Asslamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

“Spin” is the modern arm of age old practise of propaganda to change the public perception of a particular word or terminology. Today, most people are swayed by the Media and affected by spin and those who are good at it get paid millions to “spin” good news into bad and bad news into good.

Some of our brothers and sisters engaged in their war on Taqleed unfortunately also employ the tactics of spin. A simple word called “Taqleed” which has been abundantly clear for over 1000 years and easily understood has been turned into a complicated concept loaded with derision and mocking.

I was reading a book written by an Ahl-e-Hadeeth in urdu attempting to linguistically and impartially dissect the word Taqleed and Shaykh states that the word Taqleed comes from the root of “Qalada” and then goes to make this interesting connection.

Qalaada (Taqleed) in the Qur’aan:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحِلُّواْ شَعَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا ٱلشَّہۡرَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ وَلَا ٱلۡهَدۡىَ وَلَا ٱلۡقَلَـٰٓٮِٕدَ وَلَآ ءَآمِّينَ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّن رَّبِّہِمۡ وَرِضۡوَٲنً۬ا‌ۚ وَإِذَا حَلَلۡتُمۡ فَٱصۡطَادُواْ‌ۚ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ أَن صَدُّوڪُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ أَن تَعۡتَدُواْ‌ۘ وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٲنِ‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ




Noble Qur'aan Translation: [5:2] O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the Symbols of Allah, nor of the Sacred Month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlanded people or animals, etc. [Marked by the garlands on their necks made from the outer part of the tree-stems (of Makkah) for their security], nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when you finish the Ihram (of Hajj or 'Umrah), you may hunt, and let not the hatred of some people in (once) stopping you from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.

Mufti Taqi Usmani (HA) Translation: [5:2] O you who believe, do not violate (the sanctity) of the Marks of Allah, nor of the sacred month, nor of the sacrificial animal, nor of the garlands, nor of those proceeding to the Sacred House, seeking the grace of their Lord and (His) Pleasure. When you are out of IHram, you may hunt. Malice against a people for their having prevented you from Al- Masjid-ul-Haram, should not cause you to cross the limits. Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help
each other in sin and aggression. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is severe at punishment.

The noble and respected Shaykh then makes the analogy that since “Qalada” is mentioned in the Qur'aan with respect to animals and it is like a strap in the neck of animals so those doing Taqleed are like dumb animals who have a strap in their necks and since we (Ahl-e-Hadeeth) are humans we have no such strap!

Qalaada (Taqleed) in Saheeh Bukhari:

حدثنا زكريا بن يحيى قال : حدثنا عبد الله بن نمير قال : حدثنا هشام بن عروة عن أبيه عن عائشة أنها استعارت من أسماء قلادة فهلكت فبعث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رجلا فوجدها فأدركتهم الصلاة وليس معهم ماء فصلوا فشكوا ذلك إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأنزل الله آية التيمم ، فقال أسيد بن حضير لعائشة جزاك الله خيرا فوالله ما نزل بك أمر تكرهينه إلا جعل الله ذلك لك وللمسلمين فيه خير


Narrated 'Urwa's father: Aisha (RA) said, "I borrowed a necklace from Asma (RA)' and it was lost. So Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) sent a man to search for it and he found it. Then the time of the prayer became due and there was no water. They prayed (without ablution) and informed Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) about it, so the verse of Tayammum was revealed." Usaid bin Hudair said to 'Aisha, "May Allah reward you. By Allah, whenever anything happened which you did not like, Allah brought good for you and for the Muslims in that."


Spin vs Reality:

The reference from the Shaykh about Taqleed is deliberately given to put a negative image of Taqleed in the reader's mind that its associated with animals heading for slaughter.

The reference from Saheeh Bukhari tells us a different story and creates a very different image as follows:

1) The word is used for a necklace which adorned our mother Sayyida Aisha (RA).

2) Even its loss had a very positive outcome i.e. Allah (SWT) gifted the Ummah of Sayyidina Wa Habibana Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) with the compensation of Tayyamum.

Thus our Ulamah warn people not to read every glossy book and listen to every eloquent orator perchance you may across something which we now know as “spin” which may affect our Eemaan and our understanding of Shariah and end up jeopardizing our Aakhira.

In English Taqleed is now being translated as "Blind Following" by those who want to convey a negative image can you spot the spin?

Insha'Allah in the next blog we will show what one of the great Salafi Ulamah of our time actually said on "Blind Following" and its legal status in Shariah and you will be surprised to read so stay tuned :- )