Answer to an Enemy of Islam

four madhhabs, because they all show the way leading to Paradise.
A person who speaks ill of any of the a’immat al-madhâhib shows
his ignorance. For example, it was said unanimously by all the
early ’ulamâ’ and their successors that al-Imâm al-a’zam Abû
Hanifa Nu’mân ibn Thâbit (rahmatullâhi ’alaih) had had very
great knowledge and wara’, had worshipped much, and had been
very meticulous and prudent in deducing rules. One should trust
oneself to Allâhu ta’âlâ against saying, ‘He mixed Allâhu ta’âlâ’s
religion with words disagreeing with the Book and the Sunna by
inferring from his own opinion and point of view,’ about such an
exalted imâm. Every Muslim should be reverent towards the
a’immat al-madhâhib. The high status of al-Imâm al-a’zam Abû
Hanîfa was fully realized only by the great Awliyâ’ who were the
possessors of kashf.”
Claiming that the Hanbalî scholars did not give up the hadîth
is a vituperation against the other three a’immat al-madhâhib. As
we have quoted before, the religion reformer, too, said, “Each
imâm al-madhhab said that his ijtihâd should be given up when a
sahîh hadîth was found.” Now he denies it. And the statement,
“Taqlîd makes intellect useless,” reflects the vulgar ignorance of
the person who says so. Allâhu ta’âlâ’s religion is above intellect,
comprehension and realization. If intellect is compelled to go up
into it, its wings will fail and it will then become useless. The most
effective medicine to protect the intellect in religious matters is to
follow mujtahids. Comparison between scholars’ ra’y or ijtihâd
and the Nass is a task which can be done by mujtahids only. For
us, the ignorant, who know nothing of ijtihâd or of the knowledge
of tafsîr or hadîth, there is no other way than admitting and
believing the greatness of an imâm al-madhhab and to follow him.
It was said unanimously by the ’ulamâ’ of Islam that it was wâjib
for us ordinary people to follow an imâm al-madhhab. [1] The one
who does not adapt himself to an imâm al-madhhab’s ijtihâd
becomes a sinner. It is written in the books of fiqh that the one
who does not admit a decree which has been given unanimously
by the four madhhabs and which has spread over every country
will become a non-Muslim. [2]
Al-Imâm al-a’zam Abû Hanîfa
[1] ’Abd al-Wahhâb ash-Sha’rânî, Al-mizân al-kubra, p. 68, with
references added.
[2] Ibn ’Âbidîn, Radd al-muhtâr, the beginning of the salât al-witr. It is for
this reason that religion reformers attack against this valuable book
and Hadrat Ibn ’Âbidîn (rahmatullâhi ’alaih), who is one of the archstones
of the Hanafî madhhab.
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