Judging Others By Your Own Standards

A big mistake people make when judging others:

“He is a SINNER because he does not lift his trousers above his ankles”
“He is a SINNER because he eats with his left hand”
“He is a SINNER because he listens to musical instruments”
“He is a SINNER because he shaves his beard”

What they fail to understand is:

When there is a valid difference of opinion (الخلاف المعتبر), the scholars said: you don’t judge the person who differs with you according to YOUR view, but according to the view HE/SHE adopts.

For example:

Some scholars believe that your Wudhu breaks with:

– Touching a Woman
– Eating Camel Meat
– Touching your Private Parts
– Bleeding
– Hijama (cupping)

Other scholars did not believe this – but did any of them say: “He is a sinner, because he prayed WITHOUT WUDHU??”

No, they still prayed behind each other.

IF they had judged others, with their OWN VIEW, there would have been no wudhu —> no prayer —> no Islam.

Ibn Taymiyah said:

نعم تجوز صلاة بعضهم خلف بعض كما كان الصحابة والتابعون لهم بإحسان ومن بعدهم من الأئمة الأربعة يصلي بعضهم خلف بعض مع تنازعهم في هذه المسائل المذكورة وغيرها. ولم يقل أحد من السلف إنه لا يصلي بعضهم خلف بعض، ومن أنكر ذلك فهو مبتدع ضال مخالف للكتاب والسنة وإجماع سلف الأمة وأئمتها، وقد كان الصحابة والتابعون ومن بعدهم: منهم من يقرأ البسملة ومنهم من لا يقرؤها، ومنهم من يجهر بها ومنهم من لا يجهر بها، وكان منهم من يقنت في الفجر ومنهم من لا يقنت، ومنهم من يتوضأ من الحجامة والرعاف والقيء… ومنهم من لا يتوضأ من ذلك، ومنهم من يتوضأ من مس الذكر ومس النساء بشهوة ومنهم من لا يتوضأ من ذلك، ومنهم من يتوضأ من القهقهة في صلاته ومنهم من لا يتوضأ من ذلك. ومنهم من يتوضأ من أكل لحم الإبل ومنهم من لا يتوضأ من ذلك، ومع هذا فكان بعضهم يصلي خلف بعض: مثل ما كان أبو حنيفة وأصحابه والشافعي وغيرهم يصلون خلف أئمة أهل المدينة من المالكية وإن كانوا لا يقرءون البسملة لا سراً ولا جهراً، وصلى أبو يوسف خلف الرشيد وقد احتجم وأفتاه مالك بأنه لا يتوضأ فصلى خلفه أبو يوسف ولم يعد
وكان أحمد بن حنبل يرى الوضوء من الحجامة والرعاف فقيل له: فإن كان الإمام قد خرج منه الدم ولم يتوضأ. تصلي خلفه؟ فقال: كيف لا أصلي خلف سعيد بن المسيب ومالك.

“This is permissible, since the Companions, the Tabi‘is, as well as the Four Imaams were praying behind each other in spite of their differences in opinion regarding the mentioned issues and others.
None of the righteous predecessors adopted the opinion that they should not pray behind each other.
A person who denies this actually innovates in religion, goes astray and contradicts the Quran, the Sunnah as well as the consensus of the righteous predecessors and scholars.
– Some of the Companions, the Taabi‘is and those who followed them recited Basmalah at the beginning of the Surah of Al-Faatihah in prayer (others didn’t),
– Some made Wudhoo’ for touching the penis (others didn’t),
– Some made Wudhoo’ after touching women with lust (others didn’t),
– Some made Wudhoo’ after eating camel meat while others did not.
Nevertheless, they used to pray behind each other.
Imam Abu Haneefah and his followers, Imam Shaafi‘i and others used to pray behind the scholars of Medina from the Maaliki scholars, although they did not recite Basmalah, neither silently nor audibly.
It was reported that Abu Yoosuf performed prayer behind Ar-Rasheed after he was cupped. He did not repeat the prayer, although he was of the opinion that cupping nullifies Wudhoo’.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal was of the opinion that nose-bleeding and cupping nullify Wudhoo’. He was asked if people could perform prayer behind an Imaam who did not renew his Wudhoo’ after bleeding, he replied, “How could I not pray behind Sa‘eed ibn Al-Musayyib and Maalik?”

[“Majmu al-Fatawa”, 23/374].

NOTE: Unless the scholars have agreed upon the prohibition of something, then it can be said that the person is a sinner.