Dear All Assalam o Alaikum,
A read the following article today and I want share it with all of you. Please
read it carefully and decide which madhab you should follow.
Wassalam.
Baber Tanweer.
Question:
what is the difference btween shafi and hannafi's? , sunni & waabi? who is more
closer to true teaching of islam?
Answer:
Bismillahir-RaHmanir-RaHeem.
1. Muslims Should be United
It is a fact that Muslims today, are divided amongst themselves. The tragedy is
that such divisions are not endorsed by Islam at all. Islam believes in
fostering unity amongst its followers.
The Glorious Qur’an says:
"And hold fast, All together, by the rope Which ALLAH (stretches out for you),
and be not divided among yourselves;" [Al-Qur’an 3:103]
Which is the rope of ALLAH that is being referred to in this verse? It is the
Glorious Qur’an. The Glorious Qur’an is the rope of ALLAH which all Muslims
should hold fast together. There is double emphasis in this verse. Besides
saying ‘hold fast all together’ it also says, ‘be not divided’.
Qur’an further says,
"Obey ALLAH, and obey the Messenger" [Al-Qur’an 4:59]
All the Muslim should follow the Qur’an and authentic Ahadith and be not divided
among themselves.
2. It is Prohibited to make sects and divisions in Islam
The Glorious Qur’an says:
"As for those who divide Their religion and break up Into sects, thou hast No
part in them in the least: Their affair is with ALLAH: He will in the end Tell
them the truth Of all that they did."
[Al-Qur’an 6:159]
In this verse ALLAH (swt) says that one should disassociate oneself from those
who divide their religion and break it up into sects.
But when one asks a Muslim, "who are you?", the common answer is either ‘I am a
Sunni, or ‘I am a Shia’. Some call themselves Hanafi, or Shafi or Maliki or
Humbali. Some say ‘I am a Deobandi’, while some others say ‘I am a Barelvi’.
3. Our Prophet was a Muslim
One may ask such Muslims, "Who was our beloved prophet (pbuh)? Was he a Hanafi
or a Shafi, or a Humbali or a Maliki?" No! He was a Muslim, like all the other
prophets and messengers of ALLAH before him.
It is mentioned in chapter 3 verse 52 of Al-Qur’an that Jesus (pbuh) was a
Muslim.
Further, in chapter 3 verse 67, Al-Qur’an says that Ibrahim (pbuh) was not a Jew
or a Christian but was a Muslim.
4. Qur’an says call yourselves Muslim
If anyone poses a Muslim the question who are you, he should say "I am a MUSLIM,
not a Hanafi or a Shafi". Surah Fussilat chapter 41 verse 33 says
"Who is better in speech Than one who calls (men) To ALLAH, works righteousness,
And says, ‘I am of those Who bow in Islam (Muslim)?’ " [Al-Qur’an 41:33]
The Qur’an says "Say I am of those who bow in Islam". In other words, say, "I am
a Muslim".
The Prophet (pbuh) dictated letters to non-Muslim kings and rulers inviting them
to accept Islam. In these letters he mentioned the verse of the Qur’an from
Surah Ali Imran chapter 3 verse 64:
Say ye: "Bear witness That we (at least) Are Muslims (bowing To ALLAH’s Will)."
[Al-Qur’an 3:64]
5. Respect all the Great Scholars of Islam
We must respect all the great scholars of Islam, including the four Imaams, Imam
Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Humbal and Imam Malik (may ALLAH be pleased with
them all). They were great scholars and may ALLAH reward them for their research
and hardwork. One can have no objection if someone agrees with the views and
research of Imam Abu Hanifa or Imam Shafi, etc. But when posed a question, ‘who
are you?’, the reply should only be ‘I am a Muslim’.
According to Tirmidhi Hadith No. 171, the prophet (pbuh) is reported to have
said, "My Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects, and all of them
will be in Hell fire except one sect." The companions asked ALLAH’s messenger
which group that would be. Where upon he replied, "It is the one to which I and
my companions belong."
The Glorious Qur’an mentions in several verses, "Obey ALLAH and obey His
Messenger". A true Muslim should only follow the Glorious Qur’an and the Sahih
Hadith.
Hence there is nothing wrong in following any of the schools of thought as long
as it conforms to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith. If such views go
against the Word of ALLAH, or the Sunnah of His Prophet, then they carry no
weight, regardless of how learned the scholar might be. Because all the Imams
have said that if their saying goes against the Sahih Hadith then that Sahih
hadith is his madhab.
If only all Muslims read the Qur’an with understanding and adhere to Sahih
Hadith, InshALLAH most of these differences would be solved and we could be one
united Muslim Ummah
It is not obligatory for a Muslim to follow any particular madhhab among these
four. People vary in their level of understanding and ability to derive rulings
from the evidence. There are some for whom it is permissible to follow (taqleed),
and indeed it may be obligatory in their case. There are others who can only
follow the shar’i evidence.
Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah are not to be regarded as opposition to the Maalikis,
Shaafa’is, Hanbalis and the like, rather they are opposed to the followers of
innovated and misguided beliefs and ways such as the Ash’aris, Mu’tazilis,
Murji’is, Sufis and so on. The Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafa’is and Hanbalis are
schools of fiqh, whose imams are among Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and indeed
are among the leaders of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. But unfortunately the
followers of most of those madhhabs and schools of fiqh have begun to follow the
people of innovation and misguidance in their beliefs, so many of the Shaafa’is
and Maalikis have become Ash’aris, and many of the Hanafis have become
Maatireedis. But with regard to ‘aqeedah, the Hanbalis – apart from a very few –
have been spared the change to something other than the ‘aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah
wa’l-Jamaa’ah.
The basic principle concerning the Muslim is that he adheres to the Qur’aan and
Sunnah according to the understanding of the companions of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of ALLAH be upon him) and those who followed them in guidance. As
for following one of these four madhhabs or any other, that is not obligatory or
recommended, and the Muslim does not have to adhere to any one of them in
particular. Rather the one who adheres to a particular madhhab in every issue is
being a partisan who is guilty of blind following. End quote.
Hal al-Muslim mulzim bi Ittibaa’ Madhhab mu’ayyin min al-Madhhab al-Arba’ah? By
al-Ma’soomi, p. 38.
There is nothing wrong with following the four schools of fiqh if a Muslim does
not have sufficient knowledge to enable him to derive rulings from the Qur’aan
and Sunnah himself, but if it becomes clear to him that the correct view is
other than that of his madhhab, then he must follow the correct view and not his
madhhab.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may ALLAH have mercy on him) said:
In the Qur’aan, ALLAH condemns the one who turns away from following the
Messengers and follows instead the religion invented by his forefathers. This is
imitation (taqleed) which is forbidden by ALLAH and His Messenger, i.e.,
following someone other than the Messenger in matters that go against the
Messenger. This is haraam for everyone according to the consensus of the
Muslims, for there is no obedience to any created being if it involves
disobedience towards the Creator. Obedience to the Messenger is obligatory for
every one, elite and common folk alike, at all times and in all places, both
inwardly and outwardly, and in all situations… ALLAH has enjoined obedience to
the Messenger upon all people, in approximately forty places in the Qur’aan.
It is permissible for one who is unable to derive rulings to follow a scholar,
according to the majority of scholars… the kind of imitation or following that
is forbidden by the texts and according to scholarly consensus is that which
goes against the words of ALLAH and His Messenger. end quote.
[Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 19/260-266 ]
May ALLAH guide us all to the straight path!
Wassalam and ALLAH Almighty knows best.
Reference:
IslamiCity