Treatise: TAQLEED AND SALAFISM Prepared and Published by: Jamia Maseehiyyah Ashrafiyyah (South Africa) CHAPTER ONE: TAQLEED, IJTIHAAD AND THE FUQAHA 1. What is Taqleed? Taqleed means to accept someone’s statement simply on the basis of a favourable opinion about him, that is, he speaks on the basis of proof. Hence, there is no need to question him about his proof. The object of Taqleed is to practise on the Quraan and Hadeeth with ease. The rejecters of Taqleed whose standard is held precariously in these times by the sect styling itself ‘Salafiyyoon’ or ‘Salafiyyah’ insolently dub Taqleed ‘blind-following’. Blind’ bears the following connotations:1 without foresight, discernment, intellectual perception, or adequate information not governed by purpose or reason reckless The very nature of Taqleed demands discernment, intellectual perception and adequate information as a favourable opinion of an Imam being qualified in the field of Shar’i Uloom (Islamic Sciences) and thus being worthy of being followed is dependent on these factors. Taqleed, therefore, can never be blind-following in this sense. The object and purpose of Taqleed has been clarified in 1.2. Thus the accusation of Taqleed being blind-following in this sense is palpably false. When the muqallid or person making Taqleed follows an Imam or Math-hab he understands the Imam and Math-hab to be a trustworthy guide and the safest course to obedience to the commands of Allah Ta’ala and the teachings or Sunnah of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). He (the muqallid) understands his lack of competency in understanding the Quraan and Hadeeth. For him to resort to a self-study of the Quraan and Hadeeth and thereby form his own opinion is akin to bartering away his Imaan. He thus opts for the safest and surest path to the obedience and pleasure of Allah and His Rasool (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), and that is in Taqleed. Is this being reckless? Is this blind- following? May Allah Ta’ala save us from the deception of Shaitaan and the evil schemes of the nafs, Aameen. When none of the senses of ‘blind’ portray true Taqleed, the usage of this word in relation to Taqleed is crass ignorance or malicious obstinacy. May Allah Ta’ala save us from the evils of the tongue and nafs. Footnotes 1 Readers Digest Oxford Complete Word-finder
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 04:18:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015