I have a concern regarding teaching someone to follow a madhhab. The person is from a background where the family does not adhere to following one specific madhhab. The person’s knowledge is limited, as the person is young, and grew up in an environment where deen is hard to practice and knowledge is difficult to seek, because the government suppresses any kind of religious teachings.
Do you have any suggestion on how to teach someone with that background about madhhab. Also do you know any good hanafi books for beginners, such as “Heavenly Ornaments” but they all have to be 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 extraction 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 comprehensives compilations of Hanafi fiqh which also allude to the proof of the verdicts.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar