This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
What should be done in case of disagreement?
One day, warning the Companions, he said:
”انه من يعش منكم بعدي فسيرى اختلافا كثيرا فعليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي تمسكوا بها وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة“
"After me, whoever among you lives will face many disagreements. So in such a situation, hold firmly to my Sunnah and the way of my Rightly Guided Caliphs. Avoid new matters because every new matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Sunnah: Chapter on Adherence to the Sunnah, Hadith 4607; Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Knowledge: Chapter on Following the Sunnah and Avoiding Innovations, Hadith 2672; Sunan Ibn Majah, Introduction: Chapter on Following the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Hadith 42)
The Imams of Islam had a principle that in matters of religion, without evidence from the Book and Sunnah, they would neither declare any act obligatory or recommended nor issue a ruling on what is forbidden or permissible. Whatever issue all Muslims agree upon is truth and reward. Because the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him, has never agreed upon misguidance and never will. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, predicted this as follows:
”ان الله اجاركم على لسان نبيكم ان لا تجتمعوا على ضلالة“
Allah Almighty has protected you by the tongue of your Prophet so that you will not all agree upon misguidance.
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Tribulations: Chapter on Mentioning Tribulations and Their Signs, Hadith 4253; its chain is weak with a break. The narration of Shurayh ibn Ubayd from Abu Marq is a Mursal narration.)
The usual practice of the Imams of Islam was that if there was a disagreement on an issue, they would resolve it through the Book and Sunnah. As Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا ﴿٥٩﴾
"O you who have believed! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Then if you dispute over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa:59)
If a scholar knows a hadith or its meaning, it is possible that another scholar may be unaware of that hadith and is making ijtihad, but despite this unawareness, if he has the correct intention, he will be rewarded for his ijtihad. Because according to the narration of the Sahihs, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
”إذا اجتهد الحاكم فأصاب فله أجران وإذا اجتهد فأخطأ فله أجر“
"When a ruler makes ijtihad and his opinion is correct, he will receive a double reward, and if he errs, he will still receive one reward."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Holding Fast: Chapter on the Reward of the Ruler When He Makes Ijtihad Whether He Is Right or Wrong (Hadith: 7352); Sahih Muslim, Book of Judgments: Chapter on the Reward of the Ruler When He Makes Ijtihad (Hadith: 1712)
For example, if the horizon is cloudy and four people pray facing different directions, each person will be rewarded. However, among them, the one who faced the Qiblah will receive a double reward.
Allah Almighty gives this example:
وَدَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ إِذْ يَحْكُمَانِ فِي الْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ الْقَوْمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكْمِهِمْ شَاهِدِينَ ﴿٧٨﴾ فَفَهَّمْنَاهَا سُلَيْمَانَ ۚ وَكُلًّا آتَيْنَا حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا
"Remember when Dawud and Sulaiman were judging a case concerning a field where at night other people's sheep had spread, and We were witnesses to their judgment. At that time, We gave the correct judgment to Sulaiman, although We had given both of them authority and knowledge."
Reference: (21-Al-Anbiya:79,78)
In this noble verse, Allah praised both prophets but still granted one prophet the correct understanding of the matter.
In any case, the entire religion of Islam is derived from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. No one has the right to make even the slightest change in it. This is the complete Islam of the Muslims. Unlike the Christians, who have allowed their scholars and spiritual leaders to openly distort the religion. Our statement is confirmed by the above verse of the Quran:
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
"They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him."
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah:31)
In confirmation and explanation of this verse, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
”إنهم أحلوا لهم الحرام فأطاعوهم وحرموا عليهم الحلال فأطاعوهم فكانت تلك عبادتهم إياهم“
"Their scholars and monks made the lawful forbidden and the forbidden lawful, so they followed them. That became their worship."
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Tafsir al-Quran: Chapter on Surat At-Tawbah, Hadith 3095)
