Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh.

Alhamdulillaahi Rabbil `Aalameen, was Salaatu was Salaamu `alaa Sayyidil Ambiyaa'i wal Mursaleen, wa `alaa Aalihee wa Ashaabihee Ajma`een, Ammaa Ba`d:

Without doubt, the disease known as "Ghair Muqallidiyyat" is something which has been plaguing this Ummah terribly, and is the antithesis of another disease, known as "Barelviyat". These two are amongst the countless sects (Firaq) existing in the world today, but this thread of mine is only about the first of the two, which is Ghair Muqallidiyyat.

When deviation rears its ugly head, it becomes the duty of the `Ulamaa, who are the Warathul Ambiyaa, to rise up and stomp out its brains.

Ghair Muqallidiyyat is a disease which brings in its wakes many Fitan, i.e. confusion in matters of Deen, disrespect for the Auliyaa-ullaah, confusion in matters of `Aqeedah, rejection of Tasawwuf, irreligiousness, modernism, Ittibaa`-ul-Hawaa (following of desires), etc. In some cases, it can even lead to atheism, wal `Iyyaadhu Billaahi Ta`aalaa. The `Ulamaa of the past understood this, hence the great Hanafi `Aalim, `Allaamah Zaahid al-Kawthari (Rahimahullaah) had written a Kitaab wherein he refutes it, and he termed this Kitaab, "Al-Laa-Madh-habiyyah Qantaratul Laadeeniyyah" (Ghair Muqallidiyyat is the doorway to atheism).

What I want to try to do, Inshaa'Allaah, is to post something in this thread every now and then regarding this topic of Ghair Muqallidiyyat, whether it is an article written by me, or written by another `Aalim, or whether it is a Kitaab of Bayaan which also relates to this subject. This is so that some effort may be made in correcting the wrong mindset of some people, and there is no Guide besides Allaah `Azza wa Jall.

Before beginning with any of that, I would first like to ask the rejectors of Madhaahib if they are even aware of what the term "Madh-hab" means? Many (most, in fact) are unable to speak Arabic, and resort to Urdu and English translations of original Arabic texts. As they get their definitions from translations, they will perhaps answer you by saying "It means a School of Thought". Yes, this is what it is translated by people as, but what does it mean? Where does this word come from? What are its Huroof-e-Asli? Again, as they do not know Arabic, they will not even know what is the meaning of "Huroof-e-Asli", so we make it easy for them, by telling them it means "The original root-letters of a word."

This word "Madh-hab", comes from three root-letters, which are "Dhaal" "Haa" and "Baa": "Dha-ha-ba", which literally means, "he went/left", the plural of which is "Yadh-habu", which means "he is leaving/going/he will leave/go". Its Masdar is "Adh-Dhahbu".

"Dhahaba Yadh-habu" is on the Wazn of "Fataha Yaftahu", and its Gardaan goes as follows:

"Dhahaba Yadh-habu Dhahban fa-huwa Dhaahibun wa Dhuhiba Yudh-habu Dhahbun fa-huwa Madh-hoob. Al-Amru minhu Idh-hab, wan Nahyu `anhu Laa Tadh-hab, Adh-Dharfu minhu Madh-hab, wal Aalaatu minhu Midh-hab, Af`alut Tafdheeli minhu Adh-habu wal Mu'annathu minhu Dhahbaa."

So "Madh-hab" is the Ism Zharf of "Dhahaba Yadh-habu". Hence, the true meaning of "Madh-hab", is "a place where one goes".

What, then, is the meaning of "a place where one goes"? To understand this, you must first understand that the sources for the extraction of Ahkaam in the Sharee`ah of Islaam are four, viz:

1) Qur'aan.
2) Sunnah.
3) Ijmaa`.
4) Qiyaas.

Qiyaas (analogical deduction) from Qur'aanic Aayaat and Ahaadeeth can only be carried out by a person qualified to do so. This is not the prerogative of every Tom, Dick and Harry. As it is not the prerogative of every plumber, carpenter, builder, to purchase/download some medical books and thereafter begin diagnosing patients, it is similarly impermissible for a Jaahil to purchase/download some Kutub of Deen (not even the original Arabic, on top of that, but instead the translations) and thereafter start extracting Ahkaam and issuing Fataawaa.

So how does he then find out what is the Shar`i ruling regarding a matter? That is very simple; he poses his question to the Mufti Saheb, and the Mufti will resort to "the place where one goes", in Arabic, "Madh-hab". For the Madh-hab is the "place where one goes to find out what is the meaning of the Aayaat and the Ahaadeeth". This is the Madh-hab. The Madh-hab is not Qur'aan and Hadeeth and the Imaam of the Madh-hab is not the law-giver; understand this clearly. This is where the Ghair Muqallideen make their mistake. We do not regard the Qowl of the Imaam as an Aayah of the Qur'aan or as a Hadeeth or Rasoolullaah (Sallallaahu `Alayhi wa Sallam). We do not say the Imaam is a Nabi to whom Allaah Ta`aalaa sent Wahi. The Imaam is merely that person who has attained a mastery in all the `Uloom of Islaam, whether it is `Aqeedah, Fiqh, Usool, Tafseer, Hadeeth, Taareekh, etc. Then, with the `Ilm and Fiqh which Allaah Ta`aalaa has bestowed upon him, he makes Ijtihaad and Qiyaas on the Aayaat and the Ahaadeeth, and comes to a conclusion. So he is not inventing rulings; he is simply extracting and explaining those rulings which are already in the Qur'aan and the Ahaadeeth, but which cannot be uncovered by the uneducated laymen. The A'immah of Islaam were oceans of `Ilm and Fiqh. They would come to a conclusion, and if they were correct they would get two rewards; one for performing Ijtihaad and the other for being correct. If they were incorrect, they would get one reward, which is for their having exerted themselves (performed Ijtihaad).

This, then, is vastly different to what the Ghair Muqallideen understand from the Manhaaj of the people of Madh-hab. In their minds, they assume that Hanafis believe Imaam Abu Haneefah (Rahmatullaahi `Alayhi) to have been a Nabi and that his words are like the Qur'aan (Wal `Iyaadhu Billaah) while the reality is far from that. Their assumptions have come about as a result of both their Jahaalat and Shaytaan. In this way he misleads them into following their Nafs, and taking their Nafs as an "Ilaah" (Nas'alullaahas Salaamata wal `Aafiyah). This is the case with some of them.

Then there are others amongst these Ghair Muqallideen, who, without realising it, are the biggest Muqallideen. This is because whether they like it or not, Taqleed for laymen is unavoidable, especially for those who cannot even speak the Arabic language. So instead of following one of the four Mujtahid Imaams, they end up following Al-Albaani, so they will acquire his Kitaab "Sifatu Salaatin Nabiyyi Sallallaahu `Alayhi wa Sallama minat Takbeeri ilat Tasleemi Ka'Annaka Taraahu" and make Taqleed of it, while imagining in their twisted minds that they are directly following "Qur'aan and Hadeeth".

There is too much to be said on this topic, so I will leave it here for now.

May Allaah Ta`aalaa grant us the understanding.

Was-Salaam.