Fatwa Shopping

Fatwa Shopping – تتبع الرخص

What is meant by ‘تتبع الرخص’ is that a person seeks the easiest and most lenient verdicts of jurists.

This issue is not as black/white as some people want you to believe – it is disputed:

1- The Hanafi giant, Ibn Humam said:
والغالب أن مثل هذه إلزامات منهم لكف الناس عن تتبع الرخص
وإلا أخذ العامي في كل مسألة بقول مجتهد قوله أخف عليه
وأنا لا أدري ما يمنع هذا من النقل أو العقل وكون الإنسان يتبع ما هو أخف على نفسه من قول مجتهد مسوغ له الاجتهاد
ما علمت من الشرع ذمه عليه
وكان صلى الله عليه وسلم يحب ما خفف عن أمته ، والله سبحانه أعلم بالصواب
“These type of constraints are often stipulated so that people do not follow the easiest opinions.
Otherwise every lay person will take the words of a Mujtahid which gives him the easiest option.
I personally do not know what text or intellect would forbid a man from following what is easiest for him, from the words of the Mujtahid, if his ijtihad has justified something for him.
I don’t know anything in Shariah that disapproves of this.
The Prophet liked ease for his nation, and Allah knows best what is correct.”
[“Fath Al-Qadir”, 7/258].

2- The Hanafi jurist Muhammad Amir Badshah said:
وما نقل عن ابن عبد البر من أنه لا يجوز للعامي تتبع الرخص إجماعا فلا نسلم صحة النقل عنه ولو سلم فلا نسلم صحة دعوى الإجماع كيف وفي تفسيق المتتبع للرخص روايتان عن أحمد
“As for Ibn Abdul-Barr’s claim that a layman is not allowed to follow the easiest opinions with consensus of the scholars – then this claim of consensus is not authentically established from him.
Even if was authentically established from him, this consensus would not be true.
How can there be a consensus, when there are two opinions narrated from Imam Ahmad about the sinfulness of a person who seeks the lenient verdicts?!”
[‘Taysir al-Tahrir’, 2/37].

3- Sulayman al-Taymi is authentically quoted:
لو أخذتَ برخصة كل عالِم اجتمع فيك الشرّ كله
“If you were to take the most lenient opinion of every scholar, then all evil will gather in you.”
[‘Jami’ bayan al-‘ilm’, 2/927].

4- Ahmad Ibn Hanbal’s son Abdullah narrates that his father heard Yahya Ibn Sa’id al-Qattan say:
لو أن رجلا عمل بكل رخصة ، بقول أهل الكوفة في النبيذ وأهل المدينة في السماع – يعني الغناء – وأهل مكة في المتعة ، أو كما قال أبي ، كان به فاسقا
“If a person were to act on all the lenient opinions, for example:
– the people of Kufah on the issue of Nabidh (alcoholic drink),
– the people of Madinah on music/singing,
– the people of Makah on temporary marriage (mut’ah),
Then as my father said, such a person will be sinful.”
[“Masail al-Imam Ahmad”, 1632].

5- Al-Zarkashi said:
فلو اختار من كل مذهب ما هو الأهون عليه ففي تفسيقه وجهان:
قال أبوإسحاق المروزي: يفسق،
وقال ابن أبي هريرة: لا
“If someone were to choose from every Madhab what is the easiest for him, then about the sinfulness of him are two views:
Abu Ishaq al-Marwazi said: He is sinful.
Ibn Abi Hurairah said: No.”
[‘Bahr al-Muhit’, 4/602].

6- Abu Muzafar al-Sam’ani wrote 1,000 years ago about what a layman should do when he encounters different Fatawa:
وإن استفتى رجلين نظر فى الجواب فإن اتفقا فى الجواب عمل بما قالا
وإن اختلفا فأفتاه أحدهما بالحظر والآخر بالإباحة فاختلف فيه أصحابنا على ثلاثه أوجه
منهم من قال لا يأخذ بما شاء منهما
ومنهم من قال يجتهد فيمن يأخذ بقوله منهما
ومنهم من قال يأخذ بأغلظ الجوابين لأن الحق ثقيل
والأولى أن يقال يجتهد ممن يأخذ بقوله منهما
وأما الذى قال إنه يأخذ بأغلظ الجوابين فقد يكون الحق فى أخف الجوابين قال الله تعالى يريد الله بكم اليسر ولا يريد بكم العسر
“If two scholars give verdicts, then look at the answers if they agree on an answer then act upon what they said.
If they differ i.e one of them gives fatwa of harram and other gives fatwa of halal, then our companions have differed over this in following three ways:
One group of them said he cannot take whatever he likes.
Second group said to do ijtehad what opinion he has to take amongst the two.
And another group said to take the most strict opinion because HAQ (truth) is heavy.
And the most correct opinion is to do ijtehad and select which fatwa he has to choose by himself out of them.
And those who said to select the most strictest opinion out of two as the truth is heavy or burdensome, then it may possible that the truth is with easy opinions as Allah said: “Allah intends easy for you, he doesnt intends hardship for you.” [2:185].
[“Qawati’ al-Adilah”, 2/357].

7- Al-Mardawi Hanbali narrated the difference of opinion 1,000 years ago:
وذكر بعض أصحابنا في فسق من أخذ بالرخص روايتين
“Some of our (Hanbali) companions narrated two views on the sinfulness of the person who takes the easiest opinions.”
[“Al-Insaaf”, 11/196].
And he said about what the laymen should do when fatawa differ:
إذا اختلف عليه فتيا مفتيين: تخير في الأخذ، على الصحيح، اختاره القاضي والمجد وأبو الخطاب، وذكره ظاهر كلام أحمد، فإنه سئل عن مسألة في الطلاق؟ فقال: إن فعل حنث، فقال السائل: إن أفتاني إنسان لا أحنث؟ قال: تعرف حلقة المدنيين؟ قلت: فإن أفتوني حل؟ قال: نعم.
وقيل: يأخذ بقول الأفضل علما ودينا، فإن استويا تخير، هذا اختيار الشيخ موفق الدين في الروضة، لا التخيير، كما ذكره ابن مفلح في أصوله، لكنه علل التخيير، وظاهره أنه مال إليه.
وقيل: يأخذ بقول الأغلظ والأثقل، ذكره ابن البنا.
وقيل: يأخذ بالأخف، اختاره عبد الجبار.
وقيل: يأخذ بأرجحهما دليلا ذكره ابن البنا أيضا، وينبغي أن يكون هذا هو الصحيح.
قال في أعلام الموقعين: يجب عليه أن يتحرى ويبحث عن الراجح بحسبه، وهو أرجح المذاهب السبعة.
“When the Muftis provide different Fatawa [scholars have differed on what should be done, some said]:
– He should choose between them, according to the correct opinion:
– He should go with the Fatwa of the most knowledgeable and religious one among them – if they are equal, he can choose either one of them.
– He should take the harshest and heaviest Fatwa.
– He should take the easiest Fatwa.
– He should take the Fatwa with the strongest evidences – this should be the correct opinion.”
[‘Tahbir’, 4099 – summary of what he said, more details in Arabic].

8- Khatib al-Baghdadi wrote 1,000 years ago what a layman should do when the Fatawa differ:
المستفتي إذا لم يمكنه الجمعُ بين وجهي الخلاف من المفتين لتنافيهما مثل أن يكون أحدهما يحل ويبيح والآخرُ يحرِّم ويحظـُر:
فقد قيل يلزمه أن يأخذ بأغلظ القولين وأشده، لأن الحق ثقيل
وقيل يأخذ بأسهل القولين وأيسر الأمرين
وقيل يأخذ بفتوى أفضلهما عنده في الدين والعلم
“If a person is unable to reconcile between two Fatawa which he gets from different Muftis, due to their contradictory nature – for example if one of them says its permissible and the other says its forbidden:
– It was said: he should go with the strictest of the two rulings, because the truth is heavy.
– And it was said: he should adopt the easiest and most lenient among them.
– It was also said: he should take the Fatwa of the person whom he considers the best among them in religion and knowledge.”
[“Al-Faqih wal-Mutafaqih”, 2/428].

9- Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi writes:
عن أبي إسحاق فيما إذا اختار من كل مذهب ما هو أهون عليه أنه يفسق به، وعن أبي حنيفة أنه لا يفسق به
“It is has been narrated from Abu Ishaq that if someone follows concessions from every Maddhab such a person is to be declared as Fasiq, where as according to Imam Abu Hanifah such a person cannot be declared as Fasiq.”
[“Mirqat al-Mafatih”, 7/273].

10- Izz Ibn Abdul-Salam – in one of his opinions – in his “Fatawa”, (77):
وله أن يقلد في كل مسألة من شاء من الأئمة
ولا يتعين عليه إذا قلد إماماً في مسألة أن يقلده في سائر مسائل الخلاف
لأن الناس من لدن الصحابة رضي الله عنهم إلى أن ظهرت المذاهب يسألون فيما ينسخ لهم العلماء المختلفين من غير نكير من أحد
وسواء اتبع الرخص في ذلك أو العزائم؛ لأن من جعل المصيب واحداً لم يُعَيِّنهُ، ومن جعل كلَ مجتهدٍ مصيباً فلا إنكار على من قلد الصواب. والله تعالى أعلم.
“It is up to him to follow in each issue whoever he wants from the scholars.
It is not a must that if he follows a scholar in one issue, that he should follow him in all of the remaining issues in which there is difference of opinion.
From the time of the Companions up to the time when the Madhabs appeared : people would asked whichever scholar they wanted and nobody objected to that.
Regardless if he is seeking the Rukhas or Azaim by doing this – because the scholars who said: “the truth is with one person”, did not specify which person.
And scholars who said that every mujtahid is correct (in issues of ijtihad), then there is no objecting in following someone in what is correct.
Allah knows best.”
https://www.aliftaa.jo/Question3.aspx?QuestionId=1613
There is another Fatwa which is allegedly of Izz Ibn Abdul-Salam :
عز الدين بن عبد السلام الشافعي ـ رحمه الله تعالى ـ في بعض فتاويه: وللعامي أن يعمل برخص المذاهب، وإنكار ذلك جهل ممن أنكره، لأن الأخذ بالرخص محبوب، ودين الله يسر: وما جعل عليكم في الدين من حرج { الحج: 78} فإن قلنا بتصويب المجتهدين، فكل الرخص صواب ولا يجوز إنكار
“The laymen can act on the lenient rulings of the Madhabs and denying this is ignorance, because taking the easy rulings is desirable.
And God’s religion is ease, [as Allah says]: “And We have not placed upon you in this religion anything difficult.” [Surah Hajj, 78].
If we say that all the mujtahids are correct, then even the lenient rulings are correct, so it’s not allowed to critisize this.”
I could not locate that Fatwa anywhere in his Fatawa.
But there is another Fatwa in which he says:
وقال سلطانُ العلماء العزُّ بنُ عبد السلام (ت 660) رحمه الله: ( لا يجوزُ تتبُّعُ الرخص ) الفتاوى صـ122
“It is not permissible to seek the lenient verdicts.”
I also read Ibn Hajar al-Haythami saying that Izz did not allow actively SEEKING rukhas.
Some scholars say he allowed it condition-based.

11- Sh Mohammad Akram Nadwi writes:
قالوا: يسوؤنا أن تترك مذهب أبي حنيفة في أشياء إلى آراء مالك، والشافعي، وأحمد بن حنبل، وهذا تلفيق
قلت: إذا خلطنا بين ماء البئر وغيره من المياه الطاهرة، ألا يبقى على أصل الطهارة؟ كذلك مذاهب أبي حنيفة ومالك والشافعي وأحمد بن حنبل وغيرهم من أئمة الهدى، فإذا انتقلتُ من رأي إلى آخر في أمر من الأمور لدليل أوثق أو لمُرجِّح أوفق، فما الذي يسوؤكم في ذلك، ثم إن هذا توفيق وليس بتلفيق، لأن التلفيق يكون بين الحق والباطل، وهذا جمع بين حق وحق، قالوا: سَمِّه ما شئتَ، ولا مشاحَّة في الاصطلاحات، وقد عرفتَ ما نريد، وهو عيب لك ولأمثالك.
قلت: أي عيب في ذلك؟
They said: It displeases us that you leave the madhab of Abu Hanifah in some things for the opinions of Malik, Al Shafi’i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal. This is “talfiq” (blameworthy mixing between madhabs).
I said: If we mix well water with other types of pure water, does it not remain in its original state of purity? Likewise it is with the madhabs of Abu Hanifah, Malik, Al Shafi’i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the other imams of guidance. So if I move from one opinion to another in an issue due to a stronger evidence or a more appropriate consideration, then what is it that displeases you in that?

Mixing Between Madhabs

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Three Main Objections:
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OBJECTION 1:
Following the easiest opinions leads to following of desires (اتباع الهوى)!
Answer:
Following desires is only blameworthy when it take someone away from guidance/truth, as Allah says:
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنَ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ
“And who is more astray than him who follows his desires WITHOUT GUIDANCE from God?” [Qur’an 28:50].
If someone desires what is permissible, such as the desire to give CHARITY – he should follow that desire.
If someone desires the impermissible, such as the desire to FORNICATE – he should not follow that desire.
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OBJECTION 2:
Seeking the easiest opinions will result in people following mistakes of scholars!
Answer:
This person is confusing ‘تتبع الرخص’ with ‘تتبع زلات’.
Nobody condones ‘تتبع زلات’ – which is seeking mistakes/slips/blunders INVALID opinions, which have no evidence OR oppose clear cut (قطعي) evidences OR oppose the consensus (إجماع) of ahlus-Sunnah.
That’s forbidden by agreement.
However, if its free-roam within the boundaries of VALID DIFFERENCES OF OPINION (الخلاف المعتبر), that’s fine according to many scholars.
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OBJECTION 3:
If laymen mix verdicts, they will create a new scenario which no scholar would support!
Answer:
This person is confusing ‘تتبع الرخص’ with ‘تلفيق’ (Talfiq) – which is mixing various scholarly opinions from Sunni madhabs.
Talfiq is not necessarily done for the sake of ease, contrary to seeking Rukhas, which is always done for the sake of ease.
IF Talfiq is done in a single issue and creates a new INVALID ruling which no scholar holds, then it is forbidden by agreement.
For example, grapes and water are both permissible by agreement – but if they are mixed and wine is formed – it becomes forbidden by agreement.
One example Imam al-Qarafi gives is combining the absence of dowry (المهر), guardian (الولي) and witnesses (الشهود) from the 3 madhabs – that marriage will be INVALID by AGREEMENT of all scholars.
However, if Talfiq does NOT create a new ruling, many scholars allow it (some say this is technically not even Talfiq but Intiqal) – for example a Hanafi raising his hands in prayer (رفع اليدين).
There is nothing in the Shariah that says: if you follow a scholar in 1 issue, you have to follow him in all issues until you die.
The people used to ask various Sahaba about a single issue. None of them stopped the person from asking others.
There is no evidence against this and its becoming almost impossible in this age of globalisation and internet.
The opinion of the majority of the scholars is that the laymen have no madhab and they can ask any Sunni scholar they want.
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CONCLUSION:

There is no consensus (إجماع) on this issue, the jurists have been disputing this issue for more than 1,000 years.

People are free to follow whichever of these two opinions they want as long as they don’t impose it on others, due to the principle:

لا ينكر المختلف فيه، وإنما ينكر المجمع عليه

The opinion of the majority of scholars is that such a person will be sinful – because we should endeavour to find TRUTH, not EASE.

Other jurists disagree and allow it – because:

– The differences of the scholars are a mercy (اختلاف العلماء رحمة),
– Each mujtahid gets rewarded (كل مجتهد مأجور),
– And religion is ease (إن الدين يسر).

So following the easiest verdict cannot be blameworthy, as long the verdict itself is not INVALID (باطل).

To conclude:

If by adopting the easiest verdicts, a person TAKES or CREATES an INVALID verdict (الفتاوى الباطلة), it is forbidden by agreement.
If a person seeks the easiest opinion, regardless of the validity/evidence of that opinion – it is forbidden as above.
However, if the easiest verdict he adopts is VALID within the schools of ahlus-Sunnah, it will be permissible for him to choose this easy opinion according to many scholars.

Allaahu A’alam