ONTHESUNNAH

Know Your Scholars

 

By Shaykh Ahmed Al-Munayee, Professor at Imaam Muhammad Islamic University and Lecturer at Al-Masjid Al-Haraam during Hajj

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LEVELS OF THE PEOPLE OF KNOWLEDGE:

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1st Level - Mujtahid al-Mutlaq – Those absolute in their ijtihaad (judgment). The highest level of the People of Knowledge is the mujtahid almutlaq. They are those who are absolute in their ijtihaad (independent opinion or judgment) in the issues of Islaamic law. They are very well aware of the different issues concerning our Deen (Religion). What distinguishes this group is that they know the evidences for each issue, from the statements of the Prophet, the Sahaabah (Companions) and those after them (from the Salaf). When looking at the situation that is presented to them, they consider the daleel (evidence) that they have, and based on the evidence, they deal with each particular situation as it presents itself. These are the mujtahidoon (those who make ijtihaad) without exception. They themselves are a source of references for the Ummah. When difficulties arise, this is the group of scholars who the Ummah returns to, in every time and place. This is the mujtahid almutlaq – those who are absolute in the areas of ijtihaad, meaning that they are not just restricted to only one aspect of learning.

 

2nd Level - Mujtahid al-Muqayyid – Those restricted in their ijtihaad. We have the second group which is below the first. It is the level of the mujtahid al-muqayyid i.e. one who is limited in his ijtihaad. He benefits from the different opinions that we have, and also perhaps from his madhab, from the principles of Islaamic Jurisprudence and the discussions in the other branches of learning. He uses these to draw analogies to help him deal with different circumstances. He does not necessarily have a lot of evidences and he is not just blindly-following an individual; his ability is limited. This person normally invites to the madhab that he agrees with; they are of different levels. Although the madhaahib (schools of thought) may have different deductions in terms of law, they are all taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet and they all use the ijmaa’ (consensus) of the People of Knowledge in terms of evidences.

 

3rd Level - Mujtahid There is a third level – the mujtahid who actually follows a specific imaam. At this level the individual usually takes from a particular scholar and normally does not go beyond the imaam that he takes from. Other than them We have another level and this is for those individuals who attribute themselves to knowledge generally, but they have not attained a level of those previously discussed. They are Students of Knowledge who go out and seek knowledge but their status or the level that they have attained, is not the level of ijtihaad. Then there are other levels – those who participate in different aspects of learning. Then there are some students of knowledge who are seasoned in their development of Islaamic learning, those who are intermediate and those who are beginners. There are also some of the People of Knowledge who specialize in one area of learning as opposed to another area of Islaamic learning e.g. hadeeth, tafseer or fiqh.

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Ibn Al-Qayyim said:
If the roots of knowledge
hold onto the heart, the
tree of love will grow in it
and if it becomes stronger
it will bear the fruits of

 

o b e d i e n c e

and it will keep on giving its fruit at
all times by the leave of its Lord.

 

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A List of A Few Scholars of Islam - Past And Present:

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• Imam Ibn Qudamaah Al-Maqdisee 
• Imam Ibn Rajab 
• Permanent Committee – alifta 
• Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez al-Bura'ee 
• Shaykh 'Abdullah bin 'Abdur Rahman Al-Bassaam 
• Shaykh Abdul Aziz Aali Shaykh 
• Shaykh Abdul-'Azeez Ibn Baaz 
• Shaykh Abdul-Qadir Al Junayd 
• Shaykh Abdullah Bukhari 
• Shaykh AbdulMuhsin bin Hamd al-Abaad al-Badr 
• Shaykh Abdur Rahman Al Baraak 
• Shaykh Abdur Razzaaq Ibn Abdil-Muhsin al-Badr 
• Shaykh Abdus Salaam bin Burgess 
• Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee 
• Shaykh Ahmad Bazmool 
• Shaykh Ahmad Fareed 
• Shaykh Ahmed Al-Wasaabee 
• Shaykh Alee Al-Haddaadee 
• Shaykh As-Sa'dee

•Shaykh Fahad Al-Fuhaid

• Shaykh Hamood ibn Abdullah At Tuwaijiree 
• Shaykh Hasan Abdul-Wahhaab Al-Bannaa 
• Shaykh Ibn al Jawzee 
• Shaykh Ibn Al Qayyim 
• Shaykh Ibn al-Uthaimeen 
• Shaykh Ibn Kathîr 
• Shaykh Ibn Taimiyyah 

• Shaykh Khalid Al-Radadi
• Shaykh Khaalid ‘Uthmaan Al-Misree 
• Shaykh Maher al-Qahtaany 
• Shaykh Muhammad 'Akkoor 
• Shaykh Muhammad al-Imaam 
• Shaykh Muhammad Amaan al-Jaamee
• Shaykh Muhammad Bazmool 
• Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzaan al-Haajiree 
• Shaykh Muhammad Ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab 
• Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab al-Aqeel 
• Shaykh Muhammad ibn Haadee 
• Shaykh Muhammed Anjaree 
• Shaykh Muhammed Saleh Al Luhaydaan
• Shaykh Muqbil 
• Shaykh Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee 
• Shaykh Rabee ibn Hadee 
• Shaykh Raslaan 
• Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzaan 
• Shaykh Salih as-Suhaymee 
• Shaykh Salih ibn Abdul Aziz Aali Shaykh
• Shaykh Sufyaan ath-Thawree 
• Shaykh Sulaymaan ar-Ruhaylee 
• Shaykh Ubayd al-Jabari 
• Shaykh Umar Fullatah 
• Shaykh Usaamah Utaybee 
• Shaykh Uthman As Saalimi 

• Shaykh Yahya Al-Hajoori
• Shaykh Zayd Al-Madkhalee