The Ruling on Adhering to One of the Four Schools of Jurisprudence
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Question:
A letter was received for the program from the Iraqi Republic, the city of Mosul, from the Islamic Studies Preparatory School. The sender of the letter is a brother of ours from there, whose name is Mashal 'Abd Allah al-'Ali. Our brother asks three questions. In his first question, he says: Is it permissible to adhere to one of the four schools of jurisprudence in matters of Islamic jurisprudence and others?
Answer:
There is no objection to affiliating with one of the four schools of jurisprudence: the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, or Hanbali. However, it is not permissible to adhere to it in everything, whether it is correct or incorrect. No, rather, the student of knowledge should ask, and if he has insight, he should look into it. If he finds that the truth in an issue contradicts the school of jurisprudence, he should take the truth. This is because there is no school of jurisprudence that does not contain weaker positions. If a Hanbali takes the Maliki, Shafi'i, or Hanafi position in an issue where he sees that the truth is with them and the evidence is with them, this is what is obligatory for him. Likewise for the Maliki, likewise for the Shafi'i, and likewise for the Hanafi.
The point is that there is no objection to affiliating with the schools of jurisprudence, but without fanaticism, and without being rigid about the weaker position if you know the stronger position. If you are a student of knowledge who understands, it is obligatory for you to take the stronger position as required by the evidence, even if it contradicts the school of jurisprudence you affiliated with or grew up with. You must look into issues of disagreement with the evidence. So, whatever is established by evidence and you know to be the stronger position, take it. Otherwise, ask the people of knowledge about what is difficult for you. Ask those among the people of knowledge in whom you have confidence regarding their knowledge, virtue, scrupulousness, and uprightness, so that they clarify for you what is the stronger position in issues of disagreement. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. And this includes Islamic jurisprudence, creed, and everything, Your Eminence?
The Shaykh: Yes, yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh: It includes everything, but it is more severe and emphasized in creed.
A letter was received for the program from the Iraqi Republic, the city of Mosul, from the Islamic Studies Preparatory School. The sender of the letter is a brother of ours from there, whose name is Mashal 'Abd Allah al-'Ali. Our brother asks three questions. In his first question, he says: Is it permissible to adhere to one of the four schools of jurisprudence in matters of Islamic jurisprudence and others?
Answer:
There is no objection to affiliating with one of the four schools of jurisprudence: the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, or Hanbali. However, it is not permissible to adhere to it in everything, whether it is correct or incorrect. No, rather, the student of knowledge should ask, and if he has insight, he should look into it. If he finds that the truth in an issue contradicts the school of jurisprudence, he should take the truth. This is because there is no school of jurisprudence that does not contain weaker positions. If a Hanbali takes the Maliki, Shafi'i, or Hanafi position in an issue where he sees that the truth is with them and the evidence is with them, this is what is obligatory for him. Likewise for the Maliki, likewise for the Shafi'i, and likewise for the Hanafi.
The point is that there is no objection to affiliating with the schools of jurisprudence, but without fanaticism, and without being rigid about the weaker position if you know the stronger position. If you are a student of knowledge who understands, it is obligatory for you to take the stronger position as required by the evidence, even if it contradicts the school of jurisprudence you affiliated with or grew up with. You must look into issues of disagreement with the evidence. So, whatever is established by evidence and you know to be the stronger position, take it. Otherwise, ask the people of knowledge about what is difficult for you. Ask those among the people of knowledge in whom you have confidence regarding their knowledge, virtue, scrupulousness, and uprightness, so that they clarify for you what is the stronger position in issues of disagreement. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. And this includes Islamic jurisprudence, creed, and everything, Your Eminence?
The Shaykh: Yes, yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh: It includes everything, but it is more severe and emphasized in creed.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.