Our Position When a Mujtahid Makes an Error in His Ijtihad
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Question:
Shaykh Abdul Aziz, you establish a school from which students of knowledge should drink, for you often acknowledge the ijtihad of Ibn Taymiyyah, and specifically Ibn al-Qayyim. Here you call for returning to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger when there is disagreement among scholars. I hope for a word on this occasion, if you would be so kind.
Answer:
Yes, yes. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), Ibn al-Qayyim, Imam al-Shafi'i, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them all), Imam al-Thawri, Imam Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, Imam al-Awza'i, and other imams, all of them hold a great status with us and with others among the people of knowledge. They recognize their virtue, their ijtihad, and their knowledge; there is no doubt in this.
However, it is not required—by virtue of our honoring them and recognizing their worth—that we agree with any errors that some of them may have made; for every imam makes some errors and some mistakes. And every imam is to be taken from his statement and left, except the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), for his statement is the truth. As Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "None of us is free from being refuted and having his statement refuted, except the occupant of this grave," meaning the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
And Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The people have agreed that if the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) becomes clear to a person, he has no right to abandon it for the sake of any person. He has no right to abandon it for the statement of any person." He reported this as a consensus of the people of knowledge.
And this is correct; for it is obligatory upon the entire Ummah to prioritize what Allah and His Messenger said, in matters of disagreement and in matters of consensus. Just as matters of consensus must be respected, followed, and not heeded if someone contradicts them, so too, a fortiori, the Book and the Sunnah must be honored, followed, and any statements of people that contradict them must be abandoned. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, and may Allah reward you with good.
Shaykh Abdul Aziz, you establish a school from which students of knowledge should drink, for you often acknowledge the ijtihad of Ibn Taymiyyah, and specifically Ibn al-Qayyim. Here you call for returning to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger when there is disagreement among scholars. I hope for a word on this occasion, if you would be so kind.
Answer:
Yes, yes. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), Ibn al-Qayyim, Imam al-Shafi'i, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them all), Imam al-Thawri, Imam Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, Imam al-Awza'i, and other imams, all of them hold a great status with us and with others among the people of knowledge. They recognize their virtue, their ijtihad, and their knowledge; there is no doubt in this.
However, it is not required—by virtue of our honoring them and recognizing their worth—that we agree with any errors that some of them may have made; for every imam makes some errors and some mistakes. And every imam is to be taken from his statement and left, except the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), for his statement is the truth. As Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "None of us is free from being refuted and having his statement refuted, except the occupant of this grave," meaning the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
And Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The people have agreed that if the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) becomes clear to a person, he has no right to abandon it for the sake of any person. He has no right to abandon it for the statement of any person." He reported this as a consensus of the people of knowledge.
And this is correct; for it is obligatory upon the entire Ummah to prioritize what Allah and His Messenger said, in matters of disagreement and in matters of consensus. Just as matters of consensus must be respected, followed, and not heeded if someone contradicts them, so too, a fortiori, the Book and the Sunnah must be honored, followed, and any statements of people that contradict them must be abandoned. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, and may Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.