I say, and success is by Allah, that it should be known that clear perception is an obligation for the Muslim. Ahmad az-Zarruq said in his ‘Amad al Murid as-Sadiq, after quoting the words of Allah, “Say: this is my way. I call to Allah from insight, I and whoever follows me”:
“It is clear that making things clear is one of the bases of the deen and that whoever acts from his own opinion is not following the one who brought the Shari’a. However, there are three types of people. People of knowledge who are excellent at finding out what is correct in questions which require proof, even if they are not mujtahids.This is enough to provide clarification of the first point.
1. People of knowledge who are excellent at finding out what is correct in questions which require proof, even if they are not mujtahids.
2. Those who are between ordinary people and people of knowledge. It is only correct for them to follow someone who has a clear grasp of the matter in hand. Their limited knowledge of the Shari’a obliges them to follow that person’s example. However, they may not take anything from the one they are following if it is in contradiction to what they already know of the rules of the Shari’a. No one is permitted to follow someone else’s knowledge if it is contrary to the rules of the Shari’a. However you cannot decide this unless you really have clear knowledge of it.
3. Ordinary people. They should hold to what they have no doubt about. Otherwise they are making a mockery of their deen and playing with it. This must be clearly understood!
O Allah! Show us the true as true and make us follow it. Show us the false as false and make us avoid it.
Intro and Summary
