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The Dangers of Taqleed
(Blind Following)
Warning About Taqleed
and its Dangers:
Linguistically
Taqleed: is
taken from the word Qiladah (necklace) that one helps other to wear. An
example is to put necklace (of leather or iron) around the necks of cattle that
one is offering for sacrifice during Hajj. Therefore, the Muqallid, is
the one who makes his following of someone like putting a necklace around the
neck of the person whom he following. In Islamic terminology, Taqleed means
following other people’s sayings of the Messenger of Allah, asking for a Fatwaa
(religious decree) from a scholar by the common folk and for the judge to
accept pious people as witnesses ( in law suits), because there is proof to
this exclusion.” [Irshad Al’Fu’hul].
· The
above text benefits us in two ways.
First: Taqleed is not
useful knowledge.
Second: It is suitable for
ignorant common folk.
To further explain
these two benefits, we must weigh them according to the light of the Qur’an and
the Sunnah and use the saying of the Imams. Afterwards, we must study the
character of whoever indulges in Taqleed and investigate if they truly follow
those whom they claim to follow.
Taqleed is not useful
knowledge. Allah criticized Taqleed in many ayat of the Qur’an. This is why
sayings of Imams, who rejected Taqleed, are in abundance.
Ibn Abd Al-Bar Imam
of Al-Andalous ( Spain when it was under Muslim control) wrote about this
subject in a separate chapter of his great book. Jami’ Bayan Al-Ilm Wa
Fadhlih he said: Chapter “The Invalidity of Taqleed, Rejecting it, and the
Difference Between Taqleed and Ittibaa’ (following what has an evidence to its
validity) Allah criticized Taqleed in many places in His Book. He said
“They (Jews and
Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah” [Surah 9:31]
It was narrated that
Huthaifah and others said about this Ayah: “They did not worship them
instead of Allah. Rather, they (rabbis and monks) legislated for them in
matters of what is lawful or prohibited and they (Jews and Christians) followed
them.”
Adi ibn Hatim said: ‘I
came to the Messenger of Allah wearing a cross on my neck.’ I reached him
when he was reciting Surah Baraa’h (chapter 9 of the Qur’an) till he reached
this Ayah, “They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be
their lords besides Allah” I said: Oh! Messenger of Allah, We did not take them
as lords. He said: Yes, indeed! Did they naot allow for you what has been
forbidden on you, and you considered them permissible, for you , and they not
forbid on you what Allah made permissible for you, and you forbade them?’ I
said: Yes. He said This is (your) taking them as lords.’
Sayings of the
Scholars of the pass Concerning Taqleed
Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “It
is impermissible to issue fatwas based on Taqleed. Taqleed is not knowledge and
issuing fatwas without knowledge is impermissible. There is no division between
people of knowledge that Taqleed is not knowledge. Therefore, a Muqallid cannot
be called a scholar” [I’lam Al-Muwaqqi’in]
As-Suyuti said: ‘The
Muqallid is not a scholar,” as Abu Al-Hasa As-Sindi narrated in his
transliteration of ibn Majah’s book of Hadith Also Ash-Shawkani confirmed this
in his book Irshad Al-Fu’hul saying “Taqleed is ignorance and not
knowledge.”
Taken from: The
Hadith is Proof Itself in Belief and Law Chapter on “Warning About Taqleed
and its Dangers” pages 84-88 by: Shaikh Nasir Ad-Deen Al-Albaani
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