Al-Imaam Shamsudeen Adh-Dhahabi - rahimahullah - said:
نعم ØŒ من بلغ رتبة الاجتهاد ØŒ وشهد له بذلك عدة من الأئمة ØŒ لم يسغ له أن يقلد ØŒ كما أن الÙقيه المبتدئ والعامي الذي ÙŠØÙظ القرآن أو كثيرا منه لا يسوغ له الاجتهاد أبدا ØŒ Ùكي٠يجتهد ØŒ وما الذي يقول ØŸ وعلام يبني ØŸ وكي٠يطير ولما يريش ØŸ والقسم الثالث : الÙقيه المنتهي اليقظ الÙهم المØدث ØŒ الذي قد ØÙظ مختصرا ÙÙŠ الÙروع ØŒ وكتابا ÙÙŠ قواعد الأصول ØŒ وقرأ النØÙˆ ØŒ وشارك ÙÙŠ الÙضائل مع ØÙظه لكتاب الله وتشاغله بتÙسيره وقوة مناظرته ØŒ Ùهذه رتبة من بلغ الاجتهاد المقيد ØŒ وتأهل للنظر ÙÙŠ دلائل الأئمة ØŒ Ùمتى ÙˆØ¶Ø Ù„Ù‡ الØÙ‚ ÙÙŠ مسألة ØŒ وثبت Ùيها النص ØŒ وعمل بها Ø£Øد الأئمة الأعلام كأبي ØنيÙØ© مثلا أو كمالك ØŒ أو الثوري ØŒ أو الأوزاعي ØŒ أو الشاÙعي ØŒ وأبي عبيد ØŒ وأØمد ØŒ وإسØاق ØŒ Ùليتبع Ùيها الØÙ‚ ولا يسلك الرخص ØŒ وليتورع ØŒ ولا يسعه Ùيها بعد قيام الØجة عليه تقليد.
'Yes, whoever has attained the level of Ijtihaad (where he can make independent deductions from Islamic proofs) after a number of erudite scholars have testified to his acumen, then it is not proper for him to follow (another scholar) just as it is not proper for a beginner in Islamic jurisprudence and a novice who has memorized the Qur'aan or much of it to ever engage in Ijtihaad. How will he even exercise Ijtihaad? What is he going to say? Upon what is he going to build his statements? How will he fly without wings?
The third category is a qualified jurist who is mentally alert and understands the hadeeth, who probably has memorized some summary of extended rulings, and perhaps a book on the fundamentals (of jurisprudence), who has learnt the Arabic Grammar, has taken part in the priorities while he has memorized the Book of Allaah, and has busied himself with its Tafseer and has mastered how to make points with it, this a level of someone who has attained a Limited Ijtihaad, and is qualified to look into the proofs often cited by scholars. Therefore whenever a matter becomes clear to him and the proof for it is established (as authentic) while there had been one of the major scholars who acted on it the likes of Abu Haneefah or Maalik, or Ath-Thauree, Al-Auzaa'ee, ash-Shaafiee, Aboo Ubayd, Ahmad or Ishaaq (bn Rahawayh), he should follow the truth therein not a weak point. He shouid be careful and it is not proper for him to follow any scholar when the truth has become clear to him.'
As-Siyar: 19/192
Public Request: Please Invest In Knowledge Through Our Brother
