Author: Hamed Moqaddam

Date: 2015-10-26

Is it permissible to imitate scholars if we know their reasons?

Answer to question: 5

Date: 2015-10-26

As it is clear from the explicit statement of Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani, may God Almighty protect him, in the book Return to Islam[1], imitation means acting on what others say or do without reason, and therefore, acting on what others say or do with reason is not considered imitation, but rather it is following the reason. Hence, acting on the fatwas of scholars if they provide convincing reasons for them from the Book of God, the mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet, or the sound intellect is permissible, but rather obligatory; because acting on them, in this case, is considered acting on the Book of God, the mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet, or the sound intellect.

Yes, if the reasons of scholars for their fatwas are not certain and such as ahad narrations, consensus, or fame, then acting on them is not permissible; because conjecture is not considered sufficient in Islam, and in this case, it is obligatory to refer directly to the Book of God, the mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet, or the sound intellect in order to search for certain reasons if it is probable that they exist, and if it is not probable that they exist or the search produces no result, then it is necessary to refer to the primary principles such as the principles of permissibility and prohibition, or the practical principles such as freedom from obligation, precaution, freedom of choice, and presumption of continuity; provided that the necessary measure has been taken to have access to God’s Caliph on the earth; because referring to the primary or practical principles before taking such a measure is like referring to them when a reason exists, which is not adequate, and the necessary measure to have access to God’s Caliph on the earth is to respond and help Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani who invites toward the Mahdi and makes preparations for his advent in a rational and legitimate manner, ﴿إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ﴾[2]; “and God accepts only from the pious.”

This is the straight path that whoever takes has succeeded, and whoever turns away from has gone astray, ﴿وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾[3]; “and the (good) end belongs to the pious.”