Article on Taqleed
9. What Scholars have stated regarding Taqleed Shakhsi
Hereunder are statements of some of the scholars as taken from “Taqleed” by Mufti A.H. Elias and “Jawahir ul Fiqh” by Mufti Shafi Uthmani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ.
Imam Abdul Ghani an-Nablusi in Khulasat-ut-Tahqiq: “A Muslim is either a Mujtahid or has not reached the level of Ijtihad. The one who is not a mujtahid should follow which ever he likes of the four Madhhaib.”
Imam Abdul Wahhab ash-Sah’rani in al-Mizan al-Kubra: “However according to the ‘ulema it is wajib for the ordinary Muslim to follow a mujtahid. They said that if a non-mujtahid Muslim did not follow a mujtahid, he would deviate from the right path. All mujtahids inferred rules from the documentary evidences they found in Islam....A person who speaks ill of any of the A’immat al-Madhhaib shows his ignorance.”
Allamah ibn Nujaim in al ‘shabalu Nasir: “For any person to go against the rule/decision of the four Imams is going against ijma.”
Ibn Humam in al-Tarirr fi Usul Fiqh: “It is because of this, that certain....have stated that taqleed of the 4 imams is specified...and taqleed to be limited to these 4 imams is correct.” Further Ibn Humam in Fath al Qadeer: “The ijma was that any school apart from the four will not be taken”
Jiwan Siddique in Tafsir Ahmadi: “Ijma has occurred on that it is only permissible to make taqleed of the 4 imams. Thus, if any mujtahid is born and his opinions are against that of the 4 imams then it will not be permissible to follow it.”
Qadhi Thanaullah Panipati in Tafsir Mazhari: “After the third and fourth century there is not a fifth Madhhab to follow besides the 4 madhhaib of the ahl-e-sunnah wal jamaah....and in this matter ijma has occurred that any opinions contrary to the 4 madhhaib is false (Baatil).”
Imam Sarsksi Maaliki in al-Fatuhatul Wahabia: “In this age after the era of the Sahabah just as Ibn Salah has said that its not permissible to make taqleed of anyone besides the 4 imams, viz., Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal رحمۃ اللہ علیھم.”
Ibn Hajar Makki in Farabul Mubeem fi Sahr Arba’een: “In our time it is the opinion of the Elder Imams that it is permissible to make Taqleed of the Imam-e-Arbaa, viz., Imam Shafi’i, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Ahmed and it is not permissible to make Taqleed of another Imam.”
Tahawi in Tahtawi alaa Durre Mukhtar: “The one who does not follow those four schools is from ahl al-Bid’aa and people of hell.”
Abdullah, the son of Abdul Wahhab Najdi (in al-Hadayatul Sunnah - op sit- ‘Propaganda of Mansoor Nomani against Muhammad ibn Wahab’: “In secondary matters we are of the Madhhab of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal and whosoever adheres to any of the 4 Imams we do not object.”
Hereunder are statements of some of the scholars as taken from “Taqleed” by Mufti A.H. Elias and “Jawahir ul Fiqh” by Mufti Shafi Uthmani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ.
Imam Abdul Ghani an-Nablusi in Khulasat-ut-Tahqiq: “A Muslim is either a Mujtahid or has not reached the level of Ijtihad. The one who is not a mujtahid should follow which ever he likes of the four Madhhaib.”
Imam Abdul Wahhab ash-Sah’rani in al-Mizan al-Kubra: “However according to the ‘ulema it is wajib for the ordinary Muslim to follow a mujtahid. They said that if a non-mujtahid Muslim did not follow a mujtahid, he would deviate from the right path. All mujtahids inferred rules from the documentary evidences they found in Islam....A person who speaks ill of any of the A’immat al-Madhhaib shows his ignorance.”
Allamah ibn Nujaim in al ‘shabalu Nasir: “For any person to go against the rule/decision of the four Imams is going against ijma.”
Ibn Humam in al-Tarirr fi Usul Fiqh: “It is because of this, that certain....have stated that taqleed of the 4 imams is specified...and taqleed to be limited to these 4 imams is correct.” Further Ibn Humam in Fath al Qadeer: “The ijma was that any school apart from the four will not be taken”
Jiwan Siddique in Tafsir Ahmadi: “Ijma has occurred on that it is only permissible to make taqleed of the 4 imams. Thus, if any mujtahid is born and his opinions are against that of the 4 imams then it will not be permissible to follow it.”
Qadhi Thanaullah Panipati in Tafsir Mazhari: “After the third and fourth century there is not a fifth Madhhab to follow besides the 4 madhhaib of the ahl-e-sunnah wal jamaah....and in this matter ijma has occurred that any opinions contrary to the 4 madhhaib is false (Baatil).”
Imam Sarsksi Maaliki in al-Fatuhatul Wahabia: “In this age after the era of the Sahabah just as Ibn Salah has said that its not permissible to make taqleed of anyone besides the 4 imams, viz., Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal رحمۃ اللہ علیھم.”
Ibn Hajar Makki in Farabul Mubeem fi Sahr Arba’een: “In our time it is the opinion of the Elder Imams that it is permissible to make Taqleed of the Imam-e-Arbaa, viz., Imam Shafi’i, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Ahmed and it is not permissible to make Taqleed of another Imam.”
Tahawi in Tahtawi alaa Durre Mukhtar: “The one who does not follow those four schools is from ahl al-Bid’aa and people of hell.”
Abdullah, the son of Abdul Wahhab Najdi (in al-Hadayatul Sunnah - op sit- ‘Propaganda of Mansoor Nomani against Muhammad ibn Wahab’: “In secondary matters we are of the Madhhab of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal and whosoever adheres to any of the 4 Imams we do not object.”
