Commentary on Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim-19b
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The reader: "And in the authentic hadith narrated by the people of the Sunan from al-'Arba' ibn Sari'ah from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani) And this is a principle indicated by the Sunna"
The Shaykh : His saying (peace and blessings be upon him), "the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs," does this mean those who succeeded him in his community in terms of sovereignty, imamate, and authority, or does the generality extend to include the scholars who succeeded him in his community in a righteous succession of knowledge, action, and da'wah? Yes, they are included.
The reader: "And this is a principle indicated by the Sunnah and scholarly consensus, along with what is in the Book of Allah indicating it as well. Allah the Exalted said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:21] So whoever encourages something by which one draws near to Allah, or obligates it by his word or deed, without Allah having legislated it, has legislated from the religion what Allah has not permitted. And whoever follows him in that has taken him as a partner to Allah who has legislated for him from the religion what Allah has not permitted. Yes, it may be that he is interpreting this legislation, and it is forgiven for him because of his interpretation, if he is a mujtahid exerting the ijtihad in which the one who errs is excused and is also rewarded for his ijtihad. But it is not permissible to follow him in that, just as it is not permissible to follow any other person who has said or done something in which the truth is known to be contrary to it, even if the speaker or doer is rewarded or excused. And He the Exalted said:"
The Shaykh : And this is an important benefit: if a muqallid errs, and he is one of the people of ijtihad, and he has exerted full ijtihad, then he is excused and rewarded. But if one knows of his error, it is obligatory for him to oppose him and follow the truth. One should not say, "This is an imam who said this, so I will follow him." We say: Yes, he erred, but he is a mujtahid who is forgiven. And now, the truth has become clear to you, distinguishing it from the error, so it is obligatory for you to follow the truth. This is a matter that some students of knowledge overlook. They say, "This is a mujtahid, and whoever exerts ijtihad and errs has a reward." We say: Yes, that is with respect to him. But with respect to you, if it becomes clear to you that his ijtihad is an error, it is obligatory for you to oppose him. Yes, but pay attention to the conditions. He says, "If he is a mujtahid exerting the ijtihad in which he is excused for being wrong." That is by exerting his effort and the limit of his capacity to reach the truth. As for merely looking at the evidence without seeking it out and without gathering the ends of the evidence, he has not exerted the obligatory ijtihad. Yes.
for those of you who live after me will see great disagreement. You must then follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs. Hold to it and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error.
إنه من يعش منكم بعدي فسيرى اختلافا كثيرا فعليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين من بعدي تمسكوا بها وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل بدعة ضلالةThe Shaykh : His saying (peace and blessings be upon him), "the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs," does this mean those who succeeded him in his community in terms of sovereignty, imamate, and authority, or does the generality extend to include the scholars who succeeded him in his community in a righteous succession of knowledge, action, and da'wah? Yes, they are included.
The reader: "And this is a principle indicated by the Sunnah and scholarly consensus, along with what is in the Book of Allah indicating it as well. Allah the Exalted said:
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أم لهم شركاء شرعوا لهم من الدين ما لم يأذن به اللهThe Shaykh : And this is an important benefit: if a muqallid errs, and he is one of the people of ijtihad, and he has exerted full ijtihad, then he is excused and rewarded. But if one knows of his error, it is obligatory for him to oppose him and follow the truth. One should not say, "This is an imam who said this, so I will follow him." We say: Yes, he erred, but he is a mujtahid who is forgiven. And now, the truth has become clear to you, distinguishing it from the error, so it is obligatory for you to follow the truth. This is a matter that some students of knowledge overlook. They say, "This is a mujtahid, and whoever exerts ijtihad and errs has a reward." We say: Yes, that is with respect to him. But with respect to you, if it becomes clear to you that his ijtihad is an error, it is obligatory for you to oppose him. Yes, but pay attention to the conditions. He says, "If he is a mujtahid exerting the ijtihad in which he is excused for being wrong." That is by exerting his effort and the limit of his capacity to reach the truth. As for merely looking at the evidence without seeking it out and without gathering the ends of the evidence, he has not exerted the obligatory ijtihad. Yes.