[vinnomot] what is taqleed ?

REGARDING BLIND FOLLOWING OF THE MADHABS

Linguistically, taqleed means: Placing something
around the neck, which encircles the neck. Technically
it means: Following he whose sayings is not a proof
(hujjah).

So long as a Muslim is following the correct evidence
(daleel) and has the desire to follow the Sunnah
properly, there is no harm in following any of the
Imams when it comes to rules of fiqh. In the case of
the ordinary Muslim (who is not educated in fiqh), his
madhhab (school of thought) is that of the mufti whose
knowledge he trusts. But problems of the worst type
occur when people become fanatically devoted to one
particular Imam or Madhhab, to the extent that they
reject the truth or ignore other sound evidence
because of this.

Allaah warns against rejecting the word of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
(interpretation of the meaning): "… And let those who
oppose the Messenger's commandment (i.e., his Sunnah)
(among the sects) beware, lest some fitnah (disbelief,
trials, afflictions, etc.) befall them or a painful
torment be inflicted on them." [al-Noor 24:63]

"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."

TAQLEED (BLIND FOLLOWING)
ACCORDING TO QUR'ÂN AND SUNNAH

Linguistically, Taqleed means: Placing something
around the neck, which encircles the neck. Technically
it means: Following he whose sayings is not a proof
(hujjah).

Exlcuded from our saying, "following he whose saying
is not a proof" is: following the Sunnah of the
Prophet (SAW)

"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]

O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger
(Muhammad SAW), and those of you (Muslims) who are in
authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst
yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (SAW),
if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is
better and more suitable for final determination. [The
Noble Qur'ân 4:59]

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]

Ibn al-Qayyim said, " And it is as Abu Umar (ibn Abdul
Barr) said: Indeed, the people do not differ about the
fact that knowledge is the realisation attained from
proof, but without proof, it is only taqleed."

Ibn al-Qayyim said, "There are three sayings about the
permissibility of giving fatwaa based upon taqleed:

1) It is not permissible to give fatwaa based upon
taqleed, because it is not knowledge; since issuing a
fatwaa without knowledge is forbidden. This is the
saying of most of the Hanbalee scholars and the
majority of the Shaafi'iyyah.

2) That it is permissible with regards to himself, but
it is not permissible to give a fatwaa to others based
upon taqleed.

3) That it is permissible when there is a need for it,
and there is no mujtahid scholar. And this is the most
correct of the sayings and is what is acted upon."

Imam Ibn Katheer, rahimahullaah, said: "And what is
apparent, and Allaah knows best, is that it is general
for all those who are in authority (oolul-amr),from
the rulers and the scholars."

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "This is why those
who are in authority are of two groups: the scholars
and the rulers. If they are upright, the people will
be upright; if they are corrupt, the people will be
corrupt."

"It should be realised that the rulers are to be
obeyed if they command what knowledge necessitates. So
obedience to them follows on from obedience to the
scholars. Indeed obedience is only in that which is
good and that which is obligated by knowledge. So just
as obedience to the scholars follows on from obedience
to the Messenger, then obedience to the rulers follows
on from obedience to the scholars." [Imaam Ibn
al-Qayyim, r.a.]

The Problem : "Blind" following refers to following a
person (including self) when the instructions are
clearly not in accordance with Qur'ân and Sunnah. To
do so is a form of shirk, because at its core is a
denial of a part of the Revelation, and to deny a
single ayat of Revelation is to deny it all.

Many muslims treat the noble Imaams (Imaam Shafii,
Imaam Malik, etc.) as though their words are protected
from error. For some people, the words of an Imaam are
taken as "gospel" and followed exclusively (as if it
were revelation). Even if a verse from the Qur'ân or
an authentic saying of the Messenger is brought as an
argument against what their chosen Imaam said, their
followers forsake what Allah or the Messenger, saaws,
said and follow their Imaams. This dangerous position
leads to blind taqleed (following) of humans at the
expense of revelation.

One such example of this is that Imaam Malik did not
raise his hands during the takbeer because they had
been crippled to where he could not raise them as
should be done in the salah. Muslims who choose to
blindly follow Imaam Malik will not raise their hands
during the takbeer, even though their is clear proof
to do so. There are examples too numerous to list
here, examples of senseless adherence to the ways or
teachings of men, teachings that are contradictory to
the proof.

Some muslims blindly follow modern leaders (such as W.
Deen Mohammed, the Tableegh, or the highly deviating
Imaam at the local masjid), even when the man calls
the people to actions and beliefs that are clearly
opposing Qur'ân and Sunnah. Once again, this is an act
of elevating a person's words over the Speech of Allah
(i.e. the Qur'ân), if at any time we reject the clear
revelation and instead act upon or embrace the
contrary teachings of a person.

Just like we are to obey our parents unless they call
us to the haram (prohibited), we may follow the
guidance of men unless they call us to error.

This condition of ignorance and blind following was
given by Revelation from Allah to the Messenger,
Muhammed, saaws, who said: Verily, Allah does not take
away knowledge by snatching it from the people, but
(this is done) by causing (the death) of the scholars
until none of them is left alive. People would then
appoint ignorant leaders for themselves who would be
consulted in matters of religion and they would give
Fatawas without knowledge, falling into misguidance
and misguiding others. [Muslim].

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]

"It is haram (prohibited) for someone who does not
know my evidence to give fatwaa (verdicts) on the
basis of my words." Another narration adds, "... for
we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it
back the next day." [Ibn \'Abdul Barr in Al-Intiqaa\'
fi Fadaa\'il ath-Thalaathah al-A\'immah al-Fuqahaa\'
(p. 145), Ibn al-Qayyim in I\'laam al-Mooqi\'een
(2/309), Ibn \'Aabideen in his Footnoes on Al-Bahr
ar-Raa\'iq (6/293) and in Rasm al-Mufti (pp. 29, 32) &
Sha\'raani in Al-Meezaan (1/55) with the second
narration. Similar narrations exist on the authority
of Abu Haneefah\'s companions Zafar, Abu Yoosuf and
\'Aafiyah ibn Yazeed; cf. Eeqaaz (p. 52). Ibn
al-Qayyim firmly certified its authenticity on the
authority of Abu Yoosuf in I\'laam al-Mooqi\'een
(2/344).]

"When I say something contradicting the Book of Allah
the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger
(saaws), then ignore my saying." [Al-Fulaani in Eeqaaz
al-Himam (p. 50), tracing it to Imaam Muhammad and
then saying, \"This does not apply to the mujtahid,
for he is not bound to their views anyway, but it
applies to the muqallid.\"]

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).]

The Solution: The messenger of Allah (saaws) said: O
mankind, I am leaving two things with you, if you
cling to them you will never go astray. The Book of
Allah and my way of life. [Al-Haakim and Al-Baihaqi].

The Muslim who does not want to go astray refers all
matters to the Qur'ân and Sunnah of the Prophet
Muhammed This does not mean he should be
confrontational, ignore, or find no use for the people
of knowledge - because he SHOULD refer to such people.
Note emphasis on the word REFER, meaning you use the
people of knowledge as a RESOURCE and GUIDE - not as a
source of Revelation.

Be humble when approaching a person of knowledge, and
recognize that the people of knowledge, when acting
upon what they know, are of the most humble people.
Not all humble people are knowledgeable; however, a
person of knowledge should be humble, that is, if he
follows the knowledge he has.

When wanting further explanation, the muslim should
refer to the writings of as-Salaf as-Saalih. Make
decisions based on the proofs in the Qur'ân and
Sunnah, accepting the explanations given by as-Salaf
as-Saalih as far superior to others.

The people choose their leaders; the leader or Imam is
not self-appointed. So choose your leader / spiritual
guide carefully and follow obediently, except when
Qur'ân and authenticated Sunnah indicates otherwise.

Muslims should be obedient to their Imam except when
given evidence that is clearly contrary to the Imam's
guidance on any particular matter. This evidence
should be from the Qur'ân and/or Sunnah, as explained
by the righteous Islamic scholars of the first three
generations of righteous Muslims after the revelation
of the Qur'ân.

Sharh Usool ul-I'tiqaad (1/9) - Imaam al-Laalikaa'ee
(d. 418H) (rh) said: "That which is most obligatory
upon a Muslim: Knowledge of the aspects of the creed
of the Religion and what Allaah has obligated upon His
Servants including the understanding of His Tawheed
and of His Attributes, and believing in His Messengers
with evidences and with certainty. And arriving at
[all of] that and seeking evidences for them with
clear proofs.

And among the mightiest of statements and clearest of
proofs and understandings is:

The Book of Allaah, the Manifest Truth

Then the saying of the Messenger of Allaah

And of his Companions, the chosen, pious ones

Then that which the Salaf us-Saalih were unanimously
agreed upon

The holding fast to all of that and remaining firm
upon it till the Day of Judgement

Then turning away from the innovations and from
listening to them - from amongst those things the
astray people have invented"

The Noble Qur'ân - An-Nûr 24:63 Make not the calling
of the Messenger (Muhammad ) among you as your calling
of one another. Allâh knows those of you who slip away
under shelter (of some excuse without taking the
permission to leave, from the Messenger SAW). And let
those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad )
commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts
of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects)
beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials,
afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a
tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be
inflicted on them.

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