Is it obligatory for a student to follow the opinion of his shaykh if it contradicts the evidence?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. We have heard from you that you advise the beginner student of knowledge to study under a specific shaykh in whom he trusts his religion and his trustworthiness.
The Shaykh : In his knowledge.
The questioner : In his knowledge and his trustworthiness.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, if this shaykh has a ruling that contradicts the evidence, does the student follow it on the assumption that he is a follower of a scholar without knowing his evidence, or does he contradict him in some matters where he sees that the truth lies with someone else? Please give us a ruling, and may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This question is not applicable, because once he trusts him in his knowledge and trustworthiness, that means he teaches him based on the evidence. If that is the case, how would the student get the evidence from another shaykh? Yes, he has the right, if he learns from another shaykh that he says something contrary to his shaykh and brings the evidence, to present this to his shaykh and say, "I heard a scholar say that the ruling is such and such, and the evidence is the saying of Allah the Exalted, or the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then he looks at what the shaykh's answer is, because some scholars sometimes say what is right according to their understanding of the right, and either the knowledge or the understanding escapes them. Did you understand? And this is clear now, especially with the brothers, may Allah reward them with good, who claim to follow the hadith. You find that he understands the hadith in a way other than its intended meaning and issues a ruling based on it, or he understands the hadith, but there is another hadith that specifies it, or restricts it, or abrogates it, and he does not know about it. So, if you are confident in a scholar and you received knowledge from him and considered him your shaykh, and that he is the intermediary between you and the Shari'ah of Allah, then if you hear from another scholar who contradicts his saying and mentions the evidence, present it to your shaykh. Perhaps your shaykh will say, "Yes, this is how it was reported, but this hadith is specified by another hadith." An example of that is that I heard a shaykh say that everything that comes out of the earth has zakah in it, whether it is little or much, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 639Hasan (Darussalam) Now, he issued a ruling and cited evidence. He ruled with what? Answer, O man! You are a student of knowledge, with what?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : That everything that is watered has the tenth in it if it was watered by the sky, and in what is watered by irrigation, half the tenth. The apparent meaning of the hadith is that it is the same whether it is little or much, and whether it is from grains or fruits or other things, is it not so? You heard a scholar say that everything that comes out of the earth has zakah in it, its little and its much, either the tenth or half the tenth, and the evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 639Hasan (Darussalam)? And you heard from your shaykh that zakah is not obligatory except in what is five wasqs or more. The scholar who told you that in what is watered by the sky is the tenth ruled based on what appeared to him. He had a general hadith that was not restricted or specified, but your teacher has broader knowledge. He said this hadith is general and is specified by what reaches the nisab. What reaches the nisab has zakah in it, and what is below it does not have zakah in it. Did you understand? Did you understand my words now? What is the answer?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : He does not contradict [the evidence]. Books and tapes, meaning, there is no doubt, if you know the voice of the scholar and that this is his voice, and you trust his knowledge and trustworthiness, then follow it.
The Shaykh : In his knowledge.
The questioner : In his knowledge and his trustworthiness.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, if this shaykh has a ruling that contradicts the evidence, does the student follow it on the assumption that he is a follower of a scholar without knowing his evidence, or does he contradict him in some matters where he sees that the truth lies with someone else? Please give us a ruling, and may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This question is not applicable, because once he trusts him in his knowledge and trustworthiness, that means he teaches him based on the evidence. If that is the case, how would the student get the evidence from another shaykh? Yes, he has the right, if he learns from another shaykh that he says something contrary to his shaykh and brings the evidence, to present this to his shaykh and say, "I heard a scholar say that the ruling is such and such, and the evidence is the saying of Allah the Exalted, or the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then he looks at what the shaykh's answer is, because some scholars sometimes say what is right according to their understanding of the right, and either the knowledge or the understanding escapes them. Did you understand? And this is clear now, especially with the brothers, may Allah reward them with good, who claim to follow the hadith. You find that he understands the hadith in a way other than its intended meaning and issues a ruling based on it, or he understands the hadith, but there is another hadith that specifies it, or restricts it, or abrogates it, and he does not know about it. So, if you are confident in a scholar and you received knowledge from him and considered him your shaykh, and that he is the intermediary between you and the Shari'ah of Allah, then if you hear from another scholar who contradicts his saying and mentions the evidence, present it to your shaykh. Perhaps your shaykh will say, "Yes, this is how it was reported, but this hadith is specified by another hadith." An example of that is that I heard a shaykh say that everything that comes out of the earth has zakah in it, whether it is little or much, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
For what is watered by the heavens and steams, the Ushr is due, and for what is watered by irrigation, half of the Ushr.
فيما سقت السّماء العشر وفيما سقي بالنّضح نصف العشرThe student: ...
The Shaykh : That everything that is watered has the tenth in it if it was watered by the sky, and in what is watered by irrigation, half the tenth. The apparent meaning of the hadith is that it is the same whether it is little or much, and whether it is from grains or fruits or other things, is it not so? You heard a scholar say that everything that comes out of the earth has zakah in it, its little and its much, either the tenth or half the tenth, and the evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
For what is watered by the heavens and steams, the Ushr is due, and for what is watered by irrigation, half of the Ushr.
فيما سقت السّماء العشر وفيما سقي بالنّضح نصف العشرThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : He does not contradict [the evidence]. Books and tapes, meaning, there is no doubt, if you know the voice of the scholar and that this is his voice, and you trust his knowledge and trustworthiness, then follow it.