1-Why Does a Muslim has to Follow one particular Imam?( Imam Hanaf, Imam malik, Imam Hambal, Imam shafaii), when there is no rule as such, is not this the greatest biddah in muslims, which has no base in islam, 2-also if one follows part of one imam and a part of another imam what harm is there in that, as both say they r followers of Prophet(saws) 3-whom did the sahabh, the tabain, the tabe-tabain, follow as imam? pls answer All the questions, sometimes you skip some of the questions.
1. A muslim has to follow Shariah. If he is a mujtahid, ie. A master in all the different fields of Islamic sciences then he will follow Quran , Hadith, Ijmaa directly using his skills for deducing laws. If a person does not possess these skills then he will have to follow one who possesses these skills. On this there is Ijmaa (consensus) of the Ummah and is backed up by Ayaat of the Quran and Ahadith.
2. If one picks and chooses from the mazhabs, then he will be following his desires and no sooner does one follow his desires than he goes astray. Only one who is well versed in Shariah, knows the implications of picking and choosing. Each ruling is based on a broader general principle and thus by picking and choosing one who be going against these principles and would thus be contradicting himself. There is Ijmaa that a person has to follow only one Mazhab.
3. Those Sahabah and tabieen who were not mujtahids would follow those who were. This is proved in many narrations.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Ml. Hussein Kadodia
FATWA DEPT.
CHECKED & APPROVED: Ml. Imraan Vawda