The ruling on dividing people into levels regarding the reception of knowledge
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Some scholars divide people, in terms of how they receive knowledge, into three levels: the level of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), which is that of the scholars; the level of following, which is that of the students of knowledge; and the level of following a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid), which is that of the common people. What is your opinion, may Allah reward you, regarding this division?
Yes.
People differ; some reach the level of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and some are below that. Some are a scholar qualified to derive rulings (mujtahid) in a specific issue, investigating it, researching it, and knowing the truth in it while others do not. And some people know nothing at all.
The common people’s school of jurisprudence (madhhab) is the school of their scholars.Therefore, if someone were to say to us: I smoke;Because in other Islamic countries, there are those who say: It is permissible, and I have the freedom to follow a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid).We said: This is not permissible for you; because your individual obligation (fard 'ayn) is to follow a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid), and the most deserving of your following are your scholars. If you were to follow someone outside your country, that would lead to chaos in a matter that has no evidence (dalil) in the Shari'ah.And if he said: He will shave his beard;Because among the scholars of the cities, there are those who said: There is nothing wrong with that.We tell him: It is not possible. Your individual obligation (fard 'ayn) is to follow a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid); do not contradict your scholars.And if he said: I want to visit the graves of the righteous;Because among the scholars of the cities, there are those who said: There is nothing wrong with that.or he said: I want to seek nearness to Allah through a means (tawassul) through them, and the like of that.We said: This is not possible.
Therefore, it is obligatory for the common person to follow the scholars of his country in whom he has trust. Our Shaykh, Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), mentioned this.And he said: The common people cannot follow scholars from outside their country; because this leads to chaos and disagreement.And if he said: I do not perform the ablution for prayer (wudu') from camel meat;Because there are among the scholars of the cities those who say: The ablution for prayer (wudu') is not obligatory from it.And we said: It is not possible. You must perform the ablution for prayer (wudu') because this is the school of jurisprudence (madhhab) of your scholars, and you follow them.
However, if a common person asks you for a scholarly legal ruling (fatwa), give him the ruling that you consider to be the stronger position (rajih). If the stronger position (rajih) contradicts what the people are upon, give him the ruling in secret, as long as the issue is one of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) and there is no explicit text (nass) in it.And tell him: This is a scholarly legal ruling (fatwa) between you and me.
But if what the people are upon contradicts an explicit text (nass), give him the ruling openly and do not be concerned, but do not mention the disagreement to him.For the common people say: If you want to confuse, then confuse.Therefore, we always tell the students: Do not explain the disagreement to the common people and make them waver.And we say: Also, for one who knows the canonical recitations (qira'at) of the seven: do not recite with them in front of the common people; because if you recite with a recitation other than the one in the written copy of the Qur'an (mushaf) they have, it will confuse them.
Yes.
People differ; some reach the level of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and some are below that. Some are a scholar qualified to derive rulings (mujtahid) in a specific issue, investigating it, researching it, and knowing the truth in it while others do not. And some people know nothing at all.
The common people’s school of jurisprudence (madhhab) is the school of their scholars.Therefore, if someone were to say to us: I smoke;Because in other Islamic countries, there are those who say: It is permissible, and I have the freedom to follow a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid).We said: This is not permissible for you; because your individual obligation (fard 'ayn) is to follow a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid), and the most deserving of your following are your scholars. If you were to follow someone outside your country, that would lead to chaos in a matter that has no evidence (dalil) in the Shari'ah.And if he said: He will shave his beard;Because among the scholars of the cities, there are those who said: There is nothing wrong with that.We tell him: It is not possible. Your individual obligation (fard 'ayn) is to follow a scholar without knowing his evidence (taqlid); do not contradict your scholars.And if he said: I want to visit the graves of the righteous;Because among the scholars of the cities, there are those who said: There is nothing wrong with that.or he said: I want to seek nearness to Allah through a means (tawassul) through them, and the like of that.We said: This is not possible.
Therefore, it is obligatory for the common person to follow the scholars of his country in whom he has trust. Our Shaykh, Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), mentioned this.And he said: The common people cannot follow scholars from outside their country; because this leads to chaos and disagreement.And if he said: I do not perform the ablution for prayer (wudu') from camel meat;Because there are among the scholars of the cities those who say: The ablution for prayer (wudu') is not obligatory from it.And we said: It is not possible. You must perform the ablution for prayer (wudu') because this is the school of jurisprudence (madhhab) of your scholars, and you follow them.
However, if a common person asks you for a scholarly legal ruling (fatwa), give him the ruling that you consider to be the stronger position (rajih). If the stronger position (rajih) contradicts what the people are upon, give him the ruling in secret, as long as the issue is one of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) and there is no explicit text (nass) in it.And tell him: This is a scholarly legal ruling (fatwa) between you and me.
But if what the people are upon contradicts an explicit text (nass), give him the ruling openly and do not be concerned, but do not mention the disagreement to him.For the common people say: If you want to confuse, then confuse.Therefore, we always tell the students: Do not explain the disagreement to the common people and make them waver.And we say: Also, for one who knows the canonical recitations (qira'at) of the seven: do not recite with them in front of the common people; because if you recite with a recitation other than the one in the written copy of the Qur'an (mushaf) they have, it will confuse them.