The person’s status and statement

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“And know that most followers of the madhhabs hold an individual in high regard in their hearts, thus, they follow his statements (or opinions) without contemplating on what he has stated. This is the very essence of misguidance, for indeed contemplation must be directed to the statement itself, not to the utterer of it.” (1)

Imam at-Tahawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Abu Ubaid, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to discuss various issues of the religion with me. Then one day, I responded to him on an issue, so he said to me, ‘This is not a statement (or view) of (Imam) Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy upon him.’ I said to him, ‘O Muslim judge!  Is it the case that I have to say (or hold as my view) everything Abu Hanifah says (or holds as his view)?’ He said, ‘I did not think about you except that you are a blind follower’. I said to him, ‘Is there anyone who blindly follows except a mere follower (or an ignorant person?’ He said to me, ‘Or a stupid person?’ Thus, this statement became famous in Egypt until it became time-honoured (or became a proverb)”. (2)

(1) Ralbis Iblis p 74

(2) Raf‘ al-Isr ‘an Qudāt Miṣr, by Ibn Ḥajar (p. 273)

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