The Beneficial Message in Affirmation of Taqleed

The following are a few chapters from an ongoing abridgement and translation of the late Allamah Sarfraz Khan Safdar's (rahimahullah) famous work in defence of taqleed. Duas are requested from all for Allah to grant the translator the tawfeeq to complete this noble task.

Introduction

No Muslim denies that the purpose of the deen is to obey Allah, so much so that the Prophet ﷺ, through his sayings and actions etc. has given a physical form and explained the orders of Allah by telling us what is halal and haram. We only have to follow Allah and the Prophet and whosoever believes that anyone other than Allah’s orders and the Prophet are to be followed; is without doubt out of the fold of Islam.

In the Qur’an and ahadith we will come across some issues which every layman may understand without it being intricate, ambiguous or contradictory. On the other hand there may be issues that are intricate, ambiguous or contradictory.
 

Needless to say, deriving rules from the Qur’an and ahadith can be difficult. One solution is that we use our own understanding and insight in to such issues in order to make our judgments, or another solution may be that instead of making independent rulings ourselves, we look into what the predecessors ruled concerning these issues. If we consider with fairness, from the two opinions, the option of using our own understanding; we find that it is fraught with difficulties. The second option, of relying on scholars, is much more cautious and safer. This is not because it seems like a humble approach but merely because it is an undeniable reality that we have very little resemblance with the scholars of the first Muslim era. We fall short of their knowledge, understanding, intelligence, memory, morals and piety. In addition, the scholars of the first era were close to the environment and time when the Qur’an was revealed, which allowed understanding the Qur’an and Sunnah in its entirety. We on the contrary, are so distant from the time when the Qur’an was revealed.

After considering all of these points, if we do not rely upon our own understanding but instead follow the opinion of a scholar of the past in such matters that are ambiguous, intricate or contradictory, then it will be said that we are following or making taqleed of that scholar.

Taqleed of an Imam or a Mujtahid is only valid in areas where understanding a rule of the Qur’an or Sunnah is difficult. Whether it be because of an additional meaning being from the text or there is some intricacies in the text or even if there seems to be an apparent contradiction in the text.

An absolute and conclusive text where there exists no ambiguity or apparent contradiction in the text of the Qur’an or Sunnah, there is no taqleed of any Imam or Mujtahid.

So following an Imam or Mujtahid does not entail believing the Mujtahid to be an independent source of law (shariah), who has to be followed in totality. Rather, the idea is that the Qur’an and Sunnah is being followed, however, a particular Imam’s understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah is being followed. The Mujtahid or Imam is regarded as a commentator of the law and his interpretation is held as authoritative. This is why taqleed is not an issue in those rules, which are conclusive, since what is intended by Allah and his Prophet ﷺ is achieved without taqleed. The imam whose opinion is followed is regarded as an interpreter and not a law maker.

What is taqleed?

The word taqleed is derived from the Arabic word qiladah. This linguistically has two meanings.One meaning is in regards to humans i.e. necklace, collar. And the other is in regards to animals i.e. rope/string. But the meaning we take is in regards to humans. This is supported by the hadith of Hadrat Aisha radi’Allahu anha when she borrowed a necklace from Hadrat Asma radi’Allahu anha: