The Meaning of Imam Ahmad's Statement: Do Not Hold a View on an Issue Unless You Have an Imam in It
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Question:
This questioner, may Allah reward you, says: A person has innovated, following an innovator, the conditions are present, and the impediments have ceased. An objector objects to him by citing Imam Ahmad's statement, "Do not hold a view on an issue unless you have an Imam in it." The question is: Is his objection valid or not? And what is the meaning of Imam Ahmad's statement? Okay.
Answer:
Just as the poet said, do not rush to think and declare someone an innovator until you know what is with the person of truth and falsehood. If you rush, you will regret it. But if you are careful, deliberate, and look at the words of the Imams, you will not be alone. Look at the words of the Imams: Is this a bid'ah (religious innovation) or is it not a bid'ah? Look at the evidence, then look at the words of the Imams.
Do not rush to judge a person, a doctrine, or an issue. Do not rush to judge until you pause, know the evidence, and know the opinion of the scholars of knowledge who came before you. You may understand it incorrectly, while those before you understood the correct understanding of this evidence you are citing.
There is no doubt that returning to the words of the trustworthy scholars of knowledge, the words of the Salaf (the earliest generations), is a guarantee, by the permission of Allah, a guarantee against error and mistake. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
This questioner, may Allah reward you, says: A person has innovated, following an innovator, the conditions are present, and the impediments have ceased. An objector objects to him by citing Imam Ahmad's statement, "Do not hold a view on an issue unless you have an Imam in it." The question is: Is his objection valid or not? And what is the meaning of Imam Ahmad's statement? Okay.
Answer:
Just as the poet said, do not rush to think and declare someone an innovator until you know what is with the person of truth and falsehood. If you rush, you will regret it. But if you are careful, deliberate, and look at the words of the Imams, you will not be alone. Look at the words of the Imams: Is this a bid'ah (religious innovation) or is it not a bid'ah? Look at the evidence, then look at the words of the Imams.
Do not rush to judge a person, a doctrine, or an issue. Do not rush to judge until you pause, know the evidence, and know the opinion of the scholars of knowledge who came before you. You may understand it incorrectly, while those before you understood the correct understanding of this evidence you are citing.
There is no doubt that returning to the words of the trustworthy scholars of knowledge, the words of the Salaf (the earliest generations), is a guarantee, by the permission of Allah, a guarantee against error and mistake. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
شرح نونية ابن القيم [64] — alfawzan.live (52:20)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.