thus doth He command you. that ye may be righteous." (6:153)

JazakAllah Khairin
A struglling Muslim

AbuArman (Adnan Jumani)