Authored by: Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai (رحمه الله)
"As for the statements of some Imams such as the Four Jurists and others, they are neither binding proofs nor a consensus according to the agreement of the Muslims. Rather, it is established from them—may Allah be pleased with them—that they forbade people from blindly following them..."
Source: Majmu‘ al-Fatawa of Ibn Taymiyyah, vol. 20, p. 10
“All four Mujtahid Imams and other scholars prohibited the entire Muslim Ummah from blind following (taqlid), as mentioned above (p. 29 and Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah, 20/10, 211). Hence, it is proven that the Deobandi followers oppose these four Mujtahid Imams.”
Source: Ameen Okaraawi ka Ta‘aqqub, published May 2005, p. 38
Refer to: I‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in, vol. 2, pp. 200, 211, 207, 228
Ibn al-Qayyim further said:
“This innovation (of blind following) only appeared in the fourth century, a century denounced by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Source: I‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in, vol. 2, p. 208, Dar al-Jil, Beirut
“Most of the people of innovation are very disrespectful towards Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah and Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, but Mulla Ali al-Qari al-Hanafi praised them, saying:
'They were among the foremost of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah and among the saints of this Ummah.'"
Source: Jam‘ al-Wasa’il, vol. 1, p. 208, published in Egypt
Furthermore, Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH) extensively praised Ibn al-Qayyim.
Source: Baqiyyat al-Wu‘at
Also see: al-Minhaj al-Wadih (Raah-e-Sunnat), p. 187
Therefore, there is no contradiction between the two positions.
“Woe to you, O Ya‘qub! Do not write everything you hear from me, for today I may hold a view, then abandon it tomorrow; and tomorrow I may hold a view, then abandon it the day after.”
Source: Tarikh Yahya ibn Ma‘in, vol. 2, p. 607, no. 2461 – Authentic chain
Also in Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 13, p. 424
❀ Imam al-Shafi‘i (رحمه الله) stated:
“Whatever I say that contradicts a sound Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, then the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ is superior, and do not follow me blindly.”
Source: Adab al-Shafi‘i wa Manaqibuhu by Ibn Abi Hatim, p. 51 – Hasan chain
❀ Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) said:
“Do not blindly follow anyone in matters of your religion from among these individuals…”
Source: Masa’il Abi Dawud, p. 277
[24th October 2008]
✔ The Four Imams Prohibited Blind Following
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:"As for the statements of some Imams such as the Four Jurists and others, they are neither binding proofs nor a consensus according to the agreement of the Muslims. Rather, it is established from them—may Allah be pleased with them—that they forbade people from blindly following them..."
Source: Majmu‘ al-Fatawa of Ibn Taymiyyah, vol. 20, p. 10
✔ Clarification by Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai (رحمه الله)
The author stated in the year 2000:“All four Mujtahid Imams and other scholars prohibited the entire Muslim Ummah from blind following (taqlid), as mentioned above (p. 29 and Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah, 20/10, 211). Hence, it is proven that the Deobandi followers oppose these four Mujtahid Imams.”
Source: Ameen Okaraawi ka Ta‘aqqub, published May 2005, p. 38
✔ Ibn al-Qayyim's Documentation of the Imams' Rejection of Taqlid
Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) also recorded that the Imams of the Muqallideen (blind followers) themselves prohibited taqlid.Refer to: I‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in, vol. 2, pp. 200, 211, 207, 228
Ibn al-Qayyim further said:
“This innovation (of blind following) only appeared in the fourth century, a century denounced by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Source: I‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in, vol. 2, p. 208, Dar al-Jil, Beirut
✔ Response to Accusations Against Ibn Taymiyyah and Others
If someone claims that Ibn Taymiyyah and others fabricated such views, then let them consider that even Sarfaraz Khan Safdar (a Deobandi scholar) admitted:“Most of the people of innovation are very disrespectful towards Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah and Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, but Mulla Ali al-Qari al-Hanafi praised them, saying:
'They were among the foremost of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah and among the saints of this Ummah.'"
Source: Jam‘ al-Wasa’il, vol. 1, p. 208, published in Egypt
Furthermore, Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH) extensively praised Ibn al-Qayyim.
Source: Baqiyyat al-Wu‘at
Also see: al-Minhaj al-Wadih (Raah-e-Sunnat), p. 187
✔ Clarification Regarding Permissibility of Taqlid by Some Imams
If someone argues that scholars such as Khatib al-Baghdadi permitted taqlid, then the answer is that they allowed linguistic taqlid—such as a layperson asking a scholar for a ruling. This does not refer to the technical (istilahi) taqlid, which involves blindly following one of the four Imams without evidence, reflection, or understanding.Therefore, there is no contradiction between the two positions.
✔ Sayings of the Four Imams Against Blind Following
❀ Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله) once said to Qadi Abu Yusuf:“Woe to you, O Ya‘qub! Do not write everything you hear from me, for today I may hold a view, then abandon it tomorrow; and tomorrow I may hold a view, then abandon it the day after.”
Source: Tarikh Yahya ibn Ma‘in, vol. 2, p. 607, no. 2461 – Authentic chain
Also in Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 13, p. 424
❀ Imam al-Shafi‘i (رحمه الله) stated:
“Whatever I say that contradicts a sound Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, then the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ is superior, and do not follow me blindly.”
Source: Adab al-Shafi‘i wa Manaqibuhu by Ibn Abi Hatim, p. 51 – Hasan chain
❀ Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) said:
“Do not blindly follow anyone in matters of your religion from among these individuals…”
Source: Masa’il Abi Dawud, p. 277
[24th October 2008]