What is the ruling on following the scholars of hadith, and is this of the condemned following?
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The questioner : Some scholars hold that relying on the scholars of hadith in the critique and vindication of narrators, and in authenticating and weakening narrations, is not a matter of condemned following, but rather it is receiving reports from the trustworthy imams and believing them in that. What is your opinion of this statement?
The Shaykh : This disagreement, in my view, resembles a verbal disagreement, because whether it is called following or following the reporter of a true report, what is the outcome of this disagreement? Nothing but argument.
The questioner : This is said by some Salafis in the context of responding to those who attack them and say to them, "You follow scholars, you fight against following and yet you follow in this respect."
The Shaykh : Yes, we know this, and we know that both parties are mistaken, because they assume that following is never permissible, ever.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And that is not the case.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, following is like analogical reasoning; it is not permissible except out of dire necessity.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And the great Companions used to follow one another when they were lacking in evidence. So, being extreme in fighting against following leads to both excess and deficiency. Therefore, those who say to the hadith scholars or the people of the Sunnah, "You follow scholars," our position and answer should not be, "No, we do not follow!" Rather, we say: We do not follow as long as we are able, but if we are unable to understand the evidence, we follow and it is necessary. And what is the meaning of His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nahl 16:43]
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : This disagreement, in my view, resembles a verbal disagreement, because whether it is called following or following the reporter of a true report, what is the outcome of this disagreement? Nothing but argument.
The questioner : This is said by some Salafis in the context of responding to those who attack them and say to them, "You follow scholars, you fight against following and yet you follow in this respect."
The Shaykh : Yes, we know this, and we know that both parties are mistaken, because they assume that following is never permissible, ever.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And that is not the case.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Rather, following is like analogical reasoning; it is not permissible except out of dire necessity.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And the great Companions used to follow one another when they were lacking in evidence. So, being extreme in fighting against following leads to both excess and deficiency. Therefore, those who say to the hadith scholars or the people of the Sunnah, "You follow scholars," our position and answer should not be, "No, we do not follow!" Rather, we say: We do not follow as long as we are able, but if we are unable to understand the evidence, we follow and it is necessary. And what is the meaning of His saying, the Exalted:
So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَThe questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.