Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, p. 60
A certain Mawlānā says that the Qur’an has two meanings: one apparent (ẓāhirī) and the other hidden (bāṭinī).
The apparent meaning can be understood by any knowledgeable person, but the hidden meaning cannot be understood without an Imām or spiritual leader. Therefore, is the taqlīd (following) of an “Imām” obligatory?
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
◄ If by dividing the Qur’an’s meanings into apparent and hidden, it is meant that:
✿ The apparent meanings are those understood from the blessed words of the Qur’an according to the language.
✿ The hidden meanings are those known by indication, implication, or inference.
✿ For this, a capacity of deduction (istinbāṭ, istikhrāj) and knowledge of the legal and linguistic realities of words is required.
Then such a division is correct.
◄ Why should taqlīd be necessary for understanding such meanings?
◄ Nowadays people argue, yet they do not even hold the sword in their hand.
◄ Principles and rules for deduction and inference have already been set.
✿ Principles of transmission (riwāyah) and reasoning (dirāyah) have been established.
◄ When a learned scholar adheres to these principles, no difficulty arises in deriving meanings and rulings.
◄ Books of jurisprudence contain countless branches of issues.
◄ All the muqallidīn (followers) have simply accepted them with āmantu wa ṣaddaqtu (blind acceptance) while acknowledging the power of deduction of those authors.
◄ For example, the author of al-Hidāyah and others.
◄ Tell justly: are they also muqallid?
◄ They call themselves followers, but what relation does such branching (tafrīʿ) and extraction (takhraj) have with taqlīd?
◄ The duty of a muqallid is merely to say: “Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (رحمه الله) has said this.”
◄ Further branching or deriving rulings through indications and implications is outside his scope.
◄ The realities of Sharī‘ah, deep research into Qur’an and Sunnah, and the study of Ḥadīth can all be undertaken with sincere desire.
◄ For this, there is no need for taqlīd of any imām or leader.
◄ If by this division it is meant that the Qur’an has a meaning that cannot be obtained through principles and rules, but rather through ilhām (divine inspiration):
✿ Then only that ilhām is valid which conforms to Sharī‘ah.
✿ Any inspiration that contradicts Qur’an and Sunnah is completely unreliable.
◄ Nor is it necessary that such ilhām comes only to those “imams” whom the masses have forcibly made their leaders.
◄ If any God-fearing person presents an inspired meaning, it too must be judged against Sharī‘ah.
◄ If it agrees, it may be considered a special favor from Allah.
◄ But knowledge of such inspired meanings is not part of the obligatory Shar‘ī duties.
◄ Since it is not obligatory, why should taqlīd be necessary for it?
◄ If by this division it is meant what some heretics and atheists claim:
✿ That the Qur’an has two meanings—apparent and hidden.
✿ And that the hidden meaning contradicts the apparent one.
◄ Then this is absolutely false.
The Qur’an says:
﴿وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا﴾ (المائدة: ٣٨)
“Cut off the hands of the male and female thief.”
◄ Now, if a godless person says that the apparent meaning is this, but the hidden meaning is something else that changes the ruling, will that be valid?
◄ Can any rational person believe in such claims?
Those who fabricate such hidden meanings are the ones about whom Allah said:
﴿وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ﴾ (القصص: ٤١)
“And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire.”
✿ If hidden meaning refers to rulings and issues deduced through inference and extraction, then scholars have already set down principles and guidelines for it.
✿ By following these principles, rulings can be derived from Qur’an and Sunnah.
✿ To consider taqlīd necessary for this is ignorance.
✿ If hidden meaning refers to the heretical notion of the atheists—that hidden meaning contradicts the apparent—then it is utterly false.
✿ Therefore, this division cannot be used as evidence for the obligation of personal taqlīd.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
Question
A certain Mawlānā says that the Qur’an has two meanings: one apparent (ẓāhirī) and the other hidden (bāṭinī).
The apparent meaning can be understood by any knowledgeable person, but the hidden meaning cannot be understood without an Imām or spiritual leader. Therefore, is the taqlīd (following) of an “Imām” obligatory?
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Division of Apparent and Hidden Meanings
◄ If by dividing the Qur’an’s meanings into apparent and hidden, it is meant that:
✿ The apparent meanings are those understood from the blessed words of the Qur’an according to the language.
✿ The hidden meanings are those known by indication, implication, or inference.
✿ For this, a capacity of deduction (istinbāṭ, istikhrāj) and knowledge of the legal and linguistic realities of words is required.
Then such a division is correct.
Is Taqlīd Necessary?
◄ Why should taqlīd be necessary for understanding such meanings?
◄ Nowadays people argue, yet they do not even hold the sword in their hand.
◄ Principles and rules for deduction and inference have already been set.
✿ Principles of transmission (riwāyah) and reasoning (dirāyah) have been established.
◄ When a learned scholar adheres to these principles, no difficulty arises in deriving meanings and rulings.
◄ Books of jurisprudence contain countless branches of issues.
◄ All the muqallidīn (followers) have simply accepted them with āmantu wa ṣaddaqtu (blind acceptance) while acknowledging the power of deduction of those authors.
A Question of Justice
◄ For example, the author of al-Hidāyah and others.
◄ Tell justly: are they also muqallid?
◄ They call themselves followers, but what relation does such branching (tafrīʿ) and extraction (takhraj) have with taqlīd?
◄ The duty of a muqallid is merely to say: “Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (رحمه الله) has said this.”
◄ Further branching or deriving rulings through indications and implications is outside his scope.
Legal Realities and Study of Ḥadīth
◄ The realities of Sharī‘ah, deep research into Qur’an and Sunnah, and the study of Ḥadīth can all be undertaken with sincere desire.
◄ For this, there is no need for taqlīd of any imām or leader.
If the Meaning is “Inspired”
◄ If by this division it is meant that the Qur’an has a meaning that cannot be obtained through principles and rules, but rather through ilhām (divine inspiration):
✿ Then only that ilhām is valid which conforms to Sharī‘ah.
✿ Any inspiration that contradicts Qur’an and Sunnah is completely unreliable.
◄ Nor is it necessary that such ilhām comes only to those “imams” whom the masses have forcibly made their leaders.
◄ If any God-fearing person presents an inspired meaning, it too must be judged against Sharī‘ah.
◄ If it agrees, it may be considered a special favor from Allah.
◄ But knowledge of such inspired meanings is not part of the obligatory Shar‘ī duties.
◄ Since it is not obligatory, why should taqlīd be necessary for it?
If the Meaning is “False”
◄ If by this division it is meant what some heretics and atheists claim:
✿ That the Qur’an has two meanings—apparent and hidden.
✿ And that the hidden meaning contradicts the apparent one.
◄ Then this is absolutely false.
Example
The Qur’an says:
﴿وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا﴾ (المائدة: ٣٨)
“Cut off the hands of the male and female thief.”
◄ Now, if a godless person says that the apparent meaning is this, but the hidden meaning is something else that changes the ruling, will that be valid?
◄ Can any rational person believe in such claims?
The Qur’an’s Testimony
Those who fabricate such hidden meanings are the ones about whom Allah said:
﴿وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ﴾ (القصص: ٤١)
“And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire.”
Summary
✿ If hidden meaning refers to rulings and issues deduced through inference and extraction, then scholars have already set down principles and guidelines for it.
✿ By following these principles, rulings can be derived from Qur’an and Sunnah.
✿ To consider taqlīd necessary for this is ignorance.
✿ If hidden meaning refers to the heretical notion of the atheists—that hidden meaning contradicts the apparent—then it is utterly false.
✿ Therefore, this division cannot be used as evidence for the obligation of personal taqlīd.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
