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Issue of Taqleed

Taqleed means to follow someone. In matters of deen, taqleed is very dangerous as well as right. That is, it serves both ways. For a common man who does not know the matters of deen very much or in much depth, he needs a mentor, a teacher to know and get advice in matters of deen. But it should be noted that no man is perfect. Not even a most renowned scholar. If a person preaches biddat in the name of islam, then such a person will not only enter hell himself, but also he will take all those who followed him blindly, to hell. All renowned scholars forbade blind taqleed and encouraged to learn islam.


Imam Abu Haneefah (rahimullah) 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)

This shows that imam abu hanifah never claimed to be all in all in the knowledge of deen. Another scholar said;

1 "It is not permitted for anyone to accept our views if they do not know from where we got them."- Ibn Abdul Barr in: 'Al-Intiqaa' fi Fadaa'il ath-Thalaathah al- A'immah al-Fuqahaa' (p.145), Ibn Aabideen in his footnotes on: 'Al-Bahr ar-Raa'iq' (6/293) & Sha'raani in: 'Al-Meezaan' (1/55).

2 "When I say something contradicting the Book of Allaah the Exalted, or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), 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 (blind follower)."

Imam malik also held the same point of view in these words;

1 "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), & similarly: 'Al-Fulaani' (p.72).

2 Ibn Wahb said: "I heard Maalik being asked about cleaning between the toes during wudu (ablution). He said: "The people do not have to do that." I did not approach him until the crowd had lessened, then I said to him: "We know of a sunnah about that." He said: "What is that ?" I said: "Laith ibn Sa'd, Ibn Lahee'ah and Amr ibn al-Haarith narrated to us from Yazeed ibn Amr al-Ma'aafiri from Abu Abdur-Rahman al-Hubuli from Mustawrid ibn Shaddaad al-Qurashi who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace be on him) rubbing between his toes with his little finger." He said: "This hadeeth is sound; I had not heard of it at all until now." Afterwards, I heard him being asked about the same thing, on which he ordered cleaning between the toes."-Introduction to: 'Al-Jarh wat-Ta'deel' of Ibn Abi Haatim (pg.31-32).

Imam shafi rahimullah said about blind following;

"The sunnahs of the Messenger of Allaah (peace be on him) 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 Allaah (peace be on him), then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allaah (peace be on him) 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).

No scholar ever said to follow them blindly. They even left it an open choice for the people to correct them if they held a wrong opinion. This shows that no scholar ever started difference in madhab. Therefore, we should not follow anything and everything in the name of islam. And we should never associate any biddah with the scholars who always welcomed rectification on their part.
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