Mujtahid & Muqallid (Q&A)
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem
Question & Answer
Question: It is mentioned on page 58 of the official version of the book entitled The System of Islam that, “the Muttabe’ (follower) is the one who is lacking some accredited Shari’ah sciences”, whereas in fact, this description fits the Ammi (common) and not the Muttabe’, who should acquire some of the Shari’ah sciences!!??
Answer: It is mentioned in the book of “Islamic Personality” Volume 1: “Hence, the Muqallid is other than the Mujtahid; and one is either a Mujtahid or a Muqallid as far as the Shari’ah rule is concerned. In other words, one would either deduce the Shari’ah rule himself, irrespective of whether it had been deduced by someone else before him or not, or take the deduction of someone else. Hence, everyone who lacks the ability to perform Ijtihad is a Muqallid, irrespective of whether he is versed in some of the sciences approved by Shari’ah for performing Ijtihad or not. Hence, both the Ammi and the Muttabe’ are in fact both Muqallid. However, the Muttabe’makes Taqleed (imitates) on condition that he knows the evidence of the Mujtahid; as for the Ammi, he just imitates without any restrictions or conditions.”It is also mentioned in another passage within the same book, “In the times of the Sahaba the common imitators (Ammi) used to ask the Mujtahideen for fatwas and follow them in the Shari’ah rules. The scholars from among them used to answer their queries without a mention of the evidence; yet they would not be discouraged from doing so. None of the Sahaba condemned this practice, thus an Ijma’a was established stipulating that the Ammi can follow the Mujtahid in an unrestrictive manner without having to mention the evidence, and that the rules of Allah can be taught and learnt without having to learn or teach the evidence. The Ammi and the Muttabe’ are equal in this respect; each one of them is allowed to seek a fatwa from another person and each one of them is allowed to teach another person the Shari’ah rule that he is soundly acquainted with, irrespective of whether he knows the evidence or not, because everyone who acquires knowledge about a matter is considered a learned person in that matter and he is entitled to teach it to others. However, the Ammi is only allowed to convey what he knows as he has learnt it. As for the Muttabe’,he can teach what he knows and give fatwas on what he knows, because he has knowledge of some significant sciences in Ijtihad; he perceives the Shari’ah rules, and he knows how to teach them and how to give fatwas with them.”
Notice the passage of the book: “and one is either a Mujtahid or a Muqallid as far as the Shari’ah rule is concerned. In other words, one would either deduce the Shari’ah rule himself, irrespective of whether it had been deduced by someone else before him or not, or take the deduction of someone else. Hence, everyone who lacks the ability to perform Ijtihad is a Muqallid, irrespective of whether he is versed in some of the sciences approved by Shari’ah for performing Ijtihad or not. Hence, both the Ammi and the Muttabe’ are in fact both Muqallid. However, the Muttabe’makes Taqleed (imitates) on condition that he knows the evidence of the Mujtahid; as for the Ammi, he just imitates without any restrictions or conditions”, and the following passage: “As for the Muttabe’, he can teach what he knows and give fatwas on what he knows, because he has knowledge of some significant sciences in Ijtihad; he perceives the Shari’ah rules, and he knows how to teach them and how to give fatwas with them.”
As for the Book entitled the System of Islam, it says: “the Muttabe’ (follower) is the one who is lacking some accredited Shari’ah sciences; thus he follows the Mujtahid once he has perceived his evidence and consequently the Hukm of Allah (rule) that is binding on him would be the opinion of the Mujtahid he has followed. As for the Ammi, he is the one who is lacking some of the accredited sciences in Ijtihad; he imitates the Mujtahid without knowing his evidence. ”
Therefore, what is evident is that the expression in the Book, System of Islam, stating that, “the Muttabe’ is the one who is lacking some accredited Shari’ah sciences” is wrong. Therefore, the expression becomes “The Muttabe’ is the one who has acquired some of the accredited sciences in Ijtihad….”
Hence, the one who has acquired some of the sciences accredited by Shari’ah in Ijtihad and the one who has not acquired such knowledge, are both Muqallid; the difference between them is that the Muttabe’ looks into the evidence and approves it without being able to scrutinise it. As for the Ammi, he does not look into the evidence.
12 Rajab 1434h
22 May 2013
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