Status of Personal Taqlid in Islam: A Scholarly Analysis

❖ Introduction
This article is derived from the book Islam Mustafa ﷺ by respected scholar Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi. It presents a comprehensive analysis of personal Taqlid (blind following) in light of the Qur'an, Sunnah, statements of the Companions, and renowned Islamic scholars across generations.

❖ Linguistic Definition of Taqlid​

Taqlid literally refers to hanging something or placing something around the neck. The term is also used to mean assigning responsibility to officials or hanging an object around the neck of a sacrificial animal to indicate its status as a hady.

❖ Technical Definition of Taqlid​

"Accepting the statement of one whose opinion is not a Shar’i evidence, without any proof, is called Taqlid."
— Lisan al-Arab 3/365, Sharh al-Kawkab al-Munir p. 408, Irshad al-Fuhul p. 265

Imam Muhammad Amin al-Shanqiti states:
"Taqlid is to accept someone’s opinion without evidence. But where explicit texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah exist, following any other opinion or school is invalid. Adherence in such cases is to be termed 'Ittiba'' (following), not Taqlid."
— Mudhakkirah Usul al-Fiqh, p. 490

Ibn Humam, a Hanafi scholar, asserts:
"Taqlid is to act upon the opinion of someone whose view is not a valid proof, and thus referring to the Prophet ﷺ or Ijma’ is not called Taqlid."

❖ Distinction Between Ittiba’ and Taqlid​

The Qur’anic verse differentiates between following revelation and blind following:
﴿اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ﴾
— Al-A’raf: 3

Here, "Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord" refers to Ittiba’ (with evidence), and "Do not follow others besides Him" refers to prohibited Taqlid.

❖ Condemnation of Taqlid in the Light of the Qur’an​

Several verses strongly rebuke following forefathers blindly without evidence:
﴿بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا﴾
Even if their forefathers lacked knowledge or were misguided?
— Al-Baqarah: 170

﴿أَوَلَوْ كَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ﴾
Even if Satan is calling them to the blazing Fire?
— Luqman: 21

These verses clarify that leaving divine revelation for ancestral customs—even those of scholars—is a serious deviation.

❖ Views of the Companions on Taqlid​

① Mu’adh ibn Jabal (RA):
"Even if a scholar is rightly guided, do not blindly follow him in your religion."
— Hilyat al-Awliya 5/97

② Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RA):
"Do not let your religion be based on the following of men."
— Al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi 2/10


③ Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA):
Criticized those who placed Abu Bakr and Umar's (RA) opinions above the Prophet ﷺ’s commands.

❖ Stances of the Imams on Taqlid​

① Imam Abu Hanifa (رحمه الله):
"If my statement contradicts the Book of Allah or the Sunnah, abandon it."
— Iqaz Himam Awli al-Absar, p. 50

② Imam Malik (رحمه الله):
"Whatever agrees with the Qur’an and Sunnah, take it. Whatever contradicts, leave it."
— Al-Jami’ li Ibn Abd al-Barr 2/32

③ Imam Shafi’i (رحمه الله):
"If my saying contradicts an authentic Hadith, then follow the Hadith and do not follow me."
— Adab al-Shafi’i p. 51

④ Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله):
"Do not follow anyone in your religion blindly."
— Masa’il Abi Dawood p. 277


⑤ Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله):
"Blind following of a specific Imam is not obligatory upon any Muslim."
— Majmu’ al-Fatawa 20/209

❖ Condemnation of Taqlid in the Sayings of Scholars​

• Ibn Hazm:

"Taqlid is Haram."
— Al-Nubdhah al-Kafiyah, p. 70

• Ibn Qayyim:

"One greatly to be feared for is he who leaves divine texts for the words of so-and-so."

• Shah Waliullah Dehlavi:

"Following a specific Madhhab rigidly and turning away from Qur’an and Sunnah is deviation."

❖ View of Later Scholars and Hanafi Ulama​

Several Hanafi scholars, like Ibn al-Humam, Abdul Hayy Lakhnawi, and even Ashraf Ali Thanwi, have acknowledged the harms and invalidity of strict Taqlid.

❖ Harms and Consequences of Personal Taqlid​

① Distortion and rejection of authentic Hadith
② Division of the Ummah
③ Glorification of Imams above the Prophet ﷺ
④ Fabrication of Hadith to support Madhhabs
⑤ Innovation of separate prayer places in Haram for different schools
⑥ Impeding non-Muslims from embracing Islam due to sectarianism
⑦ Justification of questionable and indecent jurisprudential views

❖ Conclusion​

Islam strictly emphasizes following only the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Personal Taqlid—where one binds themselves to a specific Imam in all matters regardless of evidence—is not only unjustifiable but a cause of misguidance. The righteous predecessors and early scholars have repeatedly condemned this approach. Every Muslim must strive to act upon knowledge and evidence, and return to the prophetic methodology of Ittiba’.