Clarification of the first obligation upon the accountable person and the ruling on taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence)

Question:
I ask Allah of you, Honorable Shaykh, what is your opinion regarding the words of al-Saffar (may Allah have mercy on him) concerning the issue that the first obligation is independent reasoning (nazar) and not taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence)?

Answer:
No, it is not correct. The commentator al-Fahawi (may Allah have mercy on him) pointed out that the obligation upon the accountable person is faith in Allah and His Messenger, and the first thing that is obligatory is prayer. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: your beds.
As for knowing Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He), it is innate in the hearts; the fitrah (innate natural disposition) of the hearts is upon it, and it does not require independent reasoning (nazar). The independent reasoning (nazar) referred to here is argumentation based on the rules of logic; that is their intention. They mean using the rules of logic and the science of dialectics, and their aim is to reflect upon the signs of Allah. Reflecting upon the signs of Allah is required, there is no doubt about that. But their intention with independent reasoning (nazar) is to use the rules of logic to prove the existence of Allah first. Does a Muslim say this? There is no doubt about Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). This is a false statement, and al-Saffar (may Allah have mercy on him) transmitted it with its defects without thinking about it. He has transgressions like this, may Allah have mercy on him, because he did not think about it. And he has been commented upon, praise be to Allah.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you