Ikhtilaaf (Differences) in Aqeedah...Question answered by Sheikh Muhammad al-Jibaly

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Question:

Salaam Alaykum Warahmatulahi Wabarakatuhu

Respeted Brothers and Sisters,

My name is XXX and I recently was in a discussion with a fellow Muslim in regards to ikhtilaf.

Basing it on some of the articles taken from here and other information i got from some classes I had taken. The discussion led to us speaking about aqeedah. He asked me "If there is room for difference of opinion in fiqh then it should be the same in aqeedah"? My response was I am sure far from sufficient. His argument was that the major ulama held a "deviant" aqeedah to some but may had validly arrived at their positions. My response was that if they were a'shari in aqeedah and they erred aqeedah but were strong in fiqh and other areas.

He then went on to ask me "what is wrong with interpreting hand is power, many ulama like al jauzi etc....." My question is what is the best way to defend our position because i told him that many of these great scholars may have had wrong positions when it came to du'a to the awliya in their graves. Second I remember taking a class where the sheikh may allah preserve him said that making du'a beleiving that the person can hear based on the hadith of the man hearing footsteps of the people when they bury him, then if they base it on this than it is just bid'ah if they just beleive the man was holy and he will make du'a for them to allah.

Sorry for my jumbled thoughts/words.


Ma'salaam

XXX

Answer:



As-salaamu `alaykum wa-rahmat Ullaah.

The subject of "ikhtilaaf" (differences) is widely discussed by the `ulamaa, and there are entire books written on it (both good and bad). Therefore, your question can only be covered very briefly as follows:

0. Ideally, there should be no ikhtilaaf, because there is only one truth to every issue (with limited exceptions). Allaah (T) says what means, "What, then, is there beyond truth other than misguidance?" (Yunus 32)

1. Ikhtilaaf arises either from differences in understanding the texts of the Qur'aan and Sunnah, or from ahwaa' (evil inclinations in some people).

2. Ikhtilaaf can be in matters of fiqh and in matters of `aqeedah.

3. Ikhtilaaf can be mahmood (praiseworthy) and rewardable only when each person bases his opinion on a sincere striving to understand the texts -- regardless of whether he hits or misses the truth. This is based on the hadeeth, "When a person of knowledge/wisdom makes ijtihaad and reaches the truth, he gets a double reward. When he misses it, he gets a single reward."

4. Most issues of difference can be resolved by impartially referring them to Allaah (i.e., His Book) and the Messenger (S) (i.e., his Sunnah). In doing this, we must be guided by the invaluable understanding of the sahaabah (R).

5. Once we understand this, it becomes meaningless to ask, "If so-and-so `aalim had a wrong position regarding an issue of `aqeedah, would it be permissible to take his position?"

Wallaahu a`lam (Allaah knows best)

Abu `Abdillaah Muhammad al-Jibaly
Al-Madeenah al-Munawwarah