بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Alhamdulillah,
One of the most often posed questions and the predicament many salafis find themselves in, is the concept of taqleed (Blind Following), and here I mean Fiqh, so taqleed of one of the Jurrists from one of the Madhahib in Islam.
The issue becomes an issue only when a “Salafi” brother is presented with two or more opinions on the same subject and then told, “so your opinion is greater than, Imam (Insert Name Here).
Now, what the young Salafi brother does not know is the concept of Al-Itibaa’a. There is something that the salafi scholars say is allowed, No Not Taqleed… They allow Al-Itibaa’a.
And The Principles Of Fiqh Of The Righteous Predecessors
Translation of some chapters from the book “al-It’ibaa’a And The Principles Of Fiqh Of The Righteous Predecessors” By Our Beloved Sheikh and ‘Alim Wasiullah Abbaas al-Hindi
Definition of Al-It’ibaa’a
Definition of al It’ibaa’a’ Definition of al It’ibaa’a:
Al-It’ibaa’a in the Arabic Language is a verbal noun, meaning one who follows something. It is said in Arabic ‘I followed his path’. It is also said: ‘A man who goes ahead and you go behind him or follow him. ‘It’ibaa’ul Quran’ means: Follow the Quran, in other words: imitate, emulate, follow it’s example and act upon what is in it.’[1]
The technical and religious meaning of Al It’ibaa’a is similar to the linguistic meaning: following, walking behind, emulating what the Prophet Muhammad came with and imitating it and acting upon it.
Al-It’ibaa’a is the opposite of at Taqleed, which means: Acting upon a saying or action from someone whose sayings and actions are not authoritative sources or evidences in the religion.
What we mean by Al It’ibaa’a is: Imitation, adherence, following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and the obligation of following them are upon whoever the Quran and Sunnah reach.
Al-It’ibaa’a’ also means: imitating and following the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs, based upon the Prophets saying:
‘Upon all of you is to adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs.’[2]
It also means following the consensus of the companions and those who preceded them from amongst the scholars of Islam if their sayings are authentic. All of this is considered Al ‘It’ibaa’a because these are legislative evidences which are obligatory to follow.
Also ‘It’ibaa’a’ of the correct ‘Qiyas’ (analogical reasoning) which is authentic from the Quran and Sunnah is considered ‘It’ibaa’a’ and not ‘Taqleed’.
May Allah allow us to use our senses and not become blind followers of characters and famous people, but become followers of the sunnah even if it goes against what we were taught.
والله تعالى أعلم
وصلى اللهم وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه والتابعين
أخوك أبو ناصر
Footnotes:
[1] ‘Lisanul Arab’ 8/27-28
[2] {TN} Taken from the long hadeeth in Sunan at Tirmidhi 5/44, Book of Knowledge, Chapter: What came regarding implementing the Sunnah #2676, and at Tirmidhi said ‘Hasan Saheeh’. Sunan Abee Dawud pg.691, Book of the Sunnah, Chapter: Adhering to the Sunnah, #4607. Sunan ibn Majah pg.20, Introduction, Chapter: Following the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs #42. Mustadrak al Haakim 1/95, and al Haakim said: ‘Saheeh and there is no defect in the narration, and Adh Dhahabi agreed with him’. And the narration is as they said-authentic.
Zinaid Abu Naser 