Excellent Sayings Of All The FOUR [school of thoughts] Imams

[Aziboy]

Sayings Of The Imams Regarding Following The Sunnah
And Ignoring Their Views Contradictory To It​

It would be beneficial if we gave some of these here, for perhaps this will admonish or remind those who follow the opinion of the Imams - nay, of those far below the Imams in rank - blindly18, sticking to their madhabs or views as if these had descended from the heavens! But Allaah, Mighty and Sublime, says:

"Follow (O men!) the revelation given to you from your Lord, and follow not, as friends and protectors, other than Him. Little is it you remember of admonition."19
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1) Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah)

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The first of them is Imam Abu Hanifah, whose companions have narrated from him various sayings and diverse warnings, all of them leading to one thing: the obligation to accept the Hadeeth, and to give up following the opinions of the imams which contradict it:

1. "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab."20

2. "It is not permitted21 for anyone to accept our views if they do not know from where we got them."22

In one narration, "It is prohibited23 for someone who does not know my evidence to give verdicts24 on the basis of my words."

Another narration adds, "... for we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it back the next day."

In another narration, "Woe to you, O Ya'qub25! Do not write down everything you hear from me, for it happens that I hold one opinion today and reject it tomorrow, or hold one opinion tomorrow and reject it the day after tomorrow."26

3. "When I say something contradicting the Book of Allaah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), then ignore my saying."27
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2) Malik ibn Anas (rahimahullah)


As for Imaam Malik ibn Anas, he said:

1. "Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it."28

2. "Everyone after the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) will have his sayings accepted and rejected - not so the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam)."29

3. Ibn Wahab said: "I heard Malik being asked about cleaning between the toes during ablution. He said, 'The people do not have to do that.' I did not approach him until the crowd had lessened, when I said to him, 'We know of a sunnah about that.' He said, 'What is that ?' I said, 'Laith ibn Sa'd, Ibn Lahee'ah and 'Amr ibn al-Harith narrated to us from Yazeed ibn 'Amr al-Ma'aafiri from Abu 'Abdur-Rahman al-Hubuli from Mustawrid ibn Shaddad al-Qurashi who said, 'I saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) rubbing between his toes with his little finger.' He said, 'This hadeeth is sound; I had not heard of it at all until now.' Afterwards, I heard him being asked about the same thing, on which he ordered cleaning between the toes."30
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3) Shaafi'i (rahimahullah)

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As for Imaam Shaafi'i, the quotations from him are most numerous and beautiful31, and his followers were the best in sticking to them:


1. "The sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) reach, as well as escape from, every one of us. So whenever I voice my opinion, or formulate a principle, where something contrary to my view exists on the authority of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) has said, and it is my view."32

2. "The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is made clear to someone, it is not permitted33 for him to leave it for the saying of anyone else."34

3. "If you find in my writings something different to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), then speak on the basis of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and leave what I have said."
In one narration: "... then follow it (the Sunnah), and do not look sideways at anyone else's saying."35

4. "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab."36

5. "You37 are more knowledgeable about Hadeeth than I, so when a hadeeth is saheeh, inform me of it, whether it is from Kufah, Basrah or Syria, so that I may take the view of the hadeeth, as long as it is saheeh."38

6. "In every issue where the people of narration find a report from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) to be saheeh which is contrary to what I have said, then I take my saying back, whether during my life or after my death."39

7. "If you see me saying something, and contrary to it is authentically-reported from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), then know that my intelligence has departed."40

8. "For everything I say, if there is something authentic from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) contrary to my saying, then the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) comes first, so do not follow my opinion."41

9. "Every statement on the authority of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is also my view, even if you do not hear it from me."42
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4) Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah)

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Imaam Ahmad was the foremost among the Imams in collecting the Sunnah and sticking to it, so much so that he even "disliked that a book consisting of deductions and opinions be written."43 Because of this he said:

1. "Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Malik, nor Shaafi'i, nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took."44
In one narration: "Do not copy your Deen from anyone of these, but whatever comes from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions, take it; next are their Successors, where a man has a choice."
Once he said: "Following45 means that a man follows what comes from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions; after the Successors, he has a choice."46

2. "The opinion of Awzaa'i, the opinion of Malik, the opinion of Abu Hanifah: all of it is opinion, and it is all equal in my eyes. However, the proof is in the narrations (from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions)."47

3. "Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is on the brink of destruction."48

These are the clear, lucid sayings of the Imams (Allaah Exalted be pleased with them) about sticking to the Hadeeth and forbidding the following of their opinion without clearly- visible evidence, such that mere opinion and interpretation is not acceptable.

Hence, whoever adhered to whatever of the Sunnah that was proved authentic, even if it opposed some of the Imams' sayings, he would not be conflicting with their madhhab, nor straying from their path; rather, such a person would be following all of them and would be grasping the most trustworthy hand-hold, which never breaks. However, this would not be the case with the one who abandoned any of the authentic Sunnah simply because it contradicted their views; nay, such a person would be being disobedient to them and opposing their above mentioned sayings, while Allaah says:
"But no, by Your Lord, they can have no (real) faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction."49. He also says:
"Then let those beware who withstand the Messenger's order, lest some trial befall them or a grievous penalty be inflicted on them."50
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Prophet Muhammad sal-Allahu Alaihi wassallam said:

“ I leave behind me two things, the Quran and the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.”

cuts off everything which is invented after him i.e. Four Schools of thoughts, Prophet’s Birthday Celebration,
Taking anyone as your Imam other than Prophet Muhammad {saw}, and following our so called scholars.​

In Conclusion, Islam means following the revelation of Allah and the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (saw)
and if anyone follow anything apart as our prophet said, they will go astray and get misleaded.

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Spare a Thought my Dear brothers and sisters
Do not follow anything Blindly !!!​

 

[Haadiya]

Assalau aleyku

yet we see people blind following Imams. BarakaALLKU fik Akhy

 

[Aapa]

Assalaam walaikum,

Beautiful post.

 

[thariq2005]

I would like to point out that this statement in the above article does not sound right

for perhaps this will admonish or remind those who follow the opinion of the Imams

There is nothing wrong in following the opinion of an imaam. Or in simple terms- there is nothing wrong in doing 'taqleed' (blindly following) a scholar, because you believe he is knowledgable, pious etc. There is not one single layman except that he does taqleed of an Imaam somewhere or the other.

 

[slaveofAllah88]

Assalau aleyku

yet we see people blind following Imams. BarakaALLKU fik Akhy

:salam2:

AKhi, there is nothing wrong with following an imam, if you are not a scholar of hadith how can u differentiate between one opinion against the other, its best to follow a madhab
the main thing is not to follow something in a way that u become arrogant in the follower and forget who the real teacher is (Prophet Muhammed (PBUH))

 

[strive-may-i]

I would like to point out that this statement in the above article does not sound right

There is nothing wrong in following the opinion of an imaam. Or in simple terms- there is nothing wrong in doing 'taqleed' (blindly following) a scholar, because you believe he is knowledgable, pious etc. There is not one single layman except that he does taqleed of an Imaam somewhere or the other.

Some delicate matters take time to sink in, you are doing right thing, keep repeating...

Only a Giant can look beyond and surpass another giant in some aspects, rest struggle to match upto the nearest smallest giant, even in simplest/easiest matters ...