Following the Imams, Importance of Taqleed and Consensus Upon Following Them

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#46 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:01

Imam Tirmidhi رحمة ﷲ علیه states, "So have the Fuqaha stated and it is them who know most about the Ahadith." (Vol.1 pg 118)

Imam Sufyan bin Uyaynah رحمة ﷲ علیه who was the teacher of both Imam Bukhari رحمة ﷲ علیه and Imam Muslim رحمة ﷲ علیه said, "All but the Fuqaha can be led astray by the Ahadith." This means that when a person does not enjoy a deep understanding of the Deen, he is likely to interpret the Ahadith according to his own desires, thereby deviating far off the path of truth. The Shi'as, Rawafidh, Khawarij, Mu'tazilas, Qadianis and so many other deviated groups have all used the Ahadith to substantiate their claims, but these were all interpreted according to their whims.

When 'Ali رضي الله عنه once asked Rasulullah ﷺ what he was to do if he could not find a clear command regarding any affair, Rasulullah ﷺ advised him saying, "Consult with the Fuqaha and the ardent worshippers (the Awliya)." (Ma'aarifus Sunan Vol.3 pg 264-5)

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#47 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:02

The gist of it all is that the person who ventures without the guidance of the Fuqaha will certainly go astray. It is because of this that the Ghair Muqallideen err so greatly when it comes to matters of twenty Raka'ah Taraweeh and three divorces.

The Qu'ran also speaks of a deep understanding of the Deen when it states, "Why does a small group from every large party not proceed to attain a deep understanding of Deen so that they may warn their people (who had been engaged in Jihad) when they return to them so that they may beware (of sin)?" (Surah Tawbah verse 122)

Abu Sa'eed Khudri رضي الله عنه reports that Rasulullah ﷺ said, "(O my Sahabah) People shall follow you and men will come to you from the ends of the earth to attain a deep understanding of the Deen. When they come to you, you must be good to them." (Tirmidhi, as quoted in Mishkatul Masabih pg 34)

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#48 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:02

It is strange to note that while Rasulullah ﷺ advised the Sahabah رضي الله عنه to be good to people who come to them to attain a deep understanding of the Deen, yet the Ghair Muqallideen detest such people and want their books to be burnt! Yet the Sahabah رضي الله عنه are the true Muhadditheen. It is therefore necessary for these Ghair Muqallideen to respect and have love for the Fuqaha. We will present a few examples:

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#49 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:02

1. The famous Muhaddith Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه was the teacher of great Muhadditheen like Imam Shu'ba رحمة ﷲ علیه, Imam Sufyan bin Uyaynah رحمة ﷲ علیه and Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة ﷲ علیه. However, when an intricate matter was brought before Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه, he did not at all hesitate to say, "Nu'man bin Thabit (Imam Abu Hanifah) رحمة ﷲ علیه will be able to provide a good reply to this question because I think that his knowledge has certainly been blessed." (Khayratul Hisaan pg 31)

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#50 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:02

2. Hadhrat Abdullah bin 'Umar reports that he was once sitting with Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه when Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة ﷲ علیه also arrived there. Some then asked an intricate question, about which Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه kept his peace. He then turned to Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة ﷲ علیه and asked him what the answer was. When Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة ﷲ علیه gave a satisfying reply, Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه asked him from which Hadith did he derive the reply. Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة ﷲ علیه then explained that it was from a Hadith that Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه had himself narrated to him. He also explained how he had arrived at the conclusion. To this, Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه exclaimed, "We (the Muhadditheen) are just the pharmacists while you people (the Fuqaha) are the doctors."

While the Pharmacists store the various medicines and know one from another, it is he doctors who know the uses of these medicines and how to administer them. Similarly, while the Muhadditheen store and classify the Ahadith, it is the Fuqaha who extract the rulings from them. (Khayratul Hisan pg 61)

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#51 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:03

3. Imam Abu Yusuf رحمة ﷲ علیه reports that Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه once asked him a question and when he gave he reply, Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه asked him where he had derived the answer. "From a Hadith that you had narrated to me," Imam Abu Yusuf رحمة ﷲ علیه replied. To this, Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه remarked, "I had memorized this Hadith before your parents even got together but it is only today that I have understood it properly." (Jaami Bayaanul Ilm pg 131)

Even more prominent that Imam A'mash رحمة ﷲ علیه was Imam Aamir Sha'bi رحمة ﷲ علیه who was a Tabi'ee who had met five hundred Sahabah رضی ﷲ عنھم. He said, "We (the Muhadditheen) are not Fuqaha. We merely listen to the Ahadith and relate them to the Fuqaha." (Tadhkiratul Huffadh)

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#52 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:03

Such was the reverence that the Muhadditheen had for the Fuqaha that they admitted their virtue without pretence and referred to them when the need arose. However, as for our "people of Hadith" (Ghair Muqallideen) who have no insight and can read only the translations of Mishkatul Masabih, Muwatta and other books, they accuse the Fuqaha of acting against the Qur'an and the Sunnah and regard themselves as more learned and qualified that the Fuqaha.

Even the leaders of the Ghair Muqallideen admit to their prejudice and ignorance of their people. Their Qadhi Abdul Wahhab Khanpuri writes in his book At-Tawhid wa al-Sunnah fi Raddi Ahlil Ilhaad wal Bid'ah, "As for the Ahl e Hadith people who perpetrate acts of Bid'ah, who oppose the pious predecessors and who are really ignorant of what Rasulullah ﷺ brought, they are fast becoming the unpaid successors and heirs of the Shi'as and Rawafidh. Just as the Shi'as, Mulaahidah and Zanaadiqah became doorsteps and accessories for the Munafiqeen, the same is becoming of these people (the Ghair Muqallideen)." (Taqleed A'immah pg 18)

The famous Ahl e Hadith Mawlana Waheeduz Zaman writes, "While the Ahl e Hadith declare that it is Haram to follow Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة ﷲ علیه and Imam Shafi'i رحمة ﷲ علیه, they blindly follow Ibn Taymiyyah رحمة ﷲ علیه, Ibn Qayyim رحمة ﷲ علیه, Shawkani رحمة ﷲ علیه and Nawab Siddique Hasan Khan." (Asraarul Lugha pg 24)

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#53 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:07

The Status and Proof of Taqleed, Taqleed of Specific People and Answers to Objections against Taqleed

The central claim of Islam is that only Allah must be obeyed. In fact, it is Wajib to follow Rasulullah ﷺ because of his words and deeds were a rendering of Allah's commands. Rasulullah ﷺ made clear what was forbidden and not forbidden and we obey him because he conveyed the message of Allah. This essentially means that obeying Rasulullah ﷺ is really obeying Allah. Allah declares in the Qur'an, "Whoever obeys the Rasul (ﷺ) obeys Allah."

Therefore Muslims follow only Allah and His Rasul ﷺ and whoever claims that he should be followed independently of Allah and Rasulullah ﷺ, then such a person will be deemed despicable and worthy of condemnation. The two guides to follow are therefore the Qur'an and the Ahadith.

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#54 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:08

Another example is a Hadith that states, "When a person has an Imam then the Qiraa'ah of his Imam is his Qiraa'ah as well." There is also another Hadith that states, "The Imam has been appointed to be followed, so say the Takbir when he says it and remain silent when he does." (Muslim Vol.1 pg 174)

Now contrary to these Ahadith is a Hadith that states, "There is no Salah for the one who does not recite the opening of the Qur'an (Surah Fatihah)." (Bukhari Vol.1 pg 104)

Like these, there are many Ahadith that appear to contradict each other.

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#55 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:09

There are also countless rulings that are not explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an and the Ahadith and require deep thought and analysis. To arrive at a conclusion in such matters, one may resort to two avenues. One may either base the finding purely on one's personal judgment or, alternatively, one may search for a statement that the Sahabah رضی ﷲ عنھم, Tabi'een or those after them made on the same issue. By virtue of them being closer to the period of Rasulullah ﷺ, such people have been lauded in a Hadith in which Rasulullah ﷺ said, "The best of periods is my period, followed by those after them and then those after them." They were therefore more knowledgeable, more spiritually pure and had a deeper insight into the Deen than us.

The matter is simple to understand in the context of our worldly activities. When faced with any health issue, people refer to medical specialists, when faced with a legal issue, people consult lawyers and when faced with a construction issue, they refer to an engineer. Just as people refer to specialists when faced with a relevant issue in worldly matters, so too do they need to refer to and rely on the statements of the Mujtahideen when the issue is a Deeni one. This is what referred to as Taqleed.

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#56 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:09

The person practicing Taqleed understands that by following the Imam, he is actually following Allah and Rasulullah ﷺ. The Imam is merely a link in the connection to the Qur'an and Sunnah. The example is simple. Just as worshippers follow and Imam in Salah as they hear him call out the Takbirs, when there are too many worshippers, a Mukabbir is appointed to transmit the Takbirs further for the people at the back to hear. The Mukabbir is however still following the Imam and is not doing anything out of his own accord. At the same time, the people at the back known that they are following the Imam and not the Mukabbir. The Mukabbir himself also understands that he is not the Imam and is part of the congregation like the others. Similarly, the Imam of jurisprudence also understands that he is merely a link and that he is following the Qur'an and Sunnah just like everyone else.

The gist of it all is that when one is not relying on the Imam to interpret the intricacies of the Deen, he resorts to following his own whims and passions. This is because such a person does not know which verses or Ahadith abrogated which others and also which rulings are preferred to which others. At the end, he will be doing only what his fancies dictate. At this point, Shaitan seizes control over a person's heart and permeates his body. The Qur'an depicts such a person in the worst manner, when it says, "But he clung to the ground (like material gains of this world) and followed his passions. His example is like that of a dog." (Surah A'raaf verse 176)

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#57 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:09

Allah also says, "Have you seen the one who has taken his whims as a Ilaah (who follows the dictates of his desires); whom Allah has allowed to stray despite (possessing) knowledge (of the truth); whose (spiritual) ears and heart Allah has sealed and on whose (spiritual) eyes Allah has cast a veil." (Surah Jaathiya verse 23)

Yet another verse states: "can the one who is upon a clear proof from his Rabb be like the one whose evil acts have been beautified for him and who follows his whims?" (Surah Muhammad)

There can be no doubt about the fact that the first is better than the latter.

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#58 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:10

Following the dictates of one's passion is so bad that even Rasulullah ﷺ was cautioned about the Qur'an. Allah said, "Do not obey him whose heart we have made heedless of Our remembrance, who pursues his passions and whose (every) affair entails transgressing (the laws of Allah)." (Surah Kahaf verse 28)

Allah also says, "Should you not follow their wishes after knowledge (revelation) has come to you, then surely you would be among the unjust ones." (Surah Baqarah verse 145)

Another verse states, "And do not follow their wishes, leaving aside the truth that has come to you." (Surah Ma'idah verse 48)

Yet another verse says, "And O Muhammad you should judge between them by that which Allah has revealed to you and do not follow their whims, Beware of them lest they should divert you (be careful that they do not turn you away) from some part of what Allah has revealed to you." (Surah Ma'idah verse 49)

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#59 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:10

Allah says, "Then (after all these nations had passed on) We placed you (O Rasulullah ﷺ) on a special way (the Shari'ah of Islam) so follow it (by practicing and propagating it) and do not follow the whims of those who have no knowledge." (Surah Jaathiya verse 18)

Although addressed to Rasulullah ﷺ, the Qur'an is cautioning all of the Ummah against following the dictates of their Nafs when He says, "And do not follow carnal passions which will mislead you from Allah's path." (Surah Saad verse 26)

In another verse, Allah says those who do not follow Rasulullah ﷺ are actually following their whims and are the most deviated people. Allah also says, "Who can be more unjust (misguided) than the one who follows his whims without any guidance from Allah?" (Surah Qasas verse 50)

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#60 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd February 2012 11:10

While the Ghair Muqallideen follow their Nafs, by the grace of Allah, we who follow the Imams are safely following the Qur'an and the Sunnah. While we refer to the statements and deeds of the Sahabah رضی ﷲ عنھم and pious predecessors when faced with a unique situation, the Ghair Muqallideen decide on the grounds of their personal fancies because they have no knowledge of Ijtihad, of the abrogated laws and other details of jurisprudence.

Rasulullah ﷺ said, "None of you can have true Iman until his desires are subservient of what I have taught." (Mishkatul Masabih pg 22)

Rasulullah ﷺ also said, "There shall come a time when there will be people in whose bodies desires and passions will flow just as no vein or sinew of a person is left unaffected when a person is bit by a rabid dog." (Ibid pg 30)

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Following the Imams, Importance of Taqleed and Consensus Upon Following Them

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