بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise belongs to Allah alone, and may He exalt our Last Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, bless him and his family, Companions, and all who follow him rightly until the Last Hour.

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Is Accepting A Scholar Speech Considered Blind Following? - Answer by Shaykh Muqbil & Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan

First Question to Shaykh Muqbil al-Yemani: The questioner asks, "There are those who say that accepting the statements of the scholars about the people is considered blind following so what is the validity of this statement?"

Answer from Shaykh Muqbil:

Al'Allahmah Imam Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadee al-Yemani said: All praise is due to Allah & the prayers and peace be upon our Messanger Muhammad peace be upon him & upon his family & companions & those who adhere, I testify that nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone & He has no partners & I testify that Muhammad is his servant & Messenger. To proceed:

This is old speech from some of the people of innovation,

As-Sa'aanee has mentioned in his book "Irshaadun-Nuqqaad IIaa Tayseril-I'jtihaad" from some of the people of innovation who said,

'You forbid from blind following & yet you blind follow Yahyaa Ibn Ma'een, so if Yahyaa says about a man, 'He is trustworthy', you'll say 'Trustworthy' & if al-Bukharee says, 'This hadeeth is authentic', you'll say: 'It is authentic', so you are blind followers.

So as-San'aanee Rahimahullah answered this in his tremendous book "Irshaadun-Nuqqaad IIaa Tayseril-I'jtihaad". He(as-San'anee) said, "Indeed this is not blind following rather it's only the acceptance of the narration of trustworthy & Allah says in his Nobile Book, 'O you who believe! If a Fâsiq (liar - evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done.[Surah Hoojurat 49:6]'"

So this verse is understood that if a trustworthy person comes to us we accept his information.

Yes if a weak person speaks about an Imaam from the Imaams then they don't accept his speech

Imaam ad-Dhahabee, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning the critiscism of al-'Uqaylee about 'Alee Ibnul - Madeenee & Abdur-Razzaq' & a group of scholars, ad-Dhahabee refuted him saying, Do you have any sense O 'Uqaylee! You come to the great scholars of Islam & speak against them while they are beteer than you', or with this meaning.

So if a weak person speaks about an Imam from the great Imams his speech is not accepted.

an Example of that is the speech of al-Qardawee(misguided individula, he's dead now) about ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz that 'Abdul-Majeed ar-Raymee' read in Jaami'ud-Dawah,

Jaami'ud-Da'wah that spread from it sunan until it fell in to the hands of 'Abdul-Majeed ar-Raymee' & he infected it,

Abdul-Majeed read the statement of al-Qardawee supoorting it & some from the ignorant Yemenis who is listened to him left out & were cursing ash-Shaykh ib Baaz Rahimahullah.

I(Shaykh Muqbil) was informed of this by the trustworthy brother 'Abdur-Rahman Ibn-Iyaash' so if one of no standing like 'Abdul-Majeed' or 'Yoosuf al_Qardawee' comes & defames an Imam from the Imaams of the muslims, we don't accept it whatsoever.

Yes also the words of Hafiz ad-Dhahabee: 'Abul-Fath al-Azdee' Muhammad ibnul-Husayn comes & declares some of the Imaams to be weak, so Imam ad-Dhahabee, says 'This one is an Imam & Abdul-Fath al-Azdee is weak.'

So what? What is important is that al-Jarh wat-Tadeel is not an affair of blind following....

End of Speech source: Translated and posted by SalafiPublications, see here pdf: MNJ150007.PDF direct link: https://www.spubs.com/sps/downloads/pdf/MNJ150007.pdf and posted by Salafi Dawah Manchester on YouTube link: Is accepting the criticism of a scholar considered blind following? | Shaikh Muqbil

Do We Blind Follow in Affairs of Creed(Aqidah/Imaan)? Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan

Question:Is it permissible to blind follow in affairs of Creed?

Answer by Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan:

No, blind following are in affairs of Jurisprudence(Madhab) for the ignorant person, affairs of Jurisprudence for the ignorant person.

Allah The Most High said, "Ask the people of knowledge if you don't know.(Al-Anbiya:7)"

However in creed, then there is no blind following, it's a must for a person to learn it from Quran & the Sunnah & the methodology of the pious predecessors(i.e Salaf). There are established books, summarized & detailed. Book which clarify the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah-wal-Jamaah.

Take for example, al-Aqeedatul al-Wasaatiyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyaah, a creed which is sufficient & plentiful in explaining the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah & it's foundation. Yes.

End of Speech source: Do we Blind Follow in Affairs of Creed? - Shaykh Saaleh al-Fawzaan | posted by Salafi Dawah Menchester.

“Why do the Salafīs say that it’s impermissible to blindly follow the Great Imāms such as Abu Hanīfah, Mālik, Ash-Shāfi’ī and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, yet they blindly follow the scholars such as Ibn Bāz, Ibn Uthaymīn, Al-Albānī, etc?”

The claim that Salafis reject blind-following (taqlīd) of the four Imams—Abu Hanifah, Malik ibn Anas, Al-Shafi‘i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal—but blindly follow later scholars like Abd al-Aziz Ibn Baz, Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin, and Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani is incorrect.

Salafis distinguish between:

• Ittibā’ (following with evidence) — the الأصل (foundation), meaning following the Qur’an and Sunnah based on proof.

• Taqlīd (blind-following) — following without knowing evidence, which is only allowed in limited cases.

The core principle is that Muslims should follow the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet based on evidence. However, since not everyone has the knowledge to understand complex rulings, ordinary people are allowed to rely on qualified scholars when necessary.

This reliance is not blind loyalty, but a practical necessity. If someone later learns stronger evidence that contradicts a scholar’s opinion, they must follow the evidence instead.

Salafis do not claim any scholar—past or present—is always correct. Even the great Imams themselves said their opinions should be rejected if they contradict authentic teachings.

In summary:

• The goal is to follow evidence, not personalities.

• Scholars are followed for their knowledge, not blindly.

• Taqlīd is allowed only when a person cannot understand the evidence.

• Whenever clear proof appears, it takes priority over any scholar’s opinion.

Read the full article here: “Why do the Salafīs say that it’s impermissible to blindly follow the Great Imāms such as Abu Hanīfah, Mālik, Ash-Shāfi’ī and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, yet they blindly follow the scholars such as Ibn Bāz, Ibn Uthaymīn, Al-Albānī, etc?” Question 4 in the Manhaj. Direct link: https://abukhadeejah.com/taqleed-blind-following-four-imams-salafis/?pfstyle=wp

Understanding Taqlīd and Ittibā’ (Structured Explanation)

First Case:
Taqlīd (blind-following without knowing evidence) is only permitted for an ignorant person who cannot read or write and is unable to comprehend proofs. This applies only in Fiqh al-Furū‘ (subsidiary rulings), not in Fiqh al-Akbar such as matters of Īmān, shirk, and kufr.

This is only valid when:

• The scholar is known to be from Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah, not upon bid‘ah.
• The person trusts the scholar’s knowledge and dīn.
• The scholar is from his/her locality or accessible to them.

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Second Case:
Any layman Muslim—whether ignorant or even capable of studying—may resort to taqlīd out of necessity when an immediate fatwā is required. In such situations, taqlīd becomes wājib (obligatory).

It is not a condition that a person must understand the proofs before acting upon a fatwā. The scholar already bases his ruling upon evidences, even if the questioner cannot comprehend them.

Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani clarified that making it a condition to understand proofs before acting is an innovation.

Examples:

• A man dealing with complex divorce issues (anger levels, uncertainty in pronouncement, menstruation, witnesses). These matters are too complicated for a layman to analyze, so he must rely on a scholar.
• A woman with irregular bleeding who cannot distinguish between menstrual blood and istiḥāḍah. She cannot delay her prayers indefinitely, so she must follow a scholar’s ruling.

In such cases, the scholar becomes the muftī of the layperson, and taqlīd is necessary.

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Third Case:
If a person has the ability to seek knowledge and the issue is not urgent, then he should delay acting until he learns and understands the ruling.

Examples:

• Cultural practices like fixing a yearly date for charity for the deceased (imitating non-Muslim customs).
• Saying the intention (niyyah) verbally before prayer, which is an innovation affecting the reward.

In such cases, since there is time, the person must:

• Learn
• Ask scholars
• Understand
• Then act

If he neglects learning despite having the ability and time, he is sinful.

Note:
All the above three cases relate to Fiqh al-Furū‘, not Fiqh al-Akbar.

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Fourth Case (Important):
In matters of Fiqh al-Akbar—such as Īmān, shirk, kufr, bid‘ah, tawḥīd, shahādah, and ‘aqīdah—no one is excused, even an ignorant person.

Scholars like Salih al-Fawzan emphasize that these are fundamental matters every Muslim must know.

However, this knowledge is not something done once and finished; rather, a Muslim continues learning and improving until death.
In rare or unclear situations, one should still refer to scholars and also try to understand the proofs.

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Important Reminder:
Muhammad Aman al-Jami warned that some people question why ‘aqīdah is studied continuously, yet they never question continuous study of fiqh. This shows a hidden opposition to Tawḥīd and Sunnah—so one must be cautious.

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Core Principle of Ahlus-Sunnah

Ahlus-Sunnah do not blindly follow any scholar:

• Not Abd al-Aziz Ibn Baz
• Not Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin
• Not Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani
• Not even the great Imams like Abu Hanifah or Al-Shafi‘i

Rather:

• The اصل (foundation) is following evidence (ittibā’).
• Scholars are followed based on their proofs.
• If a stronger proof appears, the earlier opinion is ترك (left).

Even the Imams themselves said:

• Al-Shafi‘i: “If my opinion contradicts the Prophet, reject it.”
• Malik ibn Anas: “Everyone’s statement is accepted or rejected except the Prophet.”
• Abu Hanifah: “If a hadith is authentic, then that is my madhhab.”

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When Scholars Differ

As explained by Abd al-Aziz Ibn Baz:

1. Follow the strongest evidence.
2. If unable to determine, follow the stronger opinion.
3. If still unclear, follow the majority of scholars.

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Final Principle

• Knowledge is taken only from Ahlus-Sunnah, not from innovators.
• The دين (religion) is based on Qur’an and Sunnah upon the understanding of the Sahābah.
• Asking scholars is not blind-following, but obedience to Allah’s command:
  “Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.”

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