question

I am reminded of a story about Ali-Ibn-Abitalib. I paraphrase the story since I do not have the source with me. During a time of strife and open civil war a man asked him �How do I know what haq is when so many worthies disagree about it and are at war with each other?�. Ali responded �Do not judge haq by the worthies that follow it. First know what haq is, and then judge the men that follow it as worthy�.

Follow the straight path (sirat-al-mostaghim) and you will not go wrong.

WAS,

Thank You Fatimah for the explanation.

Aminah

To answer Muhammad's Question:

Source:http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=50 72&CATE=239

Why Is Talfiq Impermissible, When The Earlier Generations Seem To Have Done It?
Answered by Shaykh Gibril F Haddad

I understand the need of following qualified scholarship however I keep coming across a trend when I read about the earlier generations. It seems that the common masses would consult the scholars if they were unaware of a ruling however I can't see any specification involved. What I mean is that they would ask whichever scholar was available and there doesn't seem to be any consideration given to talfiq. So where does the idea of talfiq come from. Can I not just ask whichever mufti I happen to find on an issue why the need to only ask a scholar of my madhhab when historically this is not the case.

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

Back then, just as now, the common masses are not considered to have any other madhhab than their imam and it is presumed back then just as now that a person will have more religion than to saunter from one mufti to another always asking the same question until he finally gets the answer he hankers for.

There was definitely due consideration and dire warning given against the latter scenario - inadmissible talfiq - which in the eyes of the early generations consisted in following poor methodology, perhaps motivated by deliberate evasion of strictures you don�t like in your own madhhab, so as to adopt dispensations in other madhhabs. This forms the context for the following sayings:

�Whoever pursues the rarities of hadith will lie.� (Abu Yusuf)

�Whoever holds on to the rare and unusual positions of the Scholars has left Islam.� (Al-Awza`i)

�Whoever pursues the rare and the un­usual has gathered up all evil.� (Sufyan al-Thawri)

�He is not an Imam in `ilm who follows anomalous positions (al-shadhdh).� (`Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi)

�If you take the dispensation (rukhsa) or error (zalla) of every `alim, you will become the gathering point of every evil.� (Sulayman al-Taymi)

Allah have mercy on them and illuminate our insights through the blessing of theirs.

Hajj Gibril

 

Please also see the following Frequently Asked Questions on the issue of Madhabs:

Talfiq

What is the proof for the unlawfulness of talfiq? And what is its exact definition?

Mixing Madhhabs - Talfiq

There is another Question on SunniPath QA answered by Sh. Faraz Rabbani on media player. I am unable to connect to it ... if anyone can acess, insha allah there will be something useful in it.

Is it permissible for one to select the rulings of another madhab in case of hardship or for another's benefit?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Is it permissible for one to select the rulings of another madhab in case of hardship or for another's benefit?

Source: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=4891& CATE=23

Please note that all 4 sunni madhab are authentic and one can follow any. However I know that hanafis do not regard picking and choosing different rulings from different madhab as a healthy practice. Not sure about other madhab though.

 

Subhan allah you guys made me learn something ...

While going through the Q/A section on SunniPath I found the following answer.

Insha allah it will be of benefit for many. Though please note that it can be difficult for someone who is a beginner, so go slow on your nafs insha allah. ... Posting some excerpts below:

Source:http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=50 2&CATE=2

The Path of Taqwa: Avoiding Differences of Opinion

"The way of the spiritual traveller is to avoid differences of opinion, and to stick to that which is agreed upon.� � Imam al-Barkawi

Ibn Abidin commented on this in his Radd al-Muhtar (also famous as, al-Hashiya, and al-Shami), considered the most important authority for the definitive positions of the Hanafi school:

�(His saying, �It is recommended��)

It is stated [by Umar ibn Nujaym] in al-Nahr: However, the degrees of recommendedness differ according to the strength or weakness of the evidence of the other school.

(His saying, �It is a condition, though��)

� Does [avoiding something] disliked [in one�s own school] include something slightly disliked? � It seems evident that it does, such as praying fajr when the sky is still dark (taghl�s), which is a sunna in the Shafi`i school, but the best in our school is to pray when there is light in the sky (isf�r), and it is not recommended [per se] to avoid the difference of opinion in it�.� [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Muhtar, Bab Sunan al-Wudu�]

Imam al-Suyuti said in his al-Ashbah wa al-Naza�ir, in Shafi`i fiqh,

�The Twelfth Principle: Avoiding differences of opinion is recommended�

There are conditions to this:

One, that avoiding a difference of opinion not lead to falling into another difference�

Second, that the difference of opinion not go against an established sunna [F: that is, it should not lead to leaving something recommended or doing something disliked in one�s school]

Third, that its evidence have some basis, such that it is not considered a mistake. This is why it is best to fast even while traveling for one able to do so without hardship, and the difference of Dawud [al-Zahiri, the Literalist] is not considered, because it is baseless.

In fact, Imam al-Haramayn [al-Juwayni] said regarding this issue,

�The scholars of discernment do not place any weight to the difference of opinion of the Literalists (Ahl al-Zahir).� [al-Suyuti, al-Ashbah wa al-Naza�ir, p. 137]

Imam al-Barkawi said in al-Tariqa al-Muhamadiyya, a manual on how to operationalize taqwa:

  �The way of the spiritual traveller is to avoid differences of opinion, and to stick to that which is agreed upon.�

Imam al-Khadimi commented on this in his al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya: [2: 286-287]

  �� It is clear that the difference of other than the Hanafi imams is not of consideration [f: for a Hanafi] in terms of the legal ruling (fatwa). Rather, it is sought in terms of taqwa.,

The author pointed to this when he said,

(The way of the spiritual traveller) to Allah (is to avoid differences of opinion). This is because they consider the differences of opinion of all Imams� because though [according to the methodology of the school one follows] he considers them mistaken in their opinion, it is possible that they are right. This is because of what we hold that the madhhab of Abu Hanifa is correct with the possibility of being wrong, and the madhhabs of others are wrong with the possibility of being right. Thus, the cautious God-fearing person avoids this possibility as much as possible�

(and to stick to that which is agreed upon). Al-Bistami said in Hall al-Rumuz, �It is incumbent on the sufi to acquire enough knowledge to make his actions in accordance to the Sacred Law according to all four madhhabs. This is because if the sufi is Hanafi, for example, it is binding on him to exercise caution in the matters relating to his ritual ablutions (wudu�) and prayer and other acts of worship such that they are also in accordance with the madhhabs of Shafi`i, Malik, and Ahmad , because the way (madhhab) of the sufis is to join between the positions of the fuqaha. When this is not possible, they act on that which is religiously most precautious and most appropriate. This is because a Shafi`i would not question you why you did not perform ritual ablutions with two qullas (216 litres) or more of water [f: if filth fell in it, whereas this is not allowed for Hanafis], and a Hanafi would not question you as to why you performed ritual ablutions upon touching your private parts or a person of the opposite sex.

And it is incumbent on the sufi to love the follower of the four madhhabs, and to make dua for the good for all of them, and not to be fanatical at all.

As for dispensations, it is binding that he leave them at all cost.� (end of the quote from al-Bistami)

This is in terms of taqwa, because acting on dispensations is permitted according to the fuqaha (ahl al-fatwa)�� [al-Khadimi, al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya:, 2: 286-287]

It should be noted, however, that this is a noble perfection. The first step towards it is to learn one�s own madhhab properly, and to do one�s best to apply its rulings in one�s life without exception, in all aspects of one�s life, being most careful about that which relates to the rights of others and to the halal and haram.

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani.