TAQLID – HADITH

CLARIFICATION

"When the authenticity of a Hadith is established, then this Hadith is my Mazhab,"or, "When a Hadith is Saheeh and it is in contradiction with my opinion, then follow the Hadith in question and abandon what I said."

These are the words that the Aimmah — Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahimahullah), Imam Maalik (Rahimahullah), Imam Shaafi'i (Rahimahullah), and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (Rahimahullah) — have stated. Unfortunately, these words have been misinterpreted by the promoters of anti-taqlid, who have used them to give free rein to everyone to interpret the Ahaadith as they wish. Obviously, this is a danger which any informed and intelligent person can recognise. This state of affairs opens the door to libertinism and anarchy in the Deen.

The reason is that the promoters of anti-taqlid have failed in their approach to understand the true meaning of the aforementioned statements. Indeed, according to the eminent jurist and Muhaddith of the 6th century, Allaamah An-Nawawi (Rahimahullah), this statement of the Aimmah (Rahimahumullah) does not mean that everyone can implement the words of an authentic Hadith in a direct sense. Rather, it applies only to those who have reached the degree of Ijtihaad.

Allaamah Sheikh Abu ‘Amr said:

"In regard to the implementation of the literal text of the statement of Imam Shaafi‘i (Rahimahullah), it is not possible for every jurist to put into practice the Hadith which he considers to be authoritative."

For example, Allaamah Sheikh Abu ‘Amr cites a Hadith according to which Nabi-e-Kareem (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) said that the fast of the one who donates blood, and the one who receives it, is broken by doing these acts.

According to ‘Abdul Waalid Musa bin Abul Jaarood, a student of Imam Shaafi‘i (Rahimahullah), the aforementioned Hadith is Saheeh, and, following the principle flowing from the statement, “When the authenticity of a Hadith is established, then this Hadith is my Mazhab”, he tried to attribute this ruling to the opinion of Imam Shaafi‘i (Rahimahullah). However, according to Imam Shaafi‘i (Rahimahullah), in such a case, the fast is not broken. The other students of Imam Shaafi‘i (Rahimahullah) have argued that he rejected this Hadith only because it is mansookh, and not because he questioned its authenticity.

This is sufficient to demonstrate the degree of irresponsibility that many of our youth are displaying when they underestimate the Aimmah (Rahimahumullah) by declaring that they rejected this or that Hadith despite its authenticity. It is important to understand, once and for all, that the Aimmah (Rahimahumullah) were right when they rejected a Hadith. They did not do so out of ignorance — far from it! Very often, they understood and analysed a Hadith differently from others.

In conclusion, the statement of these Aimmah (Rahimahumullah), as mentioned above, is addressed to the Mujtahideen and not to everyone. To be a Mujtahid, one must possess the requisite qualities of the Mujtahideen.

[English version of "Taqlîde – Hadith" – Al Haadi – Vol. 2 No. 8]