1) Imam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah) said:
1. “When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then
that is my madhhab.”
2. “It is not permitted for anyone to accept
our views if they do not know from where we got them." In one narration, “It is prohibited for
someone who does not know my evidence to give verdicts on the basis of my
words.” Another narration adds, “... for
we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it back the next day.”
3. “When I say something contradicting the Book
of Allaah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam), then ignore my saying.”
2) Imam Maalik ibn Anas (rahimahullaah) said:
1. “Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes
(sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all
that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not
agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it.”
2. “Everyone after the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) will have his sayings accepted and rejected - not so the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam).”
3) Imam Shaafi'i (rahimahullaah) said:
1. “The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if
a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is made
clear to someone, it is not permitted for him to leave it for the saying of
anyone else.”
2. “If you find in my writings something
different to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam), then speak on the basis of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and leave what I have said." In one narration: “... then follow it (the
Sunnah), and do not look sideways at anyone else's saying.”
3. “In every issue where the people of narration
find a report from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to
be saheeh which is contrary to what I have said, then I take my saying back,
whether during my life or after my death.”
4. “For everything I say, if there is something
authentic from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) contrary to my
saying, then the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) comes
first, so do not follow my opinion."”
4) Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah) said:
1. “Do not follow my opinion; neither follow
the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi'i, nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from
where they took.” In one narration: “Do not copy your Deen from anyone of
these, but whatever comes from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and
his Companions, take it; next are their Successors, where a man has a choice.”
Once he said: “Following means that a man
follows what comes from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his
Companions; after the Successors, he has a choice.”
2. “The opinion of Awzaa'i, the opinion of
Maalik, the opinion of Abu Haneefah: all of it is opinion, and it is all equal
in my eyes. However, the proof is in the narrations (from the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions).”
Refer to Sifah Salaah an-Nabi (sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam), min at-takbeer ilaa at-tasleem ka'annaka taraahaa, p. 46-53
by Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allah have mercy on him)
IMPORTANT NOTE:
A common Muslim may take fiqh rulings from the
understanding and sayings of all the Muslim scholars. In those issues in which a common
Muslim cannot make up his mind, he may follow and rely upon the opinion of any
of the Mujtahid, until an opinion based on stronger proofs is shown to him.
A Muslim is therefore not obliged to restrict
himself to a specific madhhab because no madhhab is completely infallible. In addition,
a Muslim is free to move from one madhhab to another, due to the strength of
the evidence (on a particular point). And all the scholars of hadeeth have the right
to Ijtihad.
