Chapter Eleven IBN AL-QAYYIM ON FOLLOWING A SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (MADHHAB)

Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Does the common person have to follow one ofthe well-known madhhabs or not? There are two sayings regarding this:

That it is not obligatory upon him and this is what is correct anddefinite since there is nothing obligatory except what Allaah, the MostHigh, and His Messenger have made obligatory. Neither Allaah nor HisMessenger made it obligatory to follow the school of thought (madhhab)of any person from the ummah and to follow him alone in the Religion.The best generations passed by without anyone doing this. Indeed thecommon person cannot have a madhhab, even if he thinks that he does,since the common person has no madhhab at all. This is because themadhhab will be either for the one who is able to research to a certainlevel and understand evidence and also know about the other madhhabs orfor the one who has read a book concerning the details of that madhhaband knows the ruling and sayings of his Imaam.

As for the one who is unable to do any of that but merely says, ‘Iam a Shaafi’ee …’ or ‘I am Hanbalee …’ etc., then he does notbecome that just by saying so, just as would be the case if he said, ‘Iam a religious scholar …’ or ‘I am a scholar of grammar …’ or ‘I ama writer …’ then he does not become that just by saying so. This isfurther clarified by the fact that the one who says, ‘I am a Shaafi’ee… or a Maalikee … or a Hanafee …’ claiming that he follows thatImaam and his way, would only be truthful if he were to follow his wayin acquiring knowledge, understanding and extraction of proof. As forthis one, with his ignorance and being far from the manners of theImaam and his knowledge and way, how can it be correct for him toascribe himself to him except with mere claims and empty words havingno meaning?! How can the common person have a madhhab? Even if it couldbe imagined, it would still not be obligatory upon him or anyone elseto ever have to follow the adhhab of a certain man from the ummah, tothe extent that he accepts all his sayings and rejects everyone else’ssayings.

This is a filthy innovation introduced into the ummah.

No scholar of Islaam has ever said this and they are higher instation and better knowing about Allaah than to order the people aboutthis. Even further from the truth is the saying of those who say thathe must stick to the madhhab of a single scholar and further still fromthe truth is the one who says, he must follow one of the four madhhabs!O Allaah, how strange!

(Is it that) the madhhabs of the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger(PBUH) died out and those of the taabi’een and those who came afterthem and those of the rest of the scholars of Islaam and all have beeninvalidated except for the madhhabs of four men only from amongst allthe rest of the scholars and Imaams?!

Rather, that which Allaah, the Most High, and His Messenger (PBUH)made obligatory upon the Companions, the taabi’een and those who cameafter them is the same as that which He made obligatory upon thoseafter them until the Day of Resurrection. That which is obligatory doesnot vary or change, even though how it is achieved may vary or theamount which is obligatory may vary due to varying ability orinability, time, place and condition, but that also follows what Allaahand His Messenger have obligated.

Those who say that it is correct for the common person to have amadhhab claim, ‘Because he believes that the madhhab which he ascribeshimself to is the truth, therefore, he must be sincere to his belief.’If this saying of theirs were true then it would mean that it isforbidden to seek a ruling from anyone other than the people of his ownmadhhab and likewise that it is forbidden to take the madhhab of anyoneequal or greater than his own Imaam and would mean other things whichall show the falsity of the belief in the first place. Indeed it wouldmean that if he saw a text from Allaah’s Messenger (PBUH) or a sayingfrom the four Caliphs with other than his own Imaam, he would have toabandon the text and the sayings of the Companions and give precedenceto the saying of his own Imaam.

Rather, he should seek from whom he wishes from the followers of thefour madhhabs and others besides them. It is not obligatory upon him orupon the one who delivers verdicts (muftee) to limit himself to one ofthe four Imaams. Upon this is the consensus of the ummah, just as it isnot obligatory upon the scholar to restrict himself to the hadeethsreported by the people of his land or any land in particular, rather,if any hadeeth is authentic it is obligatory to act upon it, 38 whether it is reported of the people of theHijaaz, Iraaq, Shaam, Egypt or Yemen.” [I’laamul-Muwaqqi’een (4/261)].

38 Aboo Haneefah (may Allaah have mercy on him)said, “When I saysomething contradicting the Book of Allaah, the Exalted, or what isnarrated from the Messenger (r), then ignore my saying,” al-Fulaani inEeqaaz al-Himam (p.50), tracing it to Imaam Muhammad and then saying,”This does not apply to the mujtahid, for heis not bound to their views anyway, but it applies to theblind-following.” Imaam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,”Truly I am only a mortal. I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct(sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions, all that agrees with theBook and the Sunnah, accept it. And all that does not agree with theBook and the Sunnah, ignore it” Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr in Jaami’ Bayaanal-Ilm(2/32). Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “Thesunnahs of the Messenger of Allaah (r), reach, as well as escape from,every one of us. So whenever I voice my opinion or formulate aprinciple, where something contrary to my view exists on the authorityof the Messenger of Allaah (r), then the correct view is what theMessenger of Allaah (r) has said-and it is my view,” related by Haakimwith a continuous chain of narration up to Shaafi’ee, as in TaareekhDimashq of Ibn ‘Asaakir (15/1/3), I’laamul-Muwaqqi’een (2/363,364). Andhe also said, “The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah ofthe Messenger of Allaah (r) is made clear to someone, it is notpermitted for him to leave it for the saying of anyone else.” Ibnal-Qayyim (2/361) and Fulaani (p.68). Imaam Ahmad said, “The opinion ofAwzaa’ee, the opinion of Maalik, the opinion of Aboo Haneefah-all of itis opinion, and it is all equal in my eyes. However, the proof is inthe narrations (from the Prophet (r) and his Companions),” Ibn’Abdul-Barr in Jaami’ Bayaan al’-Ilm (2/149).