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Fatwa CenterChanging Mathhab to obey father
Question
My father once tried to convince me to change my Madhhab (School of Thought). He did so because my neighborhood follows the Hanafi Madhhab, and so when they see me pray, they ask him questions about me. He tried to convince me and at one point said, "Change your Madhhab. If you go to hell we will go together. Do not go to heaven leaving us behind," or, "What is the point of going to heaven leaving us behind." I do not recall the last sentence properly. I know that he did not think that following one Madhhab over the other will take someone to hell. He said this in jest, and I fear that I might have laughed at what he said. Everyone I ask about this seems to give an answer indicating that they have a little bit of suspicion that this is mockery of Islam, but they are too scared to say something definitive. I hope that you can answer my question.
Answer
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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
We do not see that what you did is considered mockery of Islam; rather, it is perhaps mere Waswasah (obsessive whisperings). We warn you from such whisperings and from thinking about them any further. Verily, letting yourself be preoccupied with them leads to grave evils. You should know that you are not obliged to change your Mathhab to obey your father as long as you follow one of the Mathhabs followed by Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa‘ah.
Allaah knows best.
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