Advice for the Muslim

carried them out in conformity with Allâhu ta’âlâ’s command.’
“Al-Imâm ar-Râbbânî Mujaddid al-Alf ath-Thânî (rahmat-
Allâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih) wrote in his book Mabda’ wa Ma’âd: ‘Allâhu
ta’âlâ revealed to this faqîr that the congregation’s not reciting
behind the imâm according to the Hanafî madhhab is right.’
“Hadrat Shâh ’Abd al-’Azîz ad-Dahlawî (rahimah-Allâhu
ta’âlâ) [who passed away in Delhi in 1239 A.H. (1823)], in the
interpretation of the âyat karîma, ‘Do not ascribe partners unto
Allah!’ wrote: ‘One should obey six kinds of people: mujtahids in
the knowledge of Islam, mashâyikh at-turuq al-’âliyya...’
“Al-Imâm al-Ghazâlî (rahmat-Allâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih) wrote in the
subject ’Al-amru bi ’l-marûf’ of his work Kîmyâ’ as-sa’âda: ‘No
’âlim permitted anybody to do any affairs unconformable to the
madhhab he follows.’
“ ’Abd al-Haqq ad-Dahlawî (rahmat-Allâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih) wrote
in his book Sifr as-sa’âda: ‘The building of the Islamic religion is
based on these four pillars [that is, madhhabs]. For the one who
has followed one of these ways and opened one of these doors, to
move into another way and expect to open another door is an
absurd game. He will have upset the coherence of his affairs and
deviated from the right path.’ Again in the same book is written:
‘Following one of the four madhhabs is a consensus of the ’ulamâ’
and the best way for the Muslims of the Last [the present] Age.
Religious and worldly order can be maintained in this way.
Everyone follows the madhhab of his choice; after following a
madhhab for some time, changing to another madhhab
undoubtedly shows one’s distrust in his former madhhab, and
deeds and words get spoilt and put into disorder. The ’ulamâ’ of
Islam who came later have agreed on this unanimously. This is the
truth of the matter. The benefit is in this.’
“Imâm Muhammad al-Kuhistânî [al-Hanafî (rahimah-Allâhu
ta’âlâ), who passed away in Bukhara in 962 A.H. (1508)] wrote
before ‘Kitâb al-ashriba’ in the commentary to Mukhtasar alwiqâya:
‘Those who, like the Mu’tazila, believed that reality
(haqq) was variable [that is, various conflicting ijtihâds would be
right in the view of Allâhu ta’âlâ,] said that the ’âmî was
permitted to mix (talfiq) the madhhabs just as he liked. The
’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna said that the truth was not variable and,
therefore, the ’âmî had to follow only one imâm. This is dealt
with in detail in the book Al-kashf. Searching for and doing the
permitted, easy things in all madhhabs is called talfîq. One who
does so is a sinner, which is explained explicitly in Ash-Sharh at-
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