Who Are The Imaams (Leaders) Of The Religion?
Dear brethren, Muslims in general and students of knowledge in particular should know who are the imams of the religion in Islam so that they can differentiate between them and those who might imitate them or pretend to be like them.
The Imaams of the religion in Islam are known as:
a. – The principals of the four famous schools of jurisprudence, Imaam Abu Haneefah; Imaam Maalik, the Imaam of Darul-Hijrah; Imaam Shafi’iy, the author of Al-Umm and Ar-Risaalah; and Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
b. – Scholars in the religion, and this context is what is meant in this sermon. The imaams of the religion are the ones who know Allah’s Law, who understand His religion, who teach their knowledge, on guidance and correct understanding of the religion. They are those whom Allah has endowed with wisdom: (وَمَنْ يُؤتَ الحِكْمةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا) “And whoever is given wisdom has indeed been given much good” (Al-Baqarah: 269).
And the imaams of the religion are the guides of the people, of whom no time will be devoid of them until the command of Allah comes (to end the earth). They are the head of the victorious group until the Day of Judgment.
The Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) says: “A group of my nation will continue to stand by the command of Allah, and they will not be harmed by those who betray them or oppose them until Allah’s command comes and they are victorious over the people.” (Agreed upon)
How Are The Imaams Of The Religion Recognised And Known In Islam?
Dear esteemed brothers, the imaams of the religion in Islam have certain traits by which they are known and a distinction that distinguishes them from others:-
1- Scholars are indeed known by knowledge: The first thing that distinguishes them from other general people is their knowledge And when people are ignorant, they speak with the knowledge inherited from the Imaam of the Messengers (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).
2- And they are known that their feet are firm in the areas of doubt, where understanding fails, and none is safe except those whom Allah has given knowledge or those who follow the people of knowledge.
3- They are also known for their asceticism and their fear of Allah and their seeking to be above the world and its trappings.
The Virtues of the Imaams in Islam
The Sharia’ah has appropriated a special merit for the imams of the religion that other people do not have, and it has accorded them a high position. A person who recite the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His choosen Prophet Al-Mustafa, with contemplation, it will become clear to him that Allah, Subhaanau wa-Ta’alah, has given the scholars what he did not give others of merit and advantages, and we will mention some of these advantages to know the extent of the virtues of the imaams of the religion in Islam.
1. Allah Almighty ordered that they (Imaams) should be obeyed. Allah Ta’alah says: (يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللهَ وأطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ،فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَالرَّسُولَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُوَن بِاللهِ وَالَيْومِ الآخِرْ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً) “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who are leaders among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in the end.” (An-Nisaa: 59).
The commentators differed the part “leader among you”.: It was said: “They are the ones in authority and those with power”. Others say: “They are the people of knowledge”. And others say: “It is both the people of authority and power as and the people of knowledge”, So obeying them all is obligatory in obedience to Allah.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted He is, mandated going back to them and asking them about whatever is problematic or confusing. Allah Ta’alah says: (وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ) “And We did not send before you except men to whom We revealed. So ask the people of the Remembrance (Knowledge) if you do not know”, (Al-Anbiyaa: 7) Now “ask the people of the Remembrance” means it is not correct to ask questions (of the Deen) from a person whose answer is not recognized in the Shari’ah, because assigning a matter to someone who is not fit for it is one of the signs of the Hour.
3- The fact of magnifying their capacity and their testimony over other people on the greatest matter of testimony. Among the virtues of the imams of the religion in Islam is that Allah Ta’alah amplified their ability, so He made them witness, not others, to the greatest matter of witness. Allah Subhaanau wa-Ta’alah says: (شَهِدَ اللهُ أنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاّ هُوَ وَالمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُوا العِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالقِسْطِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ) “Allah has testified that there is no god (worthy of worship) but He, and the angels and the men of knowledge, upholding and preserving justice. There is no god (worthy of worship) but He, the Mighty, the Wise.” (Aal-Imraan: 18)
Allah Almighty has testified with the people of knowledge to the Biggest Testimony, which is His monotheism (Tawheed), and this indicates the excellence of knowledge and the people of knowledge, and that the scholars in general are just, because Allah Ta’alah does not make any witness except the just.
Allah Almighty denied equality between people of knowledge and others. Allah, the Exalted says: (قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالّذّينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَّكَّرُ أَولُوا الأَلْبَابُ) “…Say: Are those who know equal and those who do not know, but only those who have understanding remember?” (Zumar: 9). In this is the evidence that the people of knowledge have a consideration in the Sharia’ah and a position among the people that is not for other human beings..
The people of knowledge are the inheritors of the prophets, and they are the most excellent and meritorious ones, and most preferred after the prophets over all other human beings. On the authority of Ubay, he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: The superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like the superiority of the moon on the night of the full moon over all the other satellites, and that scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, and that the prophets did not inherit a dinar or a dirham, but they inherited knowledge. So whoever takes it indeed takes an abundant fortune” (Ahmad and Al-Darami).
The scholars convey the message from the prophets based on what the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “You hear (my message) and others would hear (it) from you. And others would hear from those who hear from you.” (Ahmad & Abu Dawood).
One of the virtues of the imams of the religion is that the success/salvation of people depends on their scholars, as some scholars destroy. It is narrated by Abdullah (ibn) Amr That he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “Allah does not seize knowledge by taking it away from the servants, but He (Subhaanau wa-Ta’alah) takes away the scholars until when there is no scholar remaining, then people take ignorant fellows as their leaders (scholars) and they ask him (about the Deen), and they (the ignorant leaders) issue fatwas without knowledge.
They go astray and lead people astray.” (Bukhaari). They go astray with their giving of false fatwa to people and with their saying things about Allah Almighty without knowledge or guidance or any (correct reference) to Book of Light. They led astray people who followed them, and so all of them perished together.