Tawhid related issues Abu Butayn
http://darultavhid.com/en/forum/index.php?topic=2346.0
Is it an obligation for one to follow one of the four madhabs?
(Sheikh Abu Batin Abdullah b. Abdurrahman asked the following question): Must
one follow one of the four righteous madhabs?
Answer
(of Sheikh Abu Butayn): Allah (swt) instructed His servants to obey
that which was down-sent from their Lord, commanded them to adhere to
RasulAllah and He mentioned this truth in many places in His book. It
is necessary for one to choose a leader other than RasulAllah (saw).
However humans are splintered and divided into many groups in this
matter. Allah (swt) says:
“…each party rejoices in that which is with itself.” (al-Muminun 23/53)
Ittiba (follow, adhere) and Iktida (opposition) are various. Some of these are
haram. Allah (awj) commands:
“When
it is said to them: ‘Follow what Allah hath revealed.’ They say: ‘Nay!
we shall follow the ways of our fathers.’ What! even though their
fathers Were void of wisdom and guidance?” (al-Baqara 2/170)
“Just
in the same way, whenever We sent a Warner before thee to any people,
the wealthy ones among them said: ‘We found our fathers following a
certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps’.”
(az-Zukhruf 43/23)
“When it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah
hath revealed; come to the Messenger’: They say: ‘Enough for us are the
ways we found our fathers following’.” (al-Maida 5/104)
“The Day
that their faces will be turned upside down in the Fire, they will say:
‘Woe to us! Would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger!’
And they would say: ‘Our Lord! We obeyed our chiefs and our great ones,
and they misled us as to the (right) Path’.” (al-Ahzab 33/66-67)
One
type of taqlid (imitation) is taking the scholars and monks as Rabb.
This kind of taqlid is shirk. Abu Bakr in his work ‘al-jami’ wrote a
chapter over discord and refusal of this type of taqlid. Abu Umar said:
Allah (swt) denounced taqlid in His book in many places. Allah (swt)
says:
“They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation
of Allah” (at-Tawba 9/31)
Regarding
this ayah it is narrated from Hudhayfa and others: Do not perform
ibadah to others while leaving Allah. It is because they made halal
into haram, and haram into halal and the others followed them.
Adiyy
b. Hatem (ra) said: I went to RasulAllah while hanging a cross on my
neck. RasulAllah (saw) sadi to me: O Adiyy take that idol (i.e the
cross) off from your neck and throw (it away). He was reciting the
surah of at-Tawba. When he came to the ayah: “They take their priests
and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah”
(at-Tawba 9/31) I said: O Rasulullah! We did not worship them.
Thereupon RasulAllah (saw) said: No it is not like as you said. Did you
not obey them when they made halal of Allah’s haram and when they made
haram of Allah’s halal. Certainly I replied. (RasulAllah) said: this is
worshipping them. (Tirmidhi; Tabari; Suyuti)
Abu Bahtari said:
'If they had commanded the people to perform ibadah to them instead of
Allah, they would have not obeyed. But they had made haram what Allah
made halal and made haram what Allah had made halal, people obeyed them
in this. So this is taking them as Rabb.
The one who
understood this introduction, will understand that there is no
contradiction in the reference to following the right schools between
us and the people. There will be conflict between us and them only when
they oppose with the truth. Some people always commit haram, follow
their hawa (desire) and wish, their longings. At the same time they say
that they are members of one of these right schools. Nevertheless the
reality is not like that.
If someone comes along and states
that he attaches to something, but with it there is no trace of it to
see on him, it will not be thought to benefit him. For example although
the Christians say, they are supporters of Isa (as) and the Jews say,
they are supporter of Musa (as), this claim of theirs have no use for
them. Allah (swt) says:
“Then We put thee on the (right) Way of
Religion: so follow thou that (Way), and follow not the desires of
those who know not. They will be of no use to thee in the sight of
Allah: it is only Wrong-doers (that stand as) protectors, one to
another: but Allah is the Protector of the Righteous. These are clear
evidences to men and a Guidance and Mercy to those of assured Faith.
What! Do those who seek after evil ways think that We shall hold them
equal with those who believe and do righteous deeds,- that equal will
be their life and their death?” (al-Jathiya 45/18-21)
“Then
seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah
has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and
his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then,
will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then
receive admonition?” (al-Jathiya 45/23)
“But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts…”
(al-Qasas 28/50)
Ibn
Qayyim (ra) said: Allah (swt) united all ways in two ways: Either
following the sharia of RasulAllah (saw), which Allah sent him with
this shariah and wanted this for His servants, or taking ones own lust
and vain as a deity. Likewise in the previous ayah this truth was
emphasized. May Allah (swt) protect us from new opinions and thoughts,
deviated and deflector hawa we seek refuge from Allah (swt) for all of
these. '
When it comes to the Imams of the right schools – May
Allah like (swt) contently with them- they are all leaders of hidayah
(guidance). Their ijma is evidence and their ikhtilaf is rahmah.
Regarding taqlid of them, scholars had ikhtilaf.
Some stated
while not accepting taqlid: 'People are divided into two groups: The
task of the ignorant ones and average Joe is to learn their deen in
order to perform their deen in the best way. It is not possible for one
to stick to one madhab and continue in this manner. Their situation is
equal to the situation of those, illiterate who although cannot read
and write claiming that they can read and write. Now think well about
it: The man says I belong to this madhab; but he does not know; can not
differentiate the sahih (sound) from the daif (weak). When it comes to
the faqih and scholar; it is impossible for such individual to give a
judgment without having proofs.
According to the opinion of
these scholars taqlid is permitted only in dharura (obligation and
states of distress). If there is no necessity then there won’t be
taqlid.
Another group, which is comprised from the majority of
faqih, stick on the middle-way in this affair; they did not exceed the
statements of the imams of madhab. It is because according to their
opinion these imams are the person, whom should be referred during a
debate, and they will be excused if nothing from sunnah had reached
them. This point of issue has also been explained by Shaikhu’l-Islam
Ibn Taymiyya in the valuable book ' Raful Malam at Aimmatil Alam'. They
did whatever they could within the framework proofs they had in their
hand, and they always stuck to the sunnah. They have applied according
to the results from sunnah that they could derive and could understand.
So these are the followers of the imams and the saved group among this
ummah. It is because the imams have forbid taqlid of them other than
the issues which are corresponded to the sunnah. Following this is an
obligation to them. Therefore this kind of taqlid is the third type and
praise worth taqlid.
Now let’s take some of the statements of the scholars in hand:
Ibn
Qasim reports that Imam Malik said the following: 'Even if he is
precious, valuable person; there is no need to follow his each word.
Because Allah (swt) commands: “…so announce the Good News to My
Servants, Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning)
in it” (az-Zumar 39/17-18)
Abu Yusuf said: 'Nobody is allowed to adopt our opinion until he knows the
evidence which it is based.’
Abu
Hanifa said: 'This is a rayy (opinion). Whoever brings a better
opinion; we accept it.' Again he said: 'Is the word of somebody equal
to the word of RasulAllah (saw)? '
Imam Malik said: 'The word of
people can be accepted or rejected. Only the word of owner of this
grave (pointing to the grave of RasulAllah) of Muhammad is different.
His statement will not be rejected.' Imam Malik said also this: 'If
someone prefers the word of Ibrahim an-Nakhai to the word of Umar b.
Khattab (ra), then he must make tawba. So what shall be said if he
prefers words of Ibrahim an-Nakhai and his likes over the word of
RasulAllah?
Imam Shafii said that he who seeks knowledge without
proof is like someone who gathers firewood at night; he might without
realizing it pick up a bundle of fire wood with a poisonous cobra snake
in it and so get bitten and poisoned. Again Imam Shafii said: 'If the
hadith is sahih, then this is my madhab. Nothing else (is my madhab).'
Abu
Dawud said: I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Is al-Awzai more deserving of
being followed or Malik? He said: Do not imitate either of them for
your faith. Adhere to what comes down from RasulAllah and companions.
In another way of transmission he says: Take it from their sources.
Again Imam Ahmad said: Imitating someone is a proof of ones lack in
fiqh.
The fourth kind of the taqlid which is criticized and
condemned; exaggerating in regards to taqlid and sticking to a madhab
etc will be accounted under this type of taqlid. Some say 'It is not
permitted to contradict to the madhab. One must adhere to a madhab in
any condition.' These brought every imam in to the position of
RasulAllah (saw) regarding the taqlid. This is changing the deen.
Imam
Ahmad said: 'I am surprised at those, who although know the excessive
quantity of the chain and the sihhah of a hadith, and follow the
opinion Sufyan. However Allah (swt) says: “…then let those beware who
withstand the Messenger's order, lest some trial befall them, or a
grievous penalty be inflicted on them.” (an-Nur 24/63)
Ibn Abbas
(RA) said: 'I am afraid that it will rain stones of the sky over you
very soon. I say to you that, RasulAllah (saw) said in such a way and
in such a way; you say, Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) said in such a way.
Sufyan b. Uyayna said: Rabia covered her face and began to cry.
I asked her: ' What made you to cry? She told me this: ' Openly riya
(hypocrisy), secret longings and peoples being to the scholars like the
child are to their mother. They keep themselves immediately away from
whatever they forbid for them and perform right away whatever they
command to them.
Abdullah b. Mutamir said this: 'Indeed there is no difference between an animal
who laughs and a muqallid.
Ibn
Masud (RA) said: 'None of you be in a state that imitating someone,
when the person who you imitate believes something you believe and when
he denies something you also deny. It is because nobody can be taken as
an example with regards badness.
Again he (ra) said: Be either a teacher or a student; and do not be a parasite
in between.
Something
similar was also narrated from Ali (ra). Many words can be said over
this both affairs. But we have briefly touched upon it.
All
praise is entitled to the master of the worlds. May salat and salam be
upon Muhammad (saw), his Ahlu Bayt and his companions.
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