Taqleed Definition

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Diary

I took Sharia paper after I returned from pilgrimage as one of a subject in my A-Level paper after I feel something that makes me wanted to return to my "real" responsibility. Unfortunately I did not do well in it because the pressure of time and I had left the Sharia classes since I was around 15-16 years old but I still could answer certain questions regarding the law and rulings. If I stayed longer perhaps I could be a jurist because that time we were almost registered to tsanawi papers but how could person become an Islamic scholar if he believes not in the path? LOL.

15 was the age where I embraced Buddhism by heart through rituals and it is actually formal which I did according to prescriptions of monastic rules and beginning to stop Islamic rituals or even listening to advises from people around due to my hatred to environment. Urmm, quite a kenangan (memory). Ironically, now I have a special passion to sciences of jurisprudence and the path which makes me reading and memorize everything about the sciences because I wanted to correct myself, hahahahaha. This is the real science for me as the contrast of what we had been taught in schools.

Introduction

This is from articles that I had read and always keep with me. So, thinking to put it here for myself and if it is useful for others... I would also feel happy for everyone. I'm trying to simplify everything yet making it as easy as possible to be understood by audiences through simple translations of points. When reading articles or anything in the posts of this site please don't rely on it as it is from a scholar and it is wrong to take something without reference and proofs. Make sure to get guidance from teachers, clerics or ulamas, and jurists who are specialists in their fields.  

Definition of Taqleed

According to Sheikh Muhammad bin Uthaimeen in al-Usool min 'Ilmil Usool, taqleed linguistically mean placing something around the neck and it encircles the neck. Technically it means following he whose sayings is not a proof or without hujjat. 

This is the view according to Salafi scholar and the definition according to Salafis. Salafi usually refers to Sunnah Muslim of Hanbali school of jurisprudence in general and not specifically to those of Wahhabi movement so please try not to associate us with them although I read treatises of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. We are different and are not in agreement with any violence. On the other hand, we respect local customs that are in accordance to our traditions differently to those from Middle East or even tolerant than Europeans because I just visit chinese temples or churches where I think possible for me to recite blessings and asking mercy and love of the God for everyone. 

The Sheikh further mentions that those who are following any of these in their path are not committing taqleed because these are proofs for their acts of worship:

1. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w

2. Guidelines from the assembly of the ulamas

3. any companion of prophet Muhammad s.a.w by considering any sayings of the companions as a proof for their acts of worship  

However, these type of matters are still categorized as taqleed in a metaphorical and loose sense. I think this make sense because I also read an article written by Ustad Abu Muhammad Idral Harith of Indonesia regarding on those who are fanatic with their imams, school of jurisprudence, teachers, and etc while giving the advise to others who are slightly different from them in term of practices. We would discuss about this in another post if possible just for our general knowledge so in the future we won't be blurred by terms.

In What Cases do Taqleed Happens?

It happens in two cases...

I. When a muqallid (follower) is a common person who does not have the ability to acquire knowledge of the shari'a rulings and principles by himself. Taqleed will become obligatory upon him as what has been mentioned by the God the Most Highest: "ask the people of the knowledge if you do not know." Taqleed will be done by placing the dependency on a person whom he considers as knowledgeable and pious for example like Imam Hanafi, Imam Ja'afar, Imam Shafi'ie or Imam Maliki. In our way of talking about this for example, I would mention that I put my naqal or carriage over the knowledge of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. So, my acts of worship is according to what has been taught by him according to his scholarship. If there are two of such people who are equal in his view in certain jurisprudence, the muqallid chooses any one of them.   

II. A mujtahid (a diligent person in sciences) when he encounters a new situation where an immediate solution is required. However it's not possible for him to do research into this matter. In this case, he is permitted to perform taqleed. Some also bringing questions about the permissibility of taqleed that it is not the fundamental of the path or law of life. Or on the questions about 'aqeedah since matters of 'aqeedah requires certainty, while taqleed only amounts to dzann or the knowledge which is not certain, assumption can we say?  

The correct saying in this matter of following the 'aqeedah is unlikely a condition due to the generality of sayings of the God the Most Highest: "ask the people who are knowledgeable if you don't know". This verse according to the Sheikh is in the context of affirming messenger-hood which is from the basis of the law of the path. A common person could also not acquire knowledge of the law rulings with its proofs by himself since law rulings need specific knowledge on sciences of the path. Due to that he can't arrive to such truth by himself, he has nothing remains in his self except for taqleed.  

The God knows more than His creatures...

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Happy Ashura 1433 H

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Please recite salawat for prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the messenger of the God and for his family and companions, thank you.

Tomorrow will be Ashura observation for our Shi'ite brothers who commemorate the death of our beloved Imam Hussein r.a. I don't know how they would observe it but I had been told that matam or flagellation with knives and chain is haram by the Shi'ite scholars like the honorable Sayyid Ali Khamenei and Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah.

As for me as an individual, I would observe it to commemorate our brethren of the past, the Children of Israel who were saved by the God from the tyranny of Pharaoh in Egypt through His miracle where He commands the sea to split open for His messenger and prophet, Moses a.s and His people to walk through. I had begin the fast since today, because today is Monday which is also a normal fasting service day for Him. 

I actually do not recommend this fast to friends or brothers and sisters unless if everyone is free and has no work to do so everyone can fast. I had wrongly told a respective brother about the day and fasting as I am not sure the term they use for sunnah and wajib. Just to tell him that it is a voluntary deed not an obligatory one and it is one of a prophetic tradition. I think it is better for brethren who are busy to recite the Quran or listening to Quran during the gap time that they have. Don't burden ourselves because this is only a sunnah. I observe fasts to ask His forgiveness on me and wishing to be released from being harmed by the duniya (worldly matters and affairs). Just a humble sacrifice for Him from a lowly servant.

How do I get the source for this? First, I check it in the Bukhari Hadith that I keep with me because I still have no time to memorize hadiths despite of my ambition after I finished my degree to be a Quran and Sunnah scholar at least for my self T T

The hadiths came from our mother Aishah r.a report which says: "the Quraish Arabs used to fast on the day of Ashura in the days of ignorance and the messenger of the God, Muhammad s.a.w too used to observe fast on that day. When prophet Muhammad s.a.w came to Medina al-Munawwara, he also observed the fast during the 10th of Muharram and ordered others to observe the fast. Later, when the command from the God was revealed about the fast of Ramadan, prophet Muhammad s.a.w gave up the fasting of 10th Muharram. It became optional for ones to fast or to leave it." (Book of Fasting, Chapter 43; pg. 457) 

Second hadith came from Ibnu Abbas r.a: "Prophet Muhammad s.a.w came to the Medina and he saw the Jews were fasting on the 10th of Muharram (according to lunar calender). He asked them. They replied to him: "This is an auspicious day where the God rescued the Children of Israel from His enemy. Prophet Moses a.s observed the fast on this day. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w replied: "We have more claim on Moses a.s. than you. So prophet Muhammad s.a.w observed fast on the day and ordered others to also fast on the day." (Book of Fasting, Chapter 44; pg. 457)  

As far as we know, prophet Muhammad s.a.w is a descent of prophet Abraham and the Quraish are also the descents of prophet Abraham a.s as well. Some of Abrahamic traditions had actually being practiced by the Quraish Arabs despite of being idolaters during the age of ignorance because they were not totally ignorant. They were deflected from the prophetic path because of foreign influence. The trace of patriarchs' teachings could still be traced in their life. We learned this during i'dadi (beginner) level in madrasah. I still remember the teachings where my sirah (Islamic history) teacher from Egypt had forced me to memorize the whole pages of the narration about prophet Abraham a.s and prophet Ismael a.s in Arabic. 

Second source that I get is from other Islamic bodies regarding the validity of acts of worship performed, other scholar sources or from other brethren blogs who provide information regarding Quran and Sunnah. So, brothers and sisters, we are actually helping each other. I thank you for your help though some of you write in Malay. I will try to write in other languages that I know as well and make sure to spread His Mercy to others too.

Al-'Izz bin Abd al-Salam r.a mentioned that: "Times and places may be given preferred status in two ways, either temporal or spiritual (religious). With regard to the latter, this is because the God bestows His generosity on His servants at those times or in those places, by giving greater rewards for deeds done, such as giving a greater reward for fasting in Ramadan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the day of Ashura, the virtue of which is due to the God's Generosity and Kindness towards His servants on that day..." (Qawaa'id al-Ahkaam, chapter 1 page 38). 

A hadith reported by Muslim When the messenger of the God fasted on the 10th of Muharram and commanded our brethren of the past to fast as well. They said: "O messenger of the God! It is a day that the Jews and Christians honor." Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: "If I live to see the next year, His Will, we will fast on the ninth day of Muharram too." But it so happened that prophet Muhammad s.a.w returns to His Mercy before the next year to come."  

Al-Shaafa'i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said: "It is mustahabb (recommended) to fast in both of the ninth and the tenth of Muharram since prophet Muhammad s.a.w intended to fast in the ninth of Muharram. The intention of fasting in the ninth is to make it different from the Jews and Christians who limit their fast only in the 10th day of Muharram. This report was reported again by Ibnu Abbas. And as to say, the fast of 10th Muharram is voluntary and not obligatory as Ramadan. Everyone who intends to fast may fast on Monday (9th) and Tuesday (10th), or Tuesday (10th) and Wednesday (11th). It helps to clean minor sins, this is according of Fatawa al-Kubra in the fifth part by Ibnu Taimiyyah. 

My Yemeni-Hadrami Jew brother in Israel is also fasting but I am not sure how many days they are fasting. I had checked with the Jewish religious authority site and it shows that their passover had already happened. I guess he perhaps is following the lunar calender like we do and event in lunar calender may change every year. 

My Tanakh (Old Testament) in the book of Sifr Khuruj (Exodus) mentioned in chapter 14th about the event on how prophet Moses a.s and Children of Israel went out from Egypt from verses 1-31. My Quran mentions this event in Surah Ta-Ha verse 1-98. I always recite this surah during the 10th of Muharram. I heard some Christians or perhaps Christians by ancestry or name talking whether Muslim are celebrating Passover or respecting Moses the prophet? My answer to you people, yes! We celebrate and honor Moses a.s just like we honor Jesus the Christ and others who are mentioned in our scripture (the Quran). That's why we do not call names to these people like people in the West do because we have Faith. Just because we don't call it as Passover in English does not mean that we do not celebrate it or performing thanksgiving to Him.

I read Bible everyday here though other Muslim brethren or perhaps Christians (by name) do not do this because Quran alone is a boundless source of knowledge for Muslim or perhaps Bible is a heavy and boring book for Christians (by name) or perhaps some people might use scriptures as a pretext for their worldly goals. We human have limited time and space to cover everything so begin now little by little no matter if you are a Muslim or of any faith. Stop baseless hatred and check where does this come from? Try to open up the heart with prayers and the light of ruhul qudus (holy spirit). Check out what happened to Pharaoh in Surah Ta-Ha verse 1-98 and Exodus 14:1-31 during and after his discourse with prophet Moses a.s? What happened to his heart?

   

Urmm, my advise to myself and others who coincidentally passing by... Sins and crimes of this month is counted as serious sins and crimes so we must try to avoid evil. There are four sacred months which are sanctified by the God and they are Dzulqa'idah, Dzulhijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. These four sacred months are different from Ramadan in term of acts of worship like fasting because fasting is obligatory during Ramadan. The four months are mentioned in Surah al-Tawbah verse 36. In Muharram, we avoid quarreling or anything which leads us to fighting and enmity. In all of the months lies the commandment for us to do charity (worship) and to avoid evil and crime (sins). 

I wish that this benefit everyone if not covering all of the things but at least little things. Express our love to prophet Muhammad s.a.w with salawat begging the Lord to be in contact with him and his family and his companions. Pray for brothers and sisters to always be in love and linked with His Love and Mercy. Happy Ashura and Happy Passover (Moses and Children of Israel passing the Red Sea) to those who follow lunar calender. 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!