TAQLEED AND THE ULAMA

There are great scholars of Tafseer and Hadith of great reputation and deep knowledge in the field of Deen who did not find any way out besides following one of the 4 Imams. For example:

1. Ibn Khuzaimah (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - a scholar of Hadith (223-311), had followed Imam Shaa’fi’i (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

2. Abu Ja'far Tahaawi (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - a great scholar of Hadith (239-321), had followed Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

3. Abu Bakr Ar-Razi Al-Jassaas (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - a great scholar of Tafseer (305-370), had followed Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

4. 'Allaamah An-Nawawi (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - a famous jurist and scholar of Hadith (631-676), had followed Imam Shaa’fi’i (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

5. 'Allaamah Qurtubi (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - an eminent scholar of Tafseer of the 7th century (671), had followed Imam Malik (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

6. 'Allaamah Badruddeen Al-Aini (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - the famous commentator of Bukhari Sharif in more than twenty volumes and a Hafiz of Hadith of the 8th century (762-855), had followed Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

7. Allaamah Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqa1aani (Rahmatullahi 'alayh) - the famous commentator of Bukhari in more than ten volume and Hafiz of Hadith of the 8th century (773-852), had followed Imam Shaa’fi’i (Rahmatullahi 'alayh).

Remark:

The degree of Ijtihaad is a very advanced degree that even the Ulama of great calibre also could not attain and consequently felt the need to seek help from the one who had it.

[English version of "Taqleed et banne oulamah" – Al Jamiat – Vol.1 No.8]