1ST, 7TH AND 15TH WAGON

My friend! First of all you must be sincere to yourself. Otherwise, what message of sincerity will you convey to the next person? Tell me with full sincerity, is it through research that you say not to follow any Imam in order to follow Deen? Is it not by making Taqleed that you prohibit from making Taqleed? As far as I know you, you cannot make such a serious statement on your own. You must have followed a person blindly to say that one should not follow an Imam.

That is, by making Taqleed of the likes of Allaamah Ibn Taimiyyah of the 6th or 7th century and Albani of the 15th century, you are prohibiting from making Taqleed of such a well-known Imam such as Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi alayh) who was born 70 years only after the demise of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). Do you realise what you are doing? This is called falling out of the frying pan and into the fire. You have spent your entire life in making Taqleed and in following blindly. You have followed blindly in accepting or rejecting a Hadith. Yes, you have followed blindly those on whom you have confidence in their knowledge. So, let others also follow those on whom they have confidence in their knowledge.

If you trust Allaamah Ibn Taimiyyah or Albani, I also trust Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi alayh). Finally, I see that we are both same in the same train. The only difference is that I am in a compartment which is close to the locomotive and you are in the 7th or 15th wagon. I have got the opportunity to follow someone who is very close to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) and you have preferred to stay a bit further. To everyone is his chance. To everyone is his destiny. I am very happy with where I am. Nonetheless, I have no objection if you come with me.

[English version of "1er, 7eme et 15eme wagon" – Al Jamiat – Vol.1 No.11]