while abandoning following it, even for following something better than it, is difficult due to attachment and addiction to it, as well as the fear of becoming part of the minority, which generates political and social pressures. In this way, the statements and actions prevalent in society, like a coercive and imperceptible factor, influence its individuals and shape their statements and actions, in such a manner that they perceive these statements and actions as their own. However, these statements and actions do not, in fact, belong to them but to society, and they have played the smallest part in their creation.

[The Invalidity of Consensus]

From here, it is understood that the Jama‘ah, in the sense of the dominant majority of Muslims, cannot serve as a criterion for the truth, and adherence to it is not justified, and its people are not necessarily people of the truth. Therefore, it has been said that the Jama‘ah are the people of the truth, even if they are few[1]. Likewise, consensus, when understood as popularity and not knowing of any opposition, has no basis in Islam and does not establish the truth; because not knowing of any opposition does not mean that there is no opposition, and popularity does not indicate truthfulness. Yes, the definitive agreement of Muslims, based on the impossibility of their settling on falsehood, reveals the truth. However, it is clear that its complete induction is not possible, and its incomplete induction does not lead to certainty. Therefore, justifying the validity of that agreement by relying on its inclusion of the opinion of the Prophet or his rightly guided caliphs—based on the view that their opinion is proof—is also meaningless; because its inclusion of their opinion is certain if its existence itself is certain, while its existence rests on incomplete induction, which is conjectural and, therefore, has no validity in Islam; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا﴾[2]; “Indeed, conjecture is not sufficient for (proving) the truth.”[3]

[The Invalidity of Republicanism]

Similarly, republicanism, in the sense of governance based on the opinion of the majority of people, is unreasonable;

↑[1] . It has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah that he said: «جَمَاعَةُ أُمَّتِي أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ، وَإِنْ قَلُّوا» (al-Mahasin by al-Barqi, vol. 1, p. 220; al-Amali by ibn Babawayh, p. 413); “The Jama‘ah of my Ummah are the people of truth, even if they are few,” and he said: «جَمَاعَةُ أُمَّتِي مَنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا عَشَرَةً» (al-Mahasin by al-Barqi, vol. 1, p. 220; Ma‘ani al-Akhbar by ibn Babawayh, p. 154); “The Jama‘ah of my Ummah are those who are upon the truth, even if they are ten,” and he said: «الْمُؤْمِنُ وَحْدَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ» (Da‘a’im al-Islam by ibn Hayyun, vol. 1, p. 154; Tahdhib al-Ahkam by al-Tusi, vol. 3, p. 265); “A believer alone is a Jama‘ah,” and he said: «الْقَلِيلُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَثِيرٌ» (Kitab Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Hadrami, p. 62; al-Mahasin by al-Barqi, vol. 1, p. 220); “A small number of believers are many.” It has also been narrated from Ali that he said: “The Jama‘ah are the people of the truth, even if they are few; and the Firqah (i.e., factions) are the people of falsehood, even if they are many.” (Ma‘ani al-Akhbar by ibn Babawayh, p. 155), and from Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud that he said: “The Jama‘ah are the people of the truth, even if you are alone.” (al-Faqih Wa al-Muttafaqqih by al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, vol. 2, p. 404)—and in another narration: “Indeed, the majority of the Jama‘ah are those who depart from the Jama‘ah. The Jama‘ah are only those who adhere to the obedience of Allah, even if you are alone.” (Sharh Usul I‘tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah Wa al-Jama‘ah by al-Lalika’i, vol. 1, p. 122; al-Madkhal Ila Ilm al-Sunan by al-Bayhaqi, vol. 1, p. 419).

↑[2] . Yunus/ 36

↑[3] . Many scholars have acknowledged this. For example, Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrated: “I heard my father say about a matter on which ijma‘ (i.e., consensus) is claimed: ‘This is a lie. One who claims ijma‘ is a liar; perhaps people differed and it did not reach him’”—and in another narration, he said: “One who claims ijma‘ has lied; and how would he know? Perhaps people differed.” Also, ibn al-Harith reported from him that he said: “No one should claim ijma‘; perhaps people differed”; and al-Marwazi reported from him that he said: “How can it be permissible for a man to say, ‘They have reached ijma‘? When you hear them say, ‘They have reached ijma‘,’ then suspect them. If he were to say, ‘I do not know of anyone who disagrees with them,’ that would be permissible”; and Abu Talib reported from him that he said: “This is a lie! How does he know that people have agreed unanimously? Rather, he should say: ‘I do not know of any disagreement regarding it’—that is better than his saying that there is ijma‘ among people.” (See al-Uddah Fi Usul al-Fiqh by Abu Ya‘la, vol. 4, pp. 1059 and 1060). Likewise, al-Shafi‘i said: “What is not known to have disagreement about is not ijma‘.” (al-Ihkam Fi Usul al-Ahkam by ibn Hazm, vol. 4, p. 188).