The Different Categories Of at-Taqleed From The Words Of The Noble Shaykh Ahmad Baazmool (may Allaah preserve him)

The Different Categories Of at-Taqleed From The Words Of The Noble Shaykh Ahmad Baazmool (may Allaah preserve him)

The Noble Shaykh Ahmad Baazmool (may Allaah preserve him) mentioned in his footnotes of the refutation of al-Allaamah Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee (may Allaah have mercy upon him) against Alee Hasan al-Halabi (may Allaah guide him) the different categories of at-Taqleed. This is in relation to those who say "We don't blind follow the scholars" or "people are blind following the scholars" unrestrictedly. This is from the false princinples of the people of innovation. 


The Shaykh (may Allaah preserve him) mentioned three categories of at-Taqleed:
"That which Muharram (prohibited), that which is Waajib (obligatory), and that which is Mubaah (permissible).

As for the Taqleed which is prohibited, it is of three categories:

1. Turning away from that which Allaah has revealed, without turning to it sufficing oneself with the following of the forefathers.
2. The Taqleed of the one who the Maqaalid (the one observing Taqleed) doesn't know to be from the people whose statement is to be taken.
3. The Taqleed after the establishment of the proofs and the appearance of  the evidence which are different from the statement of the Muqallid.

The obligatory Taqleed:

It is the common folk returning back to the Ulamaa and asking them (about the affairs of the religion). Allaah has commanded (us) with asking the people of Dhikr. The Dhikr is the Qur'aan and the Hadeeth. This is the Dhikr which He (Allaah) commanded us to follow. He also commanded those who don't have knowledge to ask its people. This is the obligation upon everyone. It is that the person ask the person of knowledge about that which has been revealed to His (Allaah's) Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in order for them (the Ulamaa) to inform him of it. When they inform him it is not for the person to do anything other than follow it.

The permissible Taqleed:

It is the Taqleed of the one who has exerted his efforts in following that which Allaah has revealed and some of the knowledge of it is hidden from him. As a result of that he makes Taqleed of the one who is more knowledgeable than him. This is praiseworthy and not blameworthy. The person is rewarded for this and not in sin for doing so.


Then to add, the common person when he ask the scholar and the scholar gives him a verdict with the evidence, he (the common person) is considered a one who is following (the proofs) and not one who is "blind following". If the scholar gives a verdict based upon his deductions (Ijtihaad) then the common person is a Muqallid of the scholar. Therefore the affair of following it is that which the evidence is established upon. Taqleed is the acceptance of the statement without evidence."

Taken from "Hiwaar ma'a Halabi" footnotes of p.g. 43-44

Translated by: Abu Yusuf Khaleefah