Source: Qur’an o Hadith ki Roshni Mein Ahkam o Masail, Volume 01, Page 575
I came across an old book in which a written discussion was recorded between you and Qadhi Shams al-Din under the title:
“Is Taqlid Obligatory?”
In addition, I have reviewed several pamphlets opposing personal Taqlid (تقلیدِ شخصی). This gave rise to a question in my mind, and I hope you will kindly provide a response:
“Is it considered Taqlid when a person trusts a scholar and acts upon his statement without demanding evidence?”
If this is considered Taqlid, does it fall under the category of kufr (disbelief), bid‘ah (innovation), shirk (polytheism), haram (prohibited), or simply unlawful?
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The matter about which you have inquired and expressed in these words:
“Is this Taqlid?” —
then it should be clearly understood that this is not Taqlid.
In order to understand this issue more clearly, the concept of Taqlid can be explained with an example. When you reflect upon this example, in shā’ Allāh, the reality of Taqlid will become evident to you.
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Volume 2, Book of Manners, under the chapter titled:
“The Prophet ﷺ said: {يَسِّرُوا وَلَا تُعَسِّرُوا} etc.”, page 904 —
at the end of a ḥadīth, the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is recorded:
{كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ}
“Every intoxicating substance is ḥarām (prohibited).”
Now, some scholars and jurists are of the opinion that not every intoxicating substance is ḥarām.
If a person accepts this opinion of some of these scholars or jurists, then in this matter, he is engaging in Taqlid of them.
هٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
This is what I have, and Allah knows best what is correct.
① Simply trusting a scholar and acting upon his statement without demanding evidence is not considered Taqlid.
② True Taqlid occurs when a person adopts the opinion of a scholar even when it contradicts clear and authentic evidence, simply based on that scholar’s authority.
③ This kind of trust without inquiry does not constitute kufr, bid‘ah, shirk, haram, or unlawfulness.
❖ Question
I came across an old book in which a written discussion was recorded between you and Qadhi Shams al-Din under the title:
“Is Taqlid Obligatory?”
In addition, I have reviewed several pamphlets opposing personal Taqlid (تقلیدِ شخصی). This gave rise to a question in my mind, and I hope you will kindly provide a response:
“Is it considered Taqlid when a person trusts a scholar and acts upon his statement without demanding evidence?”
If this is considered Taqlid, does it fall under the category of kufr (disbelief), bid‘ah (innovation), shirk (polytheism), haram (prohibited), or simply unlawful?
❖ Answer
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The matter about which you have inquired and expressed in these words:
“Is this Taqlid?” —
then it should be clearly understood that this is not Taqlid.
✿ Clarifying the Concept of Taqlid through an Example
In order to understand this issue more clearly, the concept of Taqlid can be explained with an example. When you reflect upon this example, in shā’ Allāh, the reality of Taqlid will become evident to you.
✔ Example Explaining Taqlid
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Volume 2, Book of Manners, under the chapter titled:
“The Prophet ﷺ said: {يَسِّرُوا وَلَا تُعَسِّرُوا} etc.”, page 904 —
at the end of a ḥadīth, the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is recorded:
{كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ}
“Every intoxicating substance is ḥarām (prohibited).”
Now, some scholars and jurists are of the opinion that not every intoxicating substance is ḥarām.
If a person accepts this opinion of some of these scholars or jurists, then in this matter, he is engaging in Taqlid of them.
هٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
This is what I have, and Allah knows best what is correct.
Summary of Key Points
① Simply trusting a scholar and acting upon his statement without demanding evidence is not considered Taqlid.
② True Taqlid occurs when a person adopts the opinion of a scholar even when it contradicts clear and authentic evidence, simply based on that scholar’s authority.
③ This kind of trust without inquiry does not constitute kufr, bid‘ah, shirk, haram, or unlawfulness.
