Q223 :Is it proper to say that one follows an Imam,
such as the founder of any of the four major schools of thought or
should we say that we follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
May I also ask about the meaning of the Verses 166-167 of Surah 2 and
whether they apply to following the four imams?
A223 : As Muslims, we follow God’s Messenger, the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is what is required of every
one of us. Only by following the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
can we redeem ourselves on the day of judgment. No one will be asked on
that day which school of thought he had followed, but he will be asked
whether he had followed the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or
not. The great scholars who founded the four schools of thought, and
indeed those who contributed to each one of these four schools, as well
as other great scholars who had their own methods and made their own
rulings, either in line with those schools or independently, were
merely helping ordinary people follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him). They did not bring anything new, nor did they devise
something that was at variance with the Prophet’s guidance. Far be it
from any of them to do so. Their aim was one, but their methods
differed. They had their methods of deduction and their measures of
value which they assigned to each piece of evidence that concerned any
aspect of legislation. We do them wrong if we claim that they made
their rulings as they considered fit. No one of them ever claimed to
do so. They simply studied the Qur’an and the Hadith, as well as the
practical Sunnah and the great legacy of scholarship they received from
the time of the Prophet up to their own time. They balanced opposing
considerations and considered people’s interests and how best to serve
these, since the purpose of the Islamic law is to ensure that people’s
best interests are properly served. The two Qur’anic verses to which
you have referred may be translated as follows: “Those who have been
followed would dissociate themselves from those who followed them, when
they have seen the punishment and felt that all relations would be cut
off. Those who followed them would say: “If only we had one more chance
so that we dissociate ourselves from them, as they have dissociated
themselves from us. Thus God will show them the fruits of their deeds
as nothing but regrets. They will have no way out of the fire.” These
verses do not speak of every type of following. Most certainly they do
not refer to following any Muslim scholar, let alone the noble scholars
who founded the schools of thought. These verses speak of people who
follow others that lead them astray. This applies, for example, to
following a political or social leader who adopts a course of action
which is contrary to Islamic teachings. He will thus lead his people to
ruin because when they follow him they displease God. They will be
acting against the Prophet’s guidance.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )