[1]: THE GOAL OF
THE MUSLIM
Shaykh Muhammad ’Eed
’Abbaasee, hafidhahullaah, said:
"Our view is that it is upon every
Muslim to follow that which Allaah, the Most Perfect, commanded in His Book and
in the Sunnah of His Messenger sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam. This is the purity of Islaam and
the true reality of faith. No Muslim can ever be displeased with following what
comes from Allaah and His Messenger; as He, the Most Perfect, said:
"The only
saying of the Believers, when they are called to Allaah and His Messenger sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam to judge between
them, is: We hear and we obey. They are the ones that are successful.
" [Soorah an-Noor 24:51].
And Allaah said concerning the
Hypocrites:
"And when it
is said to them: Come to what Allaah has revealed and to the Messenger; you see
the Hypocrites turn away from you in aversion. " [Soorah an-Nisaa
4:61].
As well as other Verses like this.
So following the Book and the Sunnah is obligatory, and it should be made the
fundamental goal for every Muslim; this is the path that should be traversed.
However, the people are of differing types with regards to understanding and
comprehension. So from them is the ignorant one (jaahil) who does not understand the meanings of the Glorious Book and
the noble hadeeth; nor does he have the ability to
deduce [rulings] from them; nor can he comprehend what is sought from them. From
them is the scholar who has understanding (fiqh) of
the Verses and the hadeeth and is aware of what
rulings can be deduced from them; he has the ability to deal with the apparent
differences between them; and he understands the Arabic language and its ways.
And from them are those that are [at a level] between this. They are not
ignorant; nor do they have the understanding to derive rulings; nor do they have
the ability to understand what is being indicated to by the text; rather, they
have some knowledge, awareness, understanding and contemplation. However, they
do not reach the level of the scholar and the one who has penetrating insight of
the Book and the Sunnah. So these are the levels of
the people; and between them there are many varying grades. The scholars call
the first type of people muqallidoon, the second
type are technically referred to as mujtahidoon, and
the third type are technically referred to as muttabi’oon."
Many scholars, however, refer to only two
catagories; the mujtahid and the muqallid. And just as the mujtahidoon vary
in their levels, then so do the muqallidoon; some
being closer to being muttabi’oon than
others.
[2]: THE FOUR
IMAAMS ARE FROM THE BEST OF THE SCHOLARS
From the greatest of the scholars of this
Ummah are the four Imaams; Abu Haneefah, Maalik ash-Shaafi’ee and Ahmad
bin Hanbal, rahimahumullaah.
Ibn ’Abdul-Haadee, rahimahullaah, said:
"Allaah, the Exalted, is the One who
selects from His creation. He creates and selects whatever He wills. So He
selected Aadam and his progeny from all of the worlds. He selected from them
Prophets and Messengers. And He selected from them [the Prophet sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam]; the leader of all the children
of Aadaam. He then selected for him his Companions; giving them excellence over
the rest of the Believers. He selected them to be the inheritors and successors,
making them the best of the followers. He raised from amongst them a people whom
none equalled in the worlds. From them were the four Imaams, the Imaams of
Islaam; beacons for mankind; whose verdicts and sayings are famous in all the
world. He made their scholarship something that the people have agreed upon.
Their remembrence is widespread in the [various] cities and countries, and their
knowledge shines brightly in the various provinces."
[3]: THE ISSUE OF
IJTIHAAD AND TAQLEED
Shaykh Muhammad ’Eed ’Abbaasee
said:
Guidelines Concerning Taqlid and Madhhabs
