The Issue of Taqlid in Religion
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على رسوله الأمين، أما بعد:
A fundamental difference between Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Taqlid is the issue of taqlid. In this article (book), the issue of taqlid is examined, and at the end, answers to the doubts and misconceptions of Master Muhammad Amin Okaraavi Deobandi Sahib are presented.
Before discussing taqlid, it is extremely necessary to understand its meaning.
Literal meaning of Taqlid:
A famous dictionary book, Mu’jam al-Wasit, states:
و__(قلد) فلانا: اتبعه فيما يقول أو يفعل، من غير حجة ولا دليل
Translation: To follow someone’s statement or action without proof and evidence.
In the authoritative dictionary of the Deobandis, “Al-Qamus al-Wahid,” it is written:
قلد.. فلانا: To imitate without evidence, to follow someone blindly.
والتقليد: To follow without thinking or without evidence (2) imitation (3) submission.
In Misbah al-Lughat it is written:
وقلده فى كذا: He followed someone’s statement without reflection.
In the Christians’ المنجد it is:
قلده فى كذا: To follow someone in a matter without reflection.
Hasan al-Lughat (comprehensive) Persian-Urdu states:
To follow someone without evidence.
Jami’ al-Lughat Urdu states:
Taqleed: To follow, to walk step by step, to follow someone without investigation.
The summary of these dictionary definitions and explanations is that (in religion) to follow and imitate someone (who is not a Prophet) blindly, without thinking, without evidence, without proof, and without reflection is called taqleed.
Note: There are other meanings of taqleed in the dictionary; however, in religion, taqleed has the meaning explained above.
Technical meaning of Taqlid:
In the authentic Hanafi book مسلم الثبوت, it is written:
التقليد: العمل بقول الغير من غير حجة كأخذ العامي والمجتهد من مثله، فالرجوع إلى النبى عليه الصلوة والسلام أو إلى الإجماع ليس منه وكذا العامي إلى المفتي والقاضي إلى العدول لا يجاب النص ذلك عليهما لكن العرف على أن العامي مقلد للمجتهد، قال الإمام: وعليه معظم الأصوليين إلخ
Taqlid: (Except for the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام) acting upon the statement of a non-(Prophet) without proof (evidence) is called taqlid. For example, a layman (ignorant) takes the statement of another layman or a mujtahid takes the statement of another mujtahid. Therefore, referring to the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام and consensus is not included in this (taqlid). Similarly, a layman referring to a mufti and a judge referring to witnesses is not considered taqlid because it is mandated by the text (proof), but the custom is that the layman is a follower of the mujtahid. Imam (Imam al-Haramayn: from the Shafi’is) said: And the general scholars of Usul agree on this (definition). Etc.
In the authentic Hanafi book فواتح الرحموت, it is written:
(فصل: التقليد العمل بقول الغير من غير حجة) متعلق بالعمل والمراد بالحجة حجة من الحجج الأربع وإلا فقول المجتهد دليله وحجته (كأخذ العامي) من المجتهد (و) أخذ المجتهد من مثله فالرجوع إلى النبى عليه وآله وأصحابه الصلوة والسلام أو إلى الإجماع ليس منه فإنه رجوع إلى الدليل (وكذا) رجوع (العامي إلى المفتي والقاضي إلى العدول (ليس هذا الرجوع نفسه تقليدا وإن كان العمل بما أخذوا بعده تقليدا (لا يجاب النص ذلك عليهما) فهو عمل بحجة لا بقول الغير فقط (لكن العرف) دل (على أن العامي مقلد للمجتهد) بالرجوع إليه (قال الإمام) إمام الحرمين (وعليه معظم الأصوليين) وهو المشتهر المعتمد عليه إلخ
Chapter: Taqlid means acting upon the statement of a non-(Prophet) without proof. This relates to action and by proof is meant the four legal evidences; otherwise, for the layman the statement of the mujtahid is proof and evidence. (For example, the layman acts upon the mujtahid and the mujtahid acts upon another mujtahid.) Therefore, referring to the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام and consensus is not taqlid because it is referring to evidence. Similarly, a layman referring to a mufti and a judge deciding based on witnesses’ testimony is not taqlid, although later people have called this taqlid. But the obligation of this (non-taqlid action) is established by proof, so it is acting upon evidence, not acting upon the statement of a non-Prophet. However, the custom of the common people is that the layman is a follower of the mujtahid because of referring to him. Imam al-Haramayn said: The general scholars of Usul agree on this (that this is not taqlid) and this matter is trustworthy and well-known.
Ibn Hammam Hanafi
wrote:
مسألة: التقليد العمل بقول من ليس قوله إحدى الحجج بلا حجة منها فليس الرجوع إلى النبى عليه الصلوة والسلام والإجماع منه
مسئله: Taqlid means acting upon the statement of a person without proof whose statement is not among the four evidences, so referring to the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام and consensus is not taqlid.
Explaining this, Ibn Ameer al-Hajj
wrote:
مسألة: التقليد العمل بقول من ليس قوله إحدى الحجج) الأربع الشرعية (بلا حجة منها فليس الرجوع إلى النبى والإجماع منه) أى من التقليد، على هذا لأن كلا منهما حجة شرعية من الحجج الأربع، وكذا ليس منه على هذا عمل العامي بقول المفتي وعمل القاضي بقول العدول لأن كلا منهما وإن لم يكن إحدى الحجج فليس العمل به بلا حجة شرعية لا يجاب النص أخذ العامي بقول المفتي، وأخذ القاضي بقول العدول
Note: The summary of the translation of this statement is the same as the previous text
, that is, referring to the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام is not taqlid.
Qazi Muhammad A’la Thanawi Hanafi
wrote:
التقليد… الثاني العمل بقول الغير من غير حجة وأريد بالقول ما يعم الفعل والتقرير تغليبا ولذا قيل فى بعض شروح الحسامي التقليد اتباع الإنسان غيره فيما يقول أو يفعل معتقدا للحقية من غير نظر إلى الدليل كان هذا المتبع جعل قول الغير أو فعله قلادة فى عنقه من غير مطالبة دليل كأخذ العامي والمجتهد بقول مثله أى كأخذ العامي بقول العامي وأخذ المجتهد بقول المجتهد وعلى هذا فلا يكون الرجوع إلى الرسول عليه الصلوة والسلام تقليدا له وكذا إلى الإجماع وكذا رجوع العامي إلى المفتي أى إلى المجتهد وكذا رجوع القاضي إلى العدول فى شهادتهم لقيام الحجة فيها فقول الرسول بالمعجزة والإجماع بما تقرر من حجته وقول الشاهد والمفتي بالإجماع إلخ
Note: The summary of this statement is also that referring to the Messenger of Allah عليه الصلاة والسلام and consensus is not taqlid, and similarly, a layman referring to a mujtahid and a judge deciding based on witnesses’ testimony is not taqlid.
Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali al-Jurjani Hanafi
said:
التقليد عبارة عن قبول قول الغير بلا حجة ولا دليل
Translation: Taqlid is the acceptance of the statement of a non-(Messenger of Allah عليه الصلاة والسلام) without proof and without evidence.
Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Eid al-Mahlawi Ishtafi said:
التقليد… وفي الإصطلاح هو العمل بقول الغير من غير حجة من الحجج الأربع فيخرج العمل بقول الرسول عليه الصلوة والسلام والعمل بالإجماع لأن كلا منهما حجة وخرج أيضا رجوع القاضي إلى شهادة العدول لأن الدليل عليه ما فى الكتاب والسنة من الأمر بالشهادة والعمل بها وقد وقع الإجماع على ذلك
Note: The meaning of this statement is also that referring to the Messenger of Allah عليه الصلاة والسلام, the scholars, and consensus, and a judge deciding based on witnesses’ testimony is not taqlid.
Muhammad Ubaidullah al-Asadi said:
Imitation (a) Definition:
Literal: Putting something in the throat
Terminologically: Accepting someone’s statement without evidence
This is the original reality of Taqlid (imitation), but according to the jurists, its meaning is to bind oneself to all or most of the principles and rules or all or most of the details of a Mujtahid (jurist).
on this book, Muhaddith Taqi Usmani Deobandi Sahib has written a foreword)
Qari Chain Muhammad Deobandi has written:
And accepting a statement without evidence is Taqlid, meaning accepting a statement without evidence is Taqlid.
(Observations from Non-Muqallideen, Observation No. from Published: Jamiat Ishaat al-Tawheed wa al-Sunnah, Moza Hamid Anzo, Hazro, District Attock)
Mufti Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri Deobandi has written:
“Because Taqlid is taking someone’s statement without knowing its evidence. The scholars have said: According to this definition, accepting the statement of an Imam as evidence is not Taqlid. Because that is not Taqlid but deriving the issue from evidence. It is not deriving the issue from a Mujtahid.”
In the sayings of Ashraf Ali Thanvi Deobandi, it is written:
Someone asked what is the reality of Taqlid and whom is it called Taqlid? He said: Taqlid is accepting the statement of a follower without evidence. It was asked: Will accepting the statement of Allah and the Messenger also be called Taqlid? He said: Accepting the command of Allah and the Messenger is not called Taqlid; it is called Ittiba (following).
Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi Laghari writes: From this statement it is clear that terminologically Taqlid means acting upon the statement of someone whose statement is not proof, for example, a layman accepting the statement of another layman or a Mujtahid accepting the statement of another Mujtahid which is not proof. Contrary to this, referring to the command of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام is not Taqlid because his command is proof, similarly Ijma (consensus) is also proof, and similarly a common person referring to a Mufti is obligatory under «فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ»
, and similarly a judge referring to «مِمَّنْ تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ الشُّهَدَاءِ» and «يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ» for judgment is also not Taqlid because their statement is legally proof.
Mufti Ahmad Yar Naeemi Barelvi writes:
And it is authentically established: التقليد العمل بقول الغير من غير حجة The translation is the same as mentioned above. From this definition, it is clear that obedience to the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام cannot be called Taqlid because every statement and action of his is a Shariah proof. Taqlid is ignoring the Shariah proof. Therefore, we will be called followers of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام, not Muqallideen (imitators). Similarly, the Companions رضی اللہ عنہم and Imams of the religion are followers of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام, not Muqallideen. Similarly, the obedience of the scholars which common Muslims do should not be called Taqlid because no one makes the statements or actions of these scholars proof for themselves, rather they accept their statements thinking that they are learned people and must be speaking based on the book.
Ghulam Rasool Saeedi Barelvi has written:
The meaning of Taqlid is acting upon the statement of an Imam without considering the evidence, and by Ittiba (following) it is meant that one accepts the statement of an Imam after finding it in accordance with the Book and Sunnah and confirming it by Shariah evidences.
Saeedi Sahib further wrote:
Sheikh Abu Ishaq said: Accepting a statement without evidence and acting upon it is Taqlid. But referring to the statement of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ عليه وآله وسلم or the consensus of the Mujtahideen or a common person’s referring to a Mufti or a judge deciding based on the statements of witnesses is not Taqlid.
Saeedi Sahib further writes:
Imam Ghazali has written that «التقليد هو قبول قول بلا حجة»: Taqlid is accepting a statement without evidence.
Saeedi Sahib writes:
Among all the definitions of Taqlid mentioned, the common point is acting upon someone’s statement without knowing the evidence is Taqlid.
Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi writes:
And it is an established fact that Iqtidha (following) and Ittiba (following) are one thing and Taqlid is another thing.
Note: Contrary to this established fact, Sarfaraz Khan Sahib himself wrote that Taqlid and Ittiba are the same thing.
It is understood that Sarfaraz Khan Sahib is diving into the valley of contradiction and conflict.
Summary:
From the praises and explanations of the Hanafis, Deobandis, and Barelvis, it is established:
① To blindly accept the words of anyone other than a Prophet without reasoning and proof is Taqlid (imitation). Acting upon the Quran, Hadith, and Ijma (consensus) is not Taqlid.
② It is not Taqlid for a layman to ask a scholar a question, nor for a judge to decide based on the testimony of witnesses. There is a difference between Taqlid and following with evidence.
③ Khateeb Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him (died 463 AH), states:
«وجملته أن التقليد هو قبول القول من غير دليل»
Translation: Accepting a statement without evidence is called Taqlid.
Hafiz Ibn Abdul Barr
writes:
وقال أبو عبد الله بن خويز منداد البصري المالكي: التقليد معناه فى الشرع الرجوع إلى قول لا حجة لقائله عليه وذلك ممنوع منه فى الشريعة، والإتباع ما ثبت عليه حجة
In Shariah, Taqlid means to refer to a statement whose proponent has no evidence for it, and this is forbidden in Shariah. What is established by evidence is called Ittiba (following).
Note: Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi has quoted criticism الديباج المذهب on Ibn Khawiz Mandad (Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abdullah,
).
It is submitted that Ibn Khawiz Mandad is not unique in this statement; rather Hafiz Ibn Abdul Barr, Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, and Allama Suyuti agree with him. They quote his statement without any criticism, and Sarfaraz Khan Safdar himself agrees with Ibn Khawiz Mandad in one of his statements, see Rah-e-Sunnat
. Secondly, the criticism on the mentioned Ibn Khawiz is not severe but rather phrases like
etc. See Al-Dibaj al-Madhhab
and Lisan al-Mizan
. The criticism of Abu al-Walid al-Baji and Ibn Abdul Barr is also not explicit, see Tarikh al-Islam by Al-Dhahabi
and Al-Wafi bil-Wafayat by Al-Safadi
.
The biography of Ibn Khawiz Mandad is also found in the following books: Tabaqat al-Fuqaha by Al-Shirazi
, Tarteeb al-Madarik by Al-Qadi Iyad
, Mu’jam al-Mu’allifin
.
The Hanafis, Barelvis, and Deobandis present the statements of such people whose integrity and strength have been severely criticized by some noble Muhaddithin.
For example:
(1) Qazi Abu Yusuf (2) Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani (3) Hasan bin Ziyad al-Lu’lu’i (4) Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Harthi and others, see Mizan al-I’tidal and Lisan al-Mizan and others.
Jalal al-Din Muhammad bin Ahmad Ahli al-Shafi’i
said:
والتقليد: قبول قول القائل بلا حجة، فعلى هذا قبول قول النبى (لا) يسمى تقليدا
And taqlid (imitation) is to accept the statement of someone (other than the Prophet) without proof, so the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is not called taqlid.
Ibn al-Hajib al-Nahwi al-Maliki
said:
فالتقليد العمل بقول غيرك من غير حجة وليس الرجوع إلى قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم وإلى الإجماع والعامي إلى المفتي والقاضي إلى العدول بتقليد لقيام الحجة ولا مشاحة فى التسمية
So taqlid is acting upon the statement of someone other than you without proof, and referring to the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and consensus is not taqlid (and similarly) a layman referring to a mufti and a judge referring to witnesses is not taqlid because there is evidence for it and there is no dispute in the naming.
Ali bin Muhammad al-Amidi al-Shafi’i
said:
أما (التقليد) فعبارة عن العمل بقول الغير من غير حجة ملزمة.. فالرجوع إلى قول النبى عليه السلام وإلى ما أجمع عليه أهل العصر من المجتهدين ورجوع العامي إلى قول المفتي وكذلك عمل القاضي بقول العدول لا يكون تقليدا
Taqlid is to act upon the statement of someone else without necessary proof. So referring to the Prophet عليه السلام and the consensus of the mujtahids of the time, a layman asking a mufti about an issue, and a judge deciding based on the testimony of witnesses is not taqlid.
Abu Hamid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Ghazali
said:
التقليد هو قبول قول بلا حجة
Taqlid is to accept a statement without evidence.
Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim said:
«وأما بدون الدليل فإنما هو تقليد»
And what is without evidence is called taqlid.
Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Qudamah al-Hanbali said:
وهو فى عرف الفقهاء قبول قول الغير من غير حجة أخذا من هذا المعنى فلا يسمى الأخذ بقول النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم والإجماع تقليدا
And this (taqlid) in the terminology of the jurists is to accept the statement of another without proof. In this sense, accepting the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and consensus is not called taqlid.
Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi al-Zahiri
said:
لأن التقليد على الحقيقة إنما هو قبول ما قاله قائل دون النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بغير برهان، فهذا هو الذى أجمعت الأمة على تسميته تقليدا وقام البرهان على بطلانه
In reality, taqlid is to accept the statement of anyone other than the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم without evidence. This is the definition upon which the Muslim Ummah has consensus that this is called taqlid. And there is evidence for its invalidity.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
said:
وقد انفصل بعض الأئمة عن ذلك بأن المراد بالتقليد أخذ قول الغير بغير حجة، ومن قامت عليه حجة بثبوت النبوة حتى حصل له القطع بها، فمهما سمعه من النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان مقطوعا عنده بصدقه فإذا اعتقده لم يكن مقلدا لأنه لم يأخذ بقول غيره بغير حجة وهذا مستند السلف قاطبة فى الأخذ بما ثبت عندهم من آيات القرآن وأحاديث النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فيما يتعلق بهذا الباب فآمنوا بالمحكم من ذلك وفوضوا أمر المتشابه منه إلى ربهم
Translation: Some Imams have distinguished this issue because taqlid means to accept the statement of others without proof (and evidence). And there is proof with the establishment of prophethood until certainty is attained, so what he heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is certainly true for him, so if he holds this belief, then he is not a muqallid because he has not accepted the statement of others without evidence. And this is the trusted method of all the righteous predecessors that in this matter what is known from the Qur’an and Hadith is taken. So he believed in the clear (muhkamat) and left the ambiguous (mutashabihat) to his Lord (who knows best).
Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
والتقليد ليس بعلم باتفاق أهل العلم
The scholars are unanimous that taqlid is not knowledge.
Summary:
From the praises of the Hanafis, Deobandis, Barelvis, Shafi’is, Malikis, Hanbalis, Zahiris, and the commentators of Hadith, it is understood that Taqlid means accepting something without proof and without evidence (blindly, without thinking).
(A cleverness of the followers of Taqlid):
In the modern era, Deobandi and Barelvi scholars cunningly change the meaning of Taqlid (imitation) so that the general public does not come to know the original meaning of Taqlid. Some examples are as follows:
Muhammad Ismail Sambhali said: When a person considers the statement and action of a knowledgeable elder and religious authority as a ruling of Shariah merely based on good opinion and trust, and acts upon it without waiting for evidence on the basis of trust in that Mujtahid, and does not postpone action until the evidence is known, this is called Taqlid in reform.
Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi, a Tablighi Deobandi, said: Because the definition of Taqlid is such that in subsidiary jurisprudential issues, a non-Mujtahid accepts the statement of a Mujtahid and does not demand evidence from him, trusting that the Mujtahid has the evidence.
Muhammad Taqi Usmani Deobandi said: Accordingly, Allama Ibn Hummam and Allama Ibn Najim define Taqlid in these words:
التقليد العمل بقول من ليس قوله إحدى الحجج بلا حجة منها
Translation: Taqlid means to act upon the statement of a person whose statement is not taken as evidence in Shariah without demanding evidence from him.
Two cunning things have been done in this translation and reference:
First: “Bila Hujjah” (without evidence) has been translated as “without demanding evidence.” The original text does not mention the demand for evidence.
Second: The remaining text has been omitted, which explicitly states that referring to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and consensus, a layman asking a Mufti (scholar) about an issue, and a judge deciding based on witnesses’ testimony is not Taqlid.
Master Amin Okara Deobandi said:
Hakim al-Ummah Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi رحمه الله تعالى writes while defining Taqlid:
Taqlid means accepting someone’s statement merely on the good opinion that he will present the evidence correctly and not investigating the evidence.
According to this definition of Taqlid, accepting the narration of a narrator is Taqlid fi al-Riwayah (imitation in narration).
Muhammad Nazim Ali Khan Qadri Barelvi said:
The verses of the Quran are also ambiguous and difficult; some verses are decisive. Some verses contradict others. The method of application and refutation is not known; confusion and doubt arise. In such a case, a person should not rely solely on his own mind, intellect, and pure reasoning but should follow and imitate a learned scholar and Mujtahid, seek the way to him, and not refer to others. This is personal Taqlid which has existed since the era of the Prophethood and the time of the Companions.
Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri Deobandi writes:
Asking scholars about issues and then following their guidance is Taqlid.
From this fabricated and baseless definition of Taqlid, it is understood that when Deobandi and Barelvi common people ask their scholar (Maulvi Sahib) about an issue and act upon it, they become followers of that scholar. Those who ask Saeed Ahmad Sahib about an issue do not remain Hanafi but become Saeed Ahmadi (i.e., followers of Saeed Ahmad Sahib)?!
All these definitions are fabricated and have no proof from earlier scholars. It is correct to call these definitions distortions.
The only meaning of Taqlid is to accept the statement of anyone other than the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم without evidence, which is not among the four proofs, as binding. There is consensus of the majority of scholars on this definition.
Warning:
In the lexicon, there are other meanings of Taqlid (imitation), and some scholars have occasionally used these lexical meanings, for example:
Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi calls accepting Hadith Taqlid, for example, he says:
فذهب قوم إلى هذا الحديث فقلدوا
So a people have followed this (Marfu’) Hadith, so they have imitated it.
On previous pages, detailed citations from the books of the Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi’is, and Hanbalis have been given that accepting the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) (i.e., Hadith) is not Taqlid. Therefore, it is incorrect for Imam Tahawi to use the word Taqlid for Hadith. It is an established fact about Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) that he accepted Hadith, so would it now be correct to say that Imam Abu Hanifa was not a Mujtahid but a Muqallid (imitator)? When he accepted Hadith and did not become a Muqallid, then how can another person become a Muqallid by accepting Hadith?
Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
ولا يقلد أحد دون رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
And no one should be followed except the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Here, the word Taqlid is used metaphorically. The meaning of Imam Shafi’i’s statement is that except for the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, no one’s words should be accepted without evidence.
Summary of the Meaning of Taqlid:
As mentioned on previous pages, blindly accepting the baseless statements of a non-prophet without thinking is called taqlid.
