Madhhab of Ahl al-Hadeeth

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Question:

Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله was asked about the Imaams al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhee, al-Nasaa’ee, Ibn Maajah, Abu Dawood al-Tayaalisee, al-Daarimee, al-Bazzaar, al-Daaraqutnee, al-Baihaqee, Ibn Khuzaimah, Abu Yu`laa (all these were Muhaddith), were they Mujtahid or Muqallid?

Answer:

He رحمه الله answered: “As for al-Bukhaaree and Abu Dawood, they both were Imaams in Fiqh (Islaamic Jurisprudence) and were from the people of Ijtihaad. But as for Muslim, al-Tirmidhee, al-Nasaa’ee and Ibn Maajah, Ibn Khuzaimah, Abu Yu`laa, al-Bazzaar and their likes were upon the Madhhab of Ahl al-Hadeeth. But they were not Muqallids, singling out anyone of the Imaams nor were they the Imaams in Ijtihaad in absolute terms. Rather, they were inclined to one of the Imaams of Hadeeth like al-Shaafi`ee, Ahmad, Is-haaq, Abu `Ubaid and others like them.”

[Majmoo` al-Fataawaa (20/39-40)]

*******

Benefits from this:

First: Answering back with more (information) than the questioner asked, and this is from good manners in giving Fatwaa. This is in accordance to the Hadeeth which was narrated by Imaam Maalik in his Muwatta, as well as in the Sunan from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that a man asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: O Messenger of Allaah, we travel by sea and we take a little water with us, but if we use it for Wudhoo’, we will go thirsty. Can we perform Wudhoo’ with seawater? The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Its water is a means of purification and its dead meat is permissible.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (83), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (69) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (480)]

Second: A scholar can excel in one of the many fields* of knowledge, while following (the opinion of) others in the other fields.

*[A few examples are: al-Lughah (the `Arabic language), Tafseer, Hadeeth, Sharee`ah etc.]

Third: Making Taqleed of the scholars when their opinion is in accordance with the Hadeeth is praiseworthy and not blameworthy.

Fourth: As for the one who has not excelled enough in knowledge and does not meet the conditions of Ijtihaad, then it is not permissible for him to make Ijtihaad even though he might be brilliant in one of the many fields of knowledge.

Fifth: Following the opinion (doing Taqleed) is allowed as long as it has evidences; otherwise (blind) Taqleed is blameworthy when the evidence point to something else.

Sixth: The position of Imaam al-Bukhaaree and Abu Dawood with the Salaf.

Seventh:  The abundant knowledge of Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله.

Eighth: The justice of Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله on the subject.