Taking religious knowledge from reliable sources Fatwa No: 38541
- Fatwa Date:8-3-2012
Is it permissible for us, the ordinary people of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa‘ah, to adopt some of the juristic opinions of Mubtadi‘ah schools who disagree with the opinions of our school, knowing that these opinions are issued by scholars whom we do not consider to be disbelievers, and some of us even revere them.
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
An ordinary person is commanded to imitate a scholar whose righteousness and uprightness he trusts, but the Mubtadi'ah (who follow their desires and do religious innovations) are not reliable in this regard. Therefore, every Muslim must avoid such people and guard against them not to be affected by their religious innovations.
Muhammad ibn Seereen mentioned that since this knowledge is knowledge of religion, you must carefully consider from whom you are receiving such knowledge. [Muslim]. Therefore, it is impermissible for a Muslim to imitate the Mubtadi'ah and those who follow their desires in matters of religion.
‘Asmaa’ ibn ‘Ubayd narrated that two Mubtadi‘ah men came to the place where Ibn Seereen was sitting and tried to read a Hadeeth before him but he refused, then they tried to read a verse from the Quran and he also refused. Instead, he asked them to leave the place, otherwise he would go himself, so they left. The attendants asked him why he did not allow them to read a verse from the Quran. He answered that he feared that they might read a verse, distort it, and influence the attendants with that distortion. [Ad-Daarimi].
In sum, keep away from the Mubtadi‘ah and those who follow their desires, since the Sunni schools of Fiqh (schools of Islamic jurisprudence) are sufficient.
Allaah Knows best.