Taqleed and Salafism
Question:-
What is the meaning of a Wahhabi? What is the difference between a Wahhabi and Salafi?
If a person follows Imaam Abu Hanifa or one of the other 3 Imaams, then which category does he fall into?
Answer:-
According to Shah Waliyullah Rahimahullah the system of following a particular Imaam of Fiqh was not found before the 4th century. If anyone required a Mas’ala or ruling of Deen in any matter then he would refer it to a reputable Alim and act upon the answer received from the Alim. However, after the fourth century Allah Ta’ala introduced the system where the entire Ummah began following one of the four Imaams of Fiqh. It now became necessary to follow one particular Imaam of Fiqh.
Obviously, this was the best method since there was a decrease in Taqwa and religiousness in people. Now, if people were not required to follow a particular Imaam of Fiqh then they would only select those Masaa’il that were favourable to them, hence Deen would become nothing more than play and entertainment. The only way to be protected from being self-opiniated in matters of Deen was by following the Fataawa of one Imaam of Fiqh (such as Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah) which is termed as ‘Taqleed-e-Shakhsi.’ All the seniors are unanimous that it is necessary to follow one of the Imaams of Fiqh, and there hasn’t been a single Alim who was worthy of being followed that hasn’t followed any of these Imaams. They have all followed one of the Imaams of Fiqh and are referred to as ‘Muqallids.’
Taqleed was found in the very era of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam in the sense that those that didn’t have knowledge in a particular matter would enquire from those who possessed the knowledge of Deen. However, it was not referred to or termed as ‘Taqleed’ in that era.
A Wahhabi or Salafi refers to a person that doesn’t follow any of the four Imaams of Fiqh and practices upon the Quraan and Sunnah according to his own understanding. This sect was initiated by a person by the name of Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab (1702 -1793).
The current days Salafis promote following the Ahaadith and discarding Taqleed. In fact, they state that Taqleed-e-Shakhsi is an innovation since it came into existence after a number of centuries. Since they interpret the Quraan and Hadith based on their understanding, they have caused a great deal of confusion in the Ummah.
The current day Wahhabi and Salafi youngsters also display total disrespect for Imaam Abu Hanifah Rahimahullah whereas he is such a senior Imaam that the likes of Mujaddid-e-Alfe Thaani Rahimahullah and Shah Waliyullah Rahimahullah followed Imaam Saheb Rahimahullah. In their zeal and desire for Ijtihaad (delving directly into the Quraan and Hadith and extracting the rulings of Shariah) they have discarded consensus of the Ummah (which is considered as a proof of Shariah.) In fact, it is recorded in the Kitaabs that it is necessary to follow a ruling which all four Imaams have unanimously agreed upon (i.e. there is consensus on the matter.)
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam has commanded us to hold firmly onto his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafah yet these Salafis contradict the teachings of the Khulafah-e-Rashideen. The practice of performing 20 Rakaats Taraweeh Salaah in congregation in the Masjid has come to us from Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu yet they oppose his teaching. Similarly, the issuing of three divorces in one sitting is counted as three divorces according to Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu, the Sahaabah and the Tabi’een. It is not known of any Sahaabi that opposed this view and this is the view of the Imaams of all four Madhaahib. These Ghair Muqallids or Salafis or Wahhabis count three as one. They have moved away from Ijmaa of the Ummah like the Shias.
When a person claims to be a Hanafi or a Shafi, he intends following the Sunnah of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam according to the teachings of Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah or Imam Shafi’ee Rahimahullah. He follows the teachings of these senior Imaams of Fiqh as he is not in the position to understand the rulings of Shariah and the Sunnah directly from the Quraan and Hadith, whereas they have the necessary knowledge and expertise to extract the rulings of Shariah from these sources.
Further, Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said:
خير القرون قرني ثم الذين بعده ثم الذين بعدهم
The best of eras is my era, then those that come after it, and then those that follow after them.
All the four Imaams of Fiqh were found in the era which is referred to as the best of eras in the above narration.
Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab came many centuries later from a place called Najd which was full of ignorance at that time. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam predicted that Fitnah will rise from Najd and numerous Ulama of our time are of the opinion that the Fitnah mentioned in the Hadeeth is referred to the Fitnah of Salafism.
روى البخاري في صحيحه في كتاب الفتن، من حديث ابن عمر أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قام إلى جنب المنبر، فقال: “الفتنة ها هنا، الفتنة ها هنا، من حيث يطلع قرن الشيطان، أو قال: قرن الشمس. وفي رواية عنه أنه سمع الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو مستقبل المشرق، يقول: “ألا إن الفتنة ها هنا من حيث يطلع قرن الشيطان. وفي رواية عنه، قال: ذكر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: اللهم بارك لنا في شامنا، اللهم بارك لنا في يمننا، قالوا: وفي نجدنا؟ قال: “اللهم بارك لنا في شامنا، اللهم بارك لنا في يمننا”، قالوا: يا رسول الله، وفي نجدنا؟ قال: فأظنه قال في الثالثة: “هناك الزلازل، والفتن، وبها يطلع قرن الشيطان”.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 15 Jumadal Ula 1444 / 10 December 2022