Limiting One's Respect for Other Scholars

27-1-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

What do you say about a person who follows only one or two scholars and adopt their opinions leaving others?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

A good statement among Muslims states that 'Know the truth, you know its followers'; and 'we weigh and recognize men by truth, not truth by men.'

Allah, The Exalted, has not granted infallibility to any human being except His Prophets and Messengers. Thus, a Muslim has to look after the truth and Sunnah and never be deeply attracted to some person since Allah has granted some people good knowledge and blessings, but He has not specified any to be followed, except His Prophets and Messengers.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “It is not possible for somebody to have comprehensive knowledge of the Prophetic Hadeeth. Only the four well-guided successors could achieve such knowledge since they spent their lives with the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) especially Abu Bakr may Allaah be pleased with him who was used to accompanying him most of the time; he even spent nights discussing matters that concern Muslims. Also, ‘Umar may Allaah be pleased with him used to spend most of the time with the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and his dearest friend Abu Bakr may Allaah be pleased with him.

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) often used to say: “I entered with the company of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and went out with the company of Abu Bakr and Umar.”

In spite of this, when Abu Bakr may Allaah be pleased with him was asked about the portion of the grandmother in the inheritance, he said: “I find nothing in the Quran nor the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) but you have to ask people.” When the person asked the people, al-Mugheerah and Muhammad Ibn Maslamah said: “The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) allocated for her one-sixth.”

Moreover, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab did not know the Sunnah concerning seeking the permission to enter someone's house until Abu Moosa taught him.

Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him added: 'Many similar narrations were reported from the Prophet’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) Companions in this concern.

There are so many narrations in this concern from the Prophet’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) Companions and more that came after them. They were the best scholars among the Muslim Ummah and it is natural to find that the late scholars cannot have a comprehensive knowledge and this issue needs no clarification.”

As a result, a Muslim has to honor the scholars who follow the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) to believe that they are a source of good, light and blessing due to the knowledge of the Sharee'ah which they have. They can benefit from them and should avoid being excessive in praising any of them (scholars), since this leads one to be among the followers of innovation.

Consider the following beautiful saying of Ibn Mas'ood may Allaah be pleased with him: “Whoever likes to follow the Sunnah should follow those who died (from among the companions and well-known good Imams) since following a living one may lead to something wrong!”

Allah knows best.

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