Bismlillahi Al-Rahman Al-Raheem

No Title (Muqallids, Imitators)

Question:
There are some Muqallids (imitators) who when seeking an answer from a scholar or a Marji'i
(authority) about matters related to their Deen, be it Sharia'a rules or matters of Aqeeda (faith), they
are given certain Fatwas which in some cases may be wrong or may lead to Dhalal (misguidance).
Would the Muqallid in this instance be responsible before Allah (SWT) about this Dhalal, or would
he be blameless and discharged?
Answer: Allah (SWT) has commanded all people to follow all that which He had revealed, and
since the Message of Mohammed Ibnu Abdillah (SAW) were the seal of messages and since it were
addressed to all humankind, all people were therefore obliged to follow it in terms of rules and
Aqeeda matters.
Understanding the Islamic Message requires knowledge and Ijtihad (exertion). The presence of
Mujtahid scholars at all times has therefore been a duty of sufficiency (Fardu Kifaya). It would be a
gruesome error to call for the door of Ijtihad to be slammed shut. Any person capable of
performing Ijtihad and does so in certain matters, he would then be entitled to follow his own
Ijtihad; he would get one reward if he erred and two rewards if he gets it right.
A person who is not capable of performing Ijtihad would be required to follow the opinion of the
one who is. However, this Muqallid (imitator) would only be allowed to follow, in a specific
matter, the opinion of a scholar whom he has no doubts about his piety and his knowledge in that
particular matter. Therefore, he whose Taqlid (imitation) were based on these guidelines, he would
be blameless before Allah (SWT).
However, in this instance, there is a very important issue which must be clarified, and in order to do
so, here are few examples:
1- A man who divorces his wife, then takes her back, then divorces her a second time, then takes
her back, then he divorces her a third time and wants to take her back. So he finds amongst the
Sheiks one who gives him a Fatwa stating that he may take her back. In this case, the Muqallid
would not be blameless, nor would the one who gave him the Fatwa, for it contradicts the Sharia'a
in a matter that is known form Islam by necessity.
2- A person who invests his money in a bank with Riba (Usury) and finds among the Sheiks one
who gives him a Fatwa approving of this. In such a case, the Muqallid would not be blameless, nor
would be the one who gave him the Fatwa, for it violates Sharia'a in a matter which is known from
Islam by necessity.
One may say that there are some distinguished scholars who in some cases, give Fatwas on the
permissibility of Riba (Usury). As we are now concentrating on the position of the Muqallid, we
shall not discuss those who issue the wrong Fatwas. Therefore, if this Muqallid were at ease and
reassured by the piety of the Sheik who gave him the Fatwa legitimising Riba (in some cases and
not always), sure about his knowledge, and he happened to be extremely ignorant, he may in this
case be discharged of his liability before Allah (SWT). If a person came to this Muqallid and said
to him: "Truly Riba is forbidden and unlawful upon you." Upon this the Muqallid would say: "But
the scholar so and so gave me a Fatwa." If that person persisted and said to the Muqallid: "This so
called scholar is wrong and you are forbidden from acting upon this Fatwa of his." The Muqallid
would say: "But he is more knowledgeable than you." He would say to him: "Even if he were more
knowledgeable than me, he would not be more knowledgeable than the Book of Allah (SWT) in
which He (SWT) says: [ - ] T.M.Q. "...... He (SWT) also says: [ - ] T.M.Q. "And Allah had
permitted trade and forbidden Riba." He (SWT) also says: [ - ] T.M.Q. "O you who believe fear
Allah and abandon what is left of Riba if you really were believers."
Once that person brings him the texts from the Book of Allah (SWT) and the Sunnah of His
Messenger (SAW) and this Muqallid realises that these texts forbid Riba, he would be forbidden
from continuing to deal in Riba no matter how credible his trust were in the scholar who had given
him the Fatwa.
Perhaps the Muqallid may say to himself: Surely the scholar who gave me the Fatwa is aware of
these verses and of other texts related to Riba, therefore, I shall stick to his Fatwa and continue to
deal in Riba.
In such cases the Muqallid would have fallen into sin because he persisted in his blind imitation of
the scholar who gave him the Fatwa, and because he persisted in ignoring the Qur'anic verses even
after they had been ringing in his ears and after he had understood their meaning which clearly
forbid him from following this Fatwa. The Muqallid should have stopped dealing in Riba
immediately after hearing the verses of the Holy Qur'an; if he were still in doubt, he should
immediately go back to the scholar who gave him the Fatwa and seek an explanation about how he
permits him to deal in Riba while the Qur'an forbids it, and he should try and understand no matter
how ignorant he may be.
The Muqallid should not persist on imitating blindly once the evidence had come to him from the
Qur'an or the Sunnah clearly demonstrating the error of the scholar he had imitated. Also, he should
not allow his blind trust of the scholar, whoever he may be, outweigh the Sharia'a text of the Qur'an
or the Sunnah.
The Muqallid who does this would be repudiating the Book of Allah (SWT) and the Sunnah of His
Messenger (SAW), to follow the personage of that scholar, and this is a rejection of the deen which
we seek Allah's refuge from.
Allah (SWT) says: [ - ] T.M.Q. "
Therefore, the following must only be to the Book and the Sunnah, and the following of a scholar
would only be permitted if he were to act as a guide who would lead us to the Book and the
Sunnah. This is so because if we were to notice that he had contradicted the Book and the Sunnah,
we would be forbidden from following him. We would be also forbidden from continuing to
blindly trust him, rather we would be commanded to quiz him and account him, otherwise, we may
end up like the Jews and the Christians Whom Allah (SWT) described in the Holy Qur'an by
saying: [ - ] T.M.Q. "....
Truly those rabbis and monks had given their followers Fatwas which permitted some forbidden
matters and other Fatwas which prohibited certain lawful matters, so they followed them.
3- There are individuals who give Fatwas about the lawfulness of killing a Muslim (or a non-
Muslim) innocent person. Others give Fatwas endorsing the fighting between Muslims and their
killing each other, while hiding behind one reason or another. The Muqallid would, according to
this Fatwa, blindly go forth and kill the innocent person if not persons, while many Sharia'a texts,
whether from the Book or the Sunnah, have dealt with the issue of killing Muslims or fighting
them. Allah (SWT) says: [ - ] T.M.Q. "...... The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Insulting the
Muslim is rebellious and fighting him is Kufr (act of disbelief).
Therefore, when the Muqallid hears a Fatwa from one of the scholars permitting him to kill a
Muslim, he should ask another scholar in order to make sure about the soundness of such a Fatwa.
Furthermore, he should fully understand why he is permitted to kill the believing Muslim, because
a major issue such as this, which entails a major sin, should not be taken lightly by any Muslim,
and he should not carry it out simply because he heard a Fatwa from one of the scholars, for the
Fatwa comes in direct and flagrant conflict with the Qur'an and the Sunnah. He should therefore in
this case ask many scholars or authorities, and he should do his best to understand their argument.
If he realised that there were an understanding and agreement among the various scholars, in this
case he may take the Fatwa and carry it out. However, if he realised that there were a difference of
opinion or that there were doubt, or if he did not understand the issue himself, in this case he would

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not allowed to kill any Muslim, and if he did he would be committing a major sin and he would be
accountable before Allah (SWT).
4- There are those who issue a Fatwa stating that the Muslim is not obliged to work towards
establishing the Islamic Khilafa, throwing in an excuse or two in the process. When hearing such a
Fatwa, the Muqallids would neglect this duty, keep silent about the disbelieving rules implemented
upon them and would accept the fact that the rules and systems of Islam are stalled and that the
Qur'an is forsaken.
Following the deen of Islam which entails permitting of whatever is permitted in Islam, forbidding
whatever is forbidden in Islam, implementing its penal code, abiding by its rules, raising its banner,
spreading its Message and protecting its shell, could not be carried out without the establishment of
its state. Therefore, the establishment of the Islamic state is an inevitable duty upon all the
Muslims. This is an evident matter that should be known from Islam by necessity. So if anyone
were to issue a Fatwa stating that the work towards establishing the Islamic state were not
obligatory, this Mufti would be ignorant and not a learned scholar. Any Muslim following such a
Fatwa would not be blameless before Allah (SWT). This is so because any matter that is known
from Islam by necessity would not excuse the person who ignores it even if he were a Muqallid and
even if he were illiterate.
Three out of the four examples listed above were about the Fatwas by which the Haram is
legitimised and the fourth example was about the Fatwa by which the obligation is abandoned. In
these cases and in cases similar to these, the Muqallid's liability would not be discharged and he
would be held accountable because these are either matters known from Islam by necessity and he
who ignores them would not be excused, or they are very serious matters which are almost known
form Islam by necessity and which the Muqallid should thoroughly investigate.
Inheriting the Aqeeda
As for the issue of (Taqleed) imitating in the fundamentals of the Aqeeda, this is categorically
forbidden. This is so because if Taqleed in the fundamentals of Aqeeda were permitted, then the
Christian, the Jew and the Magus who imitate their parents or their folk would be blameless. Allah
(SWT) says: [ - ] T.M.Q. ".... We witness that many Muslims inherit their Aqeeda from their
parents just like they inherit any other asset or property, and this is forbidden; because the Muslim
should, once he reaches the age of puberty and once he becomes able to reflect and investigate,
review what he had inherited from his parents and his environment, without any prejudice or
sentiment. Whatever he deemed true, he should stick to it, and whatever he deemed false, he should
shun without any qualms. Allah (SWT) has addressed the Mushrikeen (polytheists) in the Holy
Qur'an by saying: [ - ] T.M.Q."Another god with Allah? Say: Bring your evidence if you were
truthful." Therefore, the Muslim who asks people for proof about their Aqeeda, should himself
have proof about his own Aqeeda.
This is as far as the fundamentals of Aqeeda are concerned: Every Muslim should therefore
embrace his Aqeeda with clear understanding and absolute conviction, for it should not be subject
to Taqleed (imitation).
As for some branches of the Aqeeda, mentioned in doubtful texts, these are subject to difference of
opinion, and in this case the Muqallid is allowed to imitate the scholars in such matters, just like the
Sharia'a rules which are subject to difference of opinion, such as the difference of opinions over the
attributes of Allah (SWT), or the Jabr and Ikhtiyar (predestination and free will), or whether the
prophets are Mujtahids or not, or whether they are infallible in matters other than the Tableegh
(conveying of the message) etc...