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The Blind Following of Madhhabs

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20. Truth Accepted only From the People of Their Own Madhhab

From the attributes of those upon whom is Allaah’s anger is that they will only accept the truth from the group which they ascribe to. Further, they do not even follow what their belief demands of them, as is the case with many of those who ascribe themselves to a particular group, concerning knowledge of the Deen, whether to scholars, or soofees or others. They will not accept any opinion or narration in the Deen except for what their own group brings. Whereas, the Deen, of Islaam obligates following the truth without restriction, whether the result of narration or opinion, without particularising any personality, except for Allaah’s Messenger . Since wisdom is the lost property of the Believer which he picks up wherever he finds it.

If we examine the sayings of the scholars of fiqh, their differing views, disagreements and excuses, then we will be totally bewildered. Some of them making such statements as, ‘Its evidence is strong but it is not acted upon, nor is verdict given according to it.’ Why? Because someone said something else! So the saying of a single man out of many men, of whom we do not know the history of, is enough to abandon an authentic, established Sunnah, even though it is apparent that well-being lies in following the Sunnah. Therefore the connection between our situation, and the foundation and fountain of the Deen is cut off. What is correct is that, it is not permissible for anyone to refer back in anything of his belief (‘Aqeedah) or acts of worship except to Allaah, the Most High, and to His Messenger to whom it was revealed, just as it is binding upon us to believe that judgement is for Allaah alone and that the Deen does not come from other than Him. By this we will be worshippers of Allaah alone, making our Deen sincerely for Him, just as He ordered us in His clear Book and he who does other than that, is one of those who take others as partners (besides Allaah) and of the destroyed. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: “When those who were followed, disown those who followed (them) and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them. Those who followed will say, ‘If only we had one more chance to return (to worldly life), we would disown them as they have disowned us.’ Thus, Allaah will show them their deeds as regards for them. They will never get out of the Fire.”

[Sooratul-Baqarah (2):166-167]
Know that this aayah is an earth-shattering blow to the blind-followers for their stubbornness upon the sayings and opinions of men concerning the Deen, whether living or dead, whether it is blind-following in matters of belief or worship, or lawful and prohibited; since all of these are to be taken only from Allaah and His Messenger. There is no room for anyone‘s opinion or saying, that includes the leaders of misguidance .

As for the rightly-guided scholars, then all of them forbade the worship of other than Allaah, the Most High, and depending upon other than Allaah and upon other than His Revelation in the Deen. Some of those who do Tafseer declare that these aayaahs (verses) apply to the disbelievers in particular, but it is a mistake to understand from these words anything which will separate the Muslims from the Qur’aan. Some people take every warning in it to apply to the Mushriks, the Jews and the Christians (only) and therefore do not take the desired warning themselves.

Therefore you find that the Muslims do not take admonition from the Qur’aan. Rather, they think that mere verbal profession of ‘Lailaaha illallaah’, without fulfilling its rights is enough for salvation in the Hereafter, even though many hypocrites and unbelievers say it. Whereas Allaah, the Most High, has mentioned the manifestation of Shirk and the attributes and condition of the unbelievers as a warning for those who believe in His Book, so that they do not fall into what others fell into and thus be of those who are doomed.

The heads of the blind-followers have set up a barrier between the Muslims and the Book of their Lord, claiming that those able to receive guidance from it have passed away, and that it is not possible to find the like of them, due to the conditions which they have laid down (which are not easily accomplished by other than them; such as knowledge of a set number of fields of knowledge), even though the Pious Predecessors; the Companions and the Taabi’een and likewise the four Imaams (may Allaah be pleased with all of them), are all agreed that it is not permissible for anyone to accept any one’s saying in the Deen without knowing his proof. Then came the scholars of the blind-followers and gave the saying of the muftee, the status of proof for the common person, then a further generation became drowned in blind-following and forbade anyone from taking any ruling from the Book and the Sunnah. They regarded anyone who tried to understand them as being suspicious and this is the limit of disgrace and the worst depravity and entity to the Deen and the people have followed them in this, so that they took partners besides Allaah. They will disassociate themselves from each other (on the Day of Resurrection). The follower of a madhhab honours a certain person in his heart and so follows him without considering his words, blindly following his forefathers and the people of his land. This is certain misguidance, since it should be the saying that is looked at not who is speaking, just as Alee ? said, “Indeed truth is not known due to the men. Know the truth and you will then know its people.”
All good lies in following the orders and actions of Allaah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) and his Companions - radiallaahu ‘anhum - and likewise the Pious Predecessors - rahimahumullaah - and all evil and misguidance lies in that which the late-comers have introduced into the Deen and their is no doubt that the taking of madhhabs is an innovation in the Deen which was started by governors and rulers for political aims, or their whims, or to pressure their positions, or out of party-spirit for their Shaykhs, as is known to everyone who studies history.

Shah Waliyyullaah ad-Dehlawee says in at-Tafheemaat ul-Ilaahiyyah (1/206), “You will see the masses today, in every region, restricting themselves to a single madhhab from the previous madhhabs and they think that a persons leaving the madhhab of the one he follows even if in a single matter is like his having left the religion, as if that (Imaam) were a prophet sent for him, whom it is obligatory to follow, whereas the first scholars and the best generations, before the fourth century had not used to restrict themselves to a single madhhab.”

So this matter has caused the people to fear and to behave foolishly and therefore misfortunes and party spirit have resulted.

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