Is It Correct to Follow Local Scholars While Using SeekersGuidance for Clarification?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

Scholars in my region differ from SeekersGuidance on some fiqh issues. I usually follow my local scholars but refer to SeekersGuidance when unsure. Is this approach correct?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

Your current approach is sound. You may continue to follow your local scholars while consulting SeekersGuidance when unsure. Differences between qualified scholars working within the same legal tradition are usually real but legitimate, and investigating the reason behind such differences is itself a mark of sound learning.

Understanding the Nature of SeekersGuidance

SeekersGuidance is, for all practical purposes, a formal traditional Islamic seminary. It is an organized institution consisting of qualified teachers of various ranks and specializations, alongside students following a structured curriculum within a defined framework. In this sense, it functions as a trusted scholarly network, similar to other recognized seminaries and scholarly bodies.

SeekersGuidance adheres to traditional Sunni Islam, namely the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘a. This orthodox framework encompasses the four well-known schools of law: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali. In matters of creed, it reflects the recognized theological traditions, including the Ash‘ari, Maturidi, and Hanbali (Athari) approaches. Consequently, the scholarly opinions presented through SeekersGuidance fall within this established and authoritative Sunni framework.

The Role of Local Scholars

The same general description usually applies to local scholars. Most local scholars adhere to one of the recognized legal schools, such as the Hanafi or Shafi‘i schools, or follow the Hanbali school in jurisprudence. Differences between scholars typically arise not from departing from these schools, but from choosing among the various opinions that exist within a given school.

Within each school of law, multiple authoritative opinions may exist. A local scholar may adopt a specific view and consistently teach it. In contrast, scholars at SeekersGuidance, given the broader range of teachers and perspectives, may present alternative positions that are also valid within the same legal tradition. This reflects scholarly breadth rather than contradiction.

Clarifying Differences and Avoiding Contradictions

There should not be outright contradictions in which two scholars claim to represent the same legal school and legacy while issuing completely opposing rulings without clarification. If one scholar states a ruling as representing a particular school, and another scholar claims the same school but presents a different ruling, then one of them may be relying on a non-preponderant opinion or may not be clarifying the status of the view being cited.

In jurisprudence, a range of opinions can be technically sound and authoritative, having been transmitted by qualified scholars within the tradition. Differences, therefore, are often real but legitimate. A student or layperson may not always be aware of the underlying reasons for these differences, which can create confusion.

Practical Advice

Your current approach is sound. You may continue to follow your local scholars while consulting SeekersGuidance when you are unsure. When you encounter a difference, it is beneficial to investigate the reason behind that difference. Consider what your local scholars say and how it differs from what you have read or heard from SeekersGuidance.

You are encouraged to ask for clarification, either from your local scholars or from the scholars at SeekersGuidance. You might say that you have heard one opinion and are now encountering another, and politely ask for an explanation. In most cases, there will be a clear and reasonable explanation rooted in the legal tradition.

Even in the unlikely event that an error is identified, raising such questions contributes positively by helping clarify or correct the matter.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers

• A Reader on Following Schools of Thought — A comprehensive, curated collection of SeekersGuidance answers on the madhabs, covering how to follow a school of thought, when one may follow another school, and the principle of avoiding differences of opinion with taqwa.
• Differences of Opinion Amongst Scholars — An explanation of why scholarly differences are considered a mercy for the community, with guidance on how a layperson should approach following qualified scholars who understand the Sacred Law, the times, and the needs of the people.
• Is Following One Madhab Obligatory? — A clear ruling that the majority scholarly position does not require a layperson to be bound to a single legal school, and that valid differences between the recognized schools are a source of mercy for the Muslim community.
• Is Opting for the Easiest Fatwa Among Differing Scholarly Opinions Sinful? — A ruling confirming that following a valid, easier opinion from a qualified scholar is not sinful when chosen with good faith and genuine need, and that diversity of scholarly opinion is a mercy accommodating different circumstances.

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), who taught there.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Center and, for 6 years, the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen in Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has 15 years of teaching experience at some of Cape Town’s leading Islamic institutes. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.