Question)
Why do we need an Imam ?? Isn't Taqleed =
Blind Following ??
Please explain the statements of Mujtahid
Imams.
Answer)
Extracting Law and Taqleed:
There are certain commandments in the Quran and Sunnah which a lay person can understand. For example:
"Do not back bite" (Surah al-Hujaraat: 12)
There are some statements which seem to contradict other verses of the Quran or a Hadith. For example, the Prophet S.A.W said in a Hadith:
"Whoever has an Imam, then the Imam's recitation is his recitation."
This seems to indicate while the Imam is reciting in Salaat, the follower should remain silent.
However, another Hadith says:
"There is no salaat for he who does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha."
This seems to indicate that everyone should recite Surah Fatiha. The question arises whether the first Hadith should be taken as the primary sourch referring to the Imam or the one who offers salaat individually and the second Hadith explained as a corrobborating evidence; or should we make the second hadith the base and the first Hadith refers to the Imam's recitation after he recites Surah Fatiha.
Needless to say from the above examples, the process of extrapolating rules from the Quran and Sunnah can be complicated. One soultion is that we exercise our understanding and insight in such issues in order to make our judgments and rulings. Another solution could be that instead of making independent rulings ourselves, we look into what the predecessors ruled concering these issues.
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The
concept of Taqleed in the Quran:
"O you who believe! Follow Allah' follow the Messenger and those of authority (Amr) amongst you."
"And when there comes to them a matter concerning (public) safety or fear, they relay it. If they had only referred it to the Messenger and to those of authority (Amr), those who can investigate and extract (information) among them would know (the rumor's validity)..."
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Blind
Following:
Ibn Hamam and Ibn Nujaim, both define Taqleed thus:
"Taqleed is to follow the opinion of a person - whose opinion is not a proof in Islamic law - without asking for his [the person followed] proof."
This statement has clarified the fact that a person who practices Taqleed (the Muqallid) does not hold the opinion of the one whom he follows (the Mujtahid) as a source of Islamic law because the source for Islamic law are confined to the Quran and Sunnah (both Ijma and Qiyas [analogy] are derived from the Quran and Sunnah). The only reason why a Muqallid follows an Imam is because of the conviction that the Mujtahid has inisights into the Quran and Sunnah (which he, the follower, does not posses) by which the Mujtahid is able to understand their meanings, in this regard the follower has relied upon the Imams' opinion. Perceived in this perspective Taqleed cannot in all fairness, perceived be equaled with shirk nor blind following.
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The
Statements of Mujtahid Imams themselves:
Contentions that the Imams themselves have
prohibited the following of their opinions until they have discovered the
proofs and that if their opinions conflict with any Hadith, they should smite
their opinions against the wall and practice the Hadith, are of course true. However,
to do justice to such statements, one would have to conclude that they are
NOT addressed to people who do not possess the faculty of Ijtihad. Rather,
they were appealing to those scholars who were capable of Ijtihad. Shah
Waliyyullah of
"These statements can be assessed against those who have some ability to exercise Ijtihad......."
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Imam Abu Hanifa
RUA:
Imam Abu Hanifa RUA was a Tabi, who met 4 Sahaba RAU. He was born in one of the Best generations. His time was very close to Prophet SAW. Opinions of MODERN DAY scholars hold NO weight against the rulings of the people of "Khair ul Quroon" (the best 3 generations).
Following an Imam:
Everyone has to do the Taqleed of someone. There is not a single person who doesn't do the Taqleed. As of those who deny the Taqleed of four Imams, they do the Taqleed of Ibn Tamiya. We always need someone to guide us.
The way of "Ahle-Sunnah Wal Jamaat" is that we follow the opinions and practices of the Best of the Generations. Sahaba RAU directly learned from Prophet S.A.W and understood the meaning far better than anyone can understand now.
Conclusion:
I once began to believe that it was not necessary to follow an Imam. However, I only held this view until I learned the other side. After reading the books of both Ahle-Hadees and Ahle-Sunnah I, personally, came to the conclusion that Ahle-sunnah wal Jamaat is the way.
Therefore, I can only invite and ask brothers and sisters to do thorough research on this subject. Read the books that support and explain why we should do Taqleed of one of the Imams and answer all the questions raised by Ahle-Hadees.
Well, at least look at both sides. This link contains books that explain the importance of Taqleed:
http://www.cometoislam.com/fiqh/fiqh.htm
Answered by www.cometoislam.com
“The Legal Status of Following a Madhab” answers all the questions, accusations and objections raised by Non-Muqallideen. If you are honestly looking for the truth, then it’s a must read.