Not all taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is kufr (disbelief) in an absolute sense, or fisq (open sinfulness), or shirk (associating partners with Allah)
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Q3:Who says that taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is absolute disbelief, open sinfulness, and shirk (associating partners with Allah),and attributes disbelief and misguidance to the four Imams, what is his ruling? And they say: this is the opinion of the scholars of the two Holy Mosquesand the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. .
A3: 1 - Not all taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is kufr (disbelief) in an absolute sense, or fisq (open sinfulness), or shirk (associating partners with Allah); rather, the correct view is that there is a detailed ruling regarding it, which is known from the answer to the second question mentioned above. 2 - None of the four Imams called people to his own madhhab (school of jurisprudence), nor did he show fanaticism for it, nor did he oblige people to act according to it or a specific madhhab (school of jurisprudence). Rather, they called people to act according to the Book and the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) -may Allah have mercy on them- and they explained the texts of the religion,
clarified its principles, derived rulings from them, and issued fatwas (scholarly legal rulings) on what was asked of them, with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah (the Prophet's way), without obliging their students or others to follow the opinion of a specific scholar from the scholars of the Ummah (the Muslim community). In fact, they criticized that and ordered that their opinions be disregarded if they contradicted an authentic hadith (a report of the Prophet's words or deeds). One of them said: "If the hadith (a report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is authentic, then it is my madhhab (school of jurisprudence)." And the Muslim should strive to know the truth himself if he is able to do so, seeking help from Allah, then from the scientific wealth that the previous generations of Muslim scholars left for those who came after them, by which they made the path to understanding and applying the texts easy for them. And whoever is unable to understand the rulings from their evidence and derive them due to something that prevents him from doing so - he should ask the trusted scholars about the rulings of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) that he needs, hoping to know the truth with its evidence to the best of his ability; for Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nahl 16:43] , and he should be careful in his question to ask those he trusts among those famous for knowledge, virtue, taqwa (mindfulness of Allah), and righteousness. And by this, it is known that the four Imams are innocent of what they were accused of, and that what was attributed to them of kufr (disbelief) and misguidance is a lie and slander. It is not from the scholars of the Two Holy Mosques (Makkah and al-Madinah) nor from the other scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that they disparage the Imams of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence): Malik and Abu Hanifah and al-Shafi'i
and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the like of them from the scholars of Islamic fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), nor is there anyone who looks down on them. Rather, it is well known about them that they honor them, acknowledge their virtue, and that they have a sincere standing in serving Islam and preserving it, understanding its texts and principles, explaining them and conveying them, and striving to support it and defend it, and to remove doubt from it, and to refute what the pretenders have claimed and what the fabricators have innovated. So may Allah reward them for Islam and the Muslims with the best reward. The position of the scholars of the Two Holy Mosques and the other scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the four Imams is one of honor and appreciation, as seen in their attention to teaching their madhahib (schools of jurisprudence) and their books in the Sacred Mosque in the Honored Makkah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, and in the other mosques of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in its universities, and in their attention to printing many of their books and distributing and publishing them among Muslims in all countries where there are Muslims. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions.
A3: 1 - Not all taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is kufr (disbelief) in an absolute sense, or fisq (open sinfulness), or shirk (associating partners with Allah); rather, the correct view is that there is a detailed ruling regarding it, which is known from the answer to the second question mentioned above. 2 - None of the four Imams called people to his own madhhab (school of jurisprudence), nor did he show fanaticism for it, nor did he oblige people to act according to it or a specific madhhab (school of jurisprudence). Rather, they called people to act according to the Book and the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) -may Allah have mercy on them- and they explained the texts of the religion,
clarified its principles, derived rulings from them, and issued fatwas (scholarly legal rulings) on what was asked of them, with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah (the Prophet's way), without obliging their students or others to follow the opinion of a specific scholar from the scholars of the Ummah (the Muslim community). In fact, they criticized that and ordered that their opinions be disregarded if they contradicted an authentic hadith (a report of the Prophet's words or deeds). One of them said: "If the hadith (a report of the Prophet's words or deeds) is authentic, then it is my madhhab (school of jurisprudence)." And the Muslim should strive to know the truth himself if he is able to do so, seeking help from Allah, then from the scientific wealth that the previous generations of Muslim scholars left for those who came after them, by which they made the path to understanding and applying the texts easy for them. And whoever is unable to understand the rulings from their evidence and derive them due to something that prevents him from doing so - he should ask the trusted scholars about the rulings of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) that he needs, hoping to know the truth with its evidence to the best of his ability; for Allah the Exalted said:
So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَand Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the like of them from the scholars of Islamic fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), nor is there anyone who looks down on them. Rather, it is well known about them that they honor them, acknowledge their virtue, and that they have a sincere standing in serving Islam and preserving it, understanding its texts and principles, explaining them and conveying them, and striving to support it and defend it, and to remove doubt from it, and to refute what the pretenders have claimed and what the fabricators have innovated. So may Allah reward them for Islam and the Muslims with the best reward. The position of the scholars of the Two Holy Mosques and the other scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the four Imams is one of honor and appreciation, as seen in their attention to teaching their madhahib (schools of jurisprudence) and their books in the Sacred Mosque in the Honored Makkah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, and in the other mosques of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in its universities, and in their attention to printing many of their books and distributing and publishing them among Muslims in all countries where there are Muslims. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.