Is Following the Four Imams (Taqleed) Obligatory? Ruling in Light of Qur’an and Sunnah
Reference: Fatāwā Rashidiyyah, Page 530
❖ The Question
What do the scholars say regarding this matter: Is following the four Imams (taqlīd) obligatory or necessary?
❖ The Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā ba‘d!
✔ The Reality of Taqlīd
According to the scholars of uṣūl:
✿ Accepting someone’s statement without knowing its evidence and then following it is called taqlīd.
✿ Such a practice is not obligatory, nor necessary, nor even permissible.
Allah ﷻ commands:
﴿اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾ (الأعراف: 3)
“Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and do not follow any guardians besides Him.”
It is evident that what was revealed from the Lord is the Qur’an and the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ (waḥy khafī).
Allah ﷻ also states:
﴿ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُۥ﴾ (القيامة: 19)
“And indeed, upon Us is its explanation.”
﴿وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ﴾ (النحل: 44)
“And We revealed to you the Reminder so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them.”
From these verses, it is clear that explanation of the Qur’an is entrusted to the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, following the Qur’an includes following authentic Hadith as well.
✔ The Standard of Following
✿ Beyond Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, following anyone else independently is not permissible.
✿ Obedience to “Ulū al-Amr” (rulers or scholars) is valid only so long as their words conform to Qur’an and Sunnah.
✿ If their statements oppose the Qur’an and Sunnah, obedience is not allowed.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
((لا طاعة لمخلوق فى معصية الخالق))
“There is no obedience to any created being in disobedience to the Creator.”
(Musnad Aḥmad, vol. 5, p. 66, ḥadīth no. 20680)
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلًا مُّبِينًا﴾ (الأحزاب: 36)
“Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed gone far astray.”
✔ The Imams’ Own Principle
✿ The words of any Imam or scholar are acceptable only if they conform to Qur’an and Sunnah.
✿ All four Imams clearly stated that if their saying goes against Qur’an and Hadith, then it must be abandoned.
✿ Only the statements of the Prophet ﷺ are binding in themselves; the words of anyone else may be accepted or rejected.
Allah ﷻ commands:
﴿فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَالرَّسُولِ﴾ (النساء: 59)
“If you dispute in anything, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger.”
✔ Harms of Blind Taqlīd
① Wasting intellectual ability
The follower abandons his God-given faculties and refrains from pondering over Qur’an and Sunnah.
② Sharing the Prophet’s position
The words of the Prophet ﷺ are evidence in themselves. To make the words of an ordinary person binding without proof is like raising him to the level of Prophethood.
③ Contradiction and inconsistency
The muqallid sometimes argues from Qur’an and Sunnah while claiming blind following. This is self-contradictory.
④ Denying Allah’s favor
A scholar who has studied Qur’an and Sunnah but still insists on blind following disregards Allah’s blessing of knowledge.
✔ The “Ask the People of Knowledge” Verse
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُون﴾ (النحل: 43)
“If you do not know, then ask the people of knowledge.”
✿ This verse instructs asking scholars about what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have said.
✿ It does not instruct blind following.
✿ The true obedience is to the Qur’an and Sunnah which the scholar presents, not to his personal opinion.
Imām Abū Ḥanīfah said:
“If someone does not know the proof of our saying, then it is haram for him to issue fatwa on the basis of our statement.”
✿ Conclusion
✿ Taqlīd — accepting the statement of any Imam without evidence — is neither obligatory, nor necessary, nor even permissible.
✿ The real following is of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ alone.
✿ Scholars’ words are respected only so long as they remain in accordance with Qur’an and Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندی، واللہ أعلم بالصواب
