Question
Kindly advise on how to teach a beginner to follow a madhhab.
The individual comes from a family that does not adhere to any particular madhhab. He is young, has limited Islamic knowledge, and lives in an environment where religious education is difficult due to government restrictions. Kindly advise on how to introduce him to following a madhhab. Also, could you recommend some beginner-level Hanafi books in Arabic?
Answer
The better way to make a person understand the importance of following a madhhab is for him to speak to an Alim of a specific madhhab. Logically, one can easily understand that every person does not have the capability of physically extracting laws directly from the Qur’an and Hadith. Just as is the case in other fields, one is obliged to refer to the experts, why shouldn’t it be such in Shari’ah regarding the divine commands of Allah Ta’ala?
Allah Ta’ala commands us in the Qur’an,: “Then ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” (Al-Ambiya Ayah: 7)
However, the following books could be read under the guidance of an Alim. These books will correct his mindset insha Allah:
1. Kitabur-Radd ‘ala Manittab‘a ghayr al-madhahibil-arba‘ah, by Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hambali al-Dimashqi (rahimahullah)
2. Atharul-Hadithi-Sharif, fi Ikhtilafil-A’immatil-Fuqaha, by al-Muhaddith Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah protect him)
3. Adabul-Ikhtilaf, fi Masa’ilil-Ilmi wad-Deen, by Shaykh Muhammad Awwamah.
It is hoped that through these books a better understanding about the importance of following a specific madhhab will be created.
The following is a list of some basic Arabic Hanafi Fiqh compilations:
1. Maraqi al-Falah Sharh Nurul-Idah.
2. Mukhtasarut-Tahawi, by Imam al-Tahawi (rahimahullah)
3. Al-Ikhtiyar fil Madhhabil-Mukhtar.
4. Fathu babil-‘Inaya sharhu sharhil-Niqayah, by Mullah Ali al-Qari (rahimahullah)
The above are authentic and comprehensive compilations of Hanafi Fiqh which also allude to the proof of the verdicts.
And Allah Ta’ala knows Best
Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar
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التخريج من المصادر العربية
القرآن الكريم: [الأنبياء: ٧]
{وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ}.