(A) Is Taqlīd Reasonable?
Firstofall,taqlīdisnot“blindfollowing,”itisbasedonaninformedde-
cisiontakenbytheindividualShi‘amanorwoman.Beforeyoustartfol-
lowingtheopinionsofamujtahidinthesharī‘alaws,youhavetoascer-
tain that he has the required expertise and that he is of upright character.
Secondly,itis notalways unreasonable tofollowothersandto hold
uncriticalfaithinthem.Wecanlogicallydistinguishfourpossibleforms
of imitation:
- an ignorant person imitating another ignorant person;
- a more learned person imitating a less learned person;
- a less learned person imitating an ignorant person;
- a less learned person imitating a more learned person.
Itisquiteclearthatthefirstthreeformsofimitationsareunreasonable
andcanservenopurpose.However,thefourthkindofimitationisobvi-
ouslynot onlyreasonable,butalsonecessaryandamatterof common
sense;inoureverydaylifewefollowandimitateothersinmanythings;
we like to take the advice of experts in matters outside our own
knowledge.
Someonewhowishestobuildahouse,explainsthebasicideaofwhat
he wants to the builder andthen submits to his advice as to how he
shouldgo about the actual construction.The patient followsthe treat-
mentadvisedbythedoctor;alitigantconsultsalawyerwhendrawing
uphiscaseforacourt.Theexamplesareabundant;inmostcasesthead-
viceistakenvoluntarily,butsometimesthe citizenmaybe requiredby
lawtoseekexpertadviceandactuponit,before,forexample,heisal-
lowedtotakesomeparticularlydangerousdrug.Theclearestexampleis
obviouslyacaseof alegaldisputebetweentwoparties,whentheyare
requiredtotaketheirgrievancesbeforeajudgeandabidebyhisdecision
if they cannot settle their dispute amicably.
Thepracticeoftaqlīdisanexampleofthesamekind:thepersonwho
isnotanexpertinIslamicjurisprudenceislegallyrequiredtofollowthe
instructions of the expert, that is, the mujtahid.