How Should We Approach Differences in Jurisprudential Opinions on Acts of Worship?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
How should we view differences in jurisprudential opinions regarding acts of worship, and what should we follow?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His noble messenger, his family, and all his companions.
The Wisdom Behind Differences in Legal Opinions
The wisdom of Allah (Most High) in His Sacred Law has decreed that many of the texts of the Quran and Sunna bear more than one interpretation. Zarkashi said:
“Know that Allah (Most High) did not establish conclusive evidence for all legal rulings, but rather made them speculative purposefully, to provide ease for those morally accountable, so they would not be confined to a single school of thought due to definitive evidence supporting it.” [Zarkashi, al-Bahr al-Muhit fi Usul al-Fiqh]
Additionally, Allah’s wisdom decreed that creation would differ in their intellects, which led to differences in understanding and, consequently, differences in legal rulings throughout the ages.
Causes of Jurisprudential Differences
The reasons for differences among jurists generally boil down to three causes:
- Reasons related to the transmission of Prophetic traditions, according to the principles of hadith methodology.
- Reasons related to understanding the text, based on the rules of Islamic jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh).
- Reasons related to the Arabic language and the meanings of its words.
Jurisprudential differences even occurred among the Companions during the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) on numerous issues. The Prophet approved each jurist’s independent reasoning (ijtihad) and gave each their due reward. Those who were correct received two rewards, and those who erred received one reward. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“When a judge gives a ruling, and he strives and is correct, he will have two rewards; and if he gives a ruling, and strives but errs, he will have one reward.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
A detailed explanation of these causes and examples would require an extensive study, which this space does not permit.
The Duty of a Muslim Regarding Jurisprudential Differences
The duty of a Muslim regarding these matters is to learn and follow a well-established, reliable school of thought through study and learning from qualified scholars. Allah (Most High) says:
“If you (polytheists) do not know (this already), then ask those who have knowledge (of the Scriptures).” [Quran, 16:43]
Imam Nawawi said:
“According to this, it is obligatory for one to choose a school of thought to follow in all matters. It is not permissible for someone to follow a school merely out of desire or simply follow what they found their father practicing. This is the opinion of the scholars. The correct view is that it is not obligatory for someone to adhere to a particular school, but they may seek legal advice from whomever they wish, or whoever they happen to consult, as long as they do not cherry-pick concessions.” [Nawawi, Rawdat al-Talibin]
We ask Allah for beneficial knowledge so that we may meet the Almighty while He is pleased with us. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.