Akhbaris Easy Prey Of Bidah (innovation)?

[Aabiss_Shakari]

(salam)

USOOLI METHODOLOGY:

1. When there is clear and specific ruling on an Issue:-

When there is clear and specific ruling on an Issue in Quran and Sunnah then there is no place of reasoning/Aql and one has to follow the clear and specific order of Quran and Sunnah.

Key: Quran & Sunnah -------> Ruling/Verdict/Fatwa

2. When there is no clear and specific ruling on an Issue:

When there is no specific ruling or order in Quran and Sunnah then a Mujtahid has to recourse to the "PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN IN QURAN AND SUNNAH" for deduction of Islamic ruling or verdict on an Issue and even for doing this the tools used have basis in Quran and Sunnah and those tools are not alien to Quran and Sunnah.

Key: Quran & Sunnah ------> Principles laid down in Quran and Sunnah -----> Ruling/Verdict/Fatwa based on the principles laid down in Quran and Sunnah.

AKHBARI METHODOLOGY:

"Everything is permissible unless ruled as prohibited"

This is the general principle laid down in a Hadith. But Akhbaris take the permissibility and prohibition only if it 'SPECIFIC PERMISSION OR SPECIFIC PROHIBITION". So it means that if something is not Specifically Prohibited it is allowed under Akhbari rule. While on the other hand in Usooli methodology if some thing is not prohibited specifically but there are principles laid down in Quran and Sunnah on the basis of which that thing can be prohibited then the same is prohibited.

It appears that Akhbari methodology leaves more space for "Bidah" or "Innovation" because there are many things which are not specifically prohibited in Quran and Sunnah. I shall not be surprised if i saw some Akhbari Shia passing a big needle through their cheeks on the name of Azadari as some African tribes do because of this general principle "Everything is permissible unless ruled as prohibited"

I welcome the alternate view about the Akhbari methodology. Sorry if i hurt some one but this is only a process of learning and sharing knowledge.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Aabiss_Shakari

[guest 34193]

Seriously bro, rather than starting up all these anti-akhbari threads, I'd invite you to do some honest research into what they (and the usoolis) say. Just your questions above reveal you've not done so (not only for the Akhbaris, but I don't think you really understand the Usooli methodology either on this). Whether you end up agreeing with them in the end or not is one thing, but at least do it on the basis of facts, not imagination.

[89jghur32]

There are some gross misunderstandings and generalizations in your post. I send what macisaac said.

[baradar_jackson]

Seriously bro, rather than starting up all these anti-akhbari threads, I'd invite you to do some honest research into what they (and the usoolis) say. Just your questions above reveal you've not done so (not only for the Akhbaris, but I don't think you really understand the Usooli methodology either on this). Whether you end up agreeing with them in the end or not is one thing, but at least do it on the basis of facts, not imagination.

Your face is based on imagination.

[Aabiss_Shakari]

Seriously bro, rather than starting up all these anti-akhbari threads, I'd invite you to do some honest research into what they (and the usoolis) say. Just your questions above reveal you've not done so (not only for the Akhbaris, but I don't think you really understand the Usooli methodology either on this). Whether you end up agreeing with them in the end or not is one thing, but at least do it on the basis of facts, not imagination.

Brother, I understand this and i was of the view that both the schools of thought are same in spirit but different in methodology and we should not indulge in such discussions but now it appears to me that it will be like a pigeon closing its eyes while seeing a cat. There are many such people who are causing much damage to the true face of Shia faith. I do not hold the position that i know everything or i have the right to criticize others. My only purpose is learning and understanding the methodology. May be i shall not be able to mention the problems we are facing in Pakistan and Subcontinent but there are people who are changing the face of Shia faith and making it a faith of merely rituals and ceremonies.

There are some gross misunderstandings and generalizations in your post. I send what macisaac said.

This is my humble understanding of the issue. Corrections and criticism is welcome.

[guest 34193]

First thing you should realize is that what you are likely seeing in the Subcontinent has little to nothing to do with genuine Akhbarism. Again, I'd invite you to do a proper research on this. Both research the Akhbari methodology and the Usooli one for comparison, as well as (and even more importantly) study up on what the Imami scholars used to believe in and practice before there was even such a thing as these two schools of thought. Really your post above betrays a basic lack of understanding of these things. And that's ok if you start out that way and wish to correct it by research, but starting off by throwing accusations (susceptible to bid`a, etc) when you don't know even who or what you are talking about isn't a fair approach. If you wish to do so I'd be happy to point in you in some directions where you could get a better, more accurate picture of this topic, in sha Allah.

[baradar_jackson]

First thing you should realize is that what you are likely seeing in the Subcontinent has little to nothing to do with genuine Akhbarism. Again, I'd invite you to do a proper research on this. Both research the Akhbari methodology and the Usooli one for comparison, as well as (and even more importantly) study up on what the Imami scholars used to believe in and practice before there was even such a thing as these two schools of thought. Really your post above betrays a basic lack of understanding of these things. And that's ok if you start out that way and wish to correct it by research, but starting off by throwing accusations (susceptible to bid`a, etc) when you don't know even who or what you are talking about isn't a fair approach. If you wish to do so I'd be happy to point in you in some directions where you could get a better, more accurate picture of this topic, in sha Allah.

Your face throws accusations when it doesn't know even who or what its talking about.

[Jondab_Azdi]

AKHBARI METHODOLOGY:

"Everything is permissible unless ruled as prohibited"

This is the general principle laid down in a Hadith. But Akhbaris take the permissibility and prohibition only if it 'SPECIFIC PERMISSION OR SPECIFIC PROHIBITION". So it means that if something is not Specifically Prohibited it is allowed under Akhbari rule. While on the other hand in Usooli methodology if some thing is not prohibited specifically but there are principles laid down in Quran and Sunnah on the basis of which that thing can be prohibited then the same is prohibited.

It appears that Akhbari methodology leaves more space for "Bidah" or "Innovation" because there are many things which are not specifically prohibited in Quran and Sunnah. I shall not be surprised if i saw some Akhbari Shia passing a big needle through their cheeks on the name of Azadari as some African tribes do because of this general principle "Everything is permissible unless ruled as prohibited"

I welcome the alternate view about the Akhbari methodology. Sorry if i hurt some one but this is only a process of learning and sharing knowledge.

^This is not really the Akhbari methodology.

See:

[guest 34193]

When there is no specific ruling or order in Quran and Sunnah then a Mujtahid has to recourse to the "PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN IN QURAN AND SUNNAH" for deduction of Islamic ruling or verdict on an Issue and even for doing this the tools used have basis in Quran and Sunnah and those tools are not alien to Quran and Sunnah.

Key: Quran & Sunnah ------> Principles laid down in Quran and Sunnah -----> Ruling/Verdict/Fatwa based on the principles laid down in Quran and Sunnah.

Neither it this really the Usooli position... The above was actually the Akhbari position, while the Usoolis argued that rationally derived principles (i.e. apart from the Quran and Sunna) could be utilized as well since (they would say) what the religion rules upon the `aql rules upon, and what the `aql rules upon the religion rules upon.

[Abbas]

"Everything is permissible unless ruled as prohibited"

This is one of the principles of the Usoolis.

And the real Akhbaris were not "easy prey of Bidah".

[Abu Tufayl]

(bismillah)

Usooli methodology is the one actually based upon Asl al-Baraa'a (Principle of Freedom) while the Akhbari methodology is based on Asl al-Ihtiyaat (Principle of Precaution).

في أمان الله

[Ya Aba 3abdillah]

Akhbarism had its uses back in the day for a certain duration of time. But it died due to its impracticality in dealing with social changes and time duration from the source of the akhbar. The Shari'a permitted 'ilm-ul-usul to develop as a naturally evolving process and so the only correct method to issue applicable verdicts is through the 'ilm-ul-usul method, which is why Akhbarism is no longer applicable today. What you have is pseudo-akhbaris that are prone to deviant practices and who (ignorantly) apply a broken form of 'ilm-ul-usul to derive fatwas, but there is no coherence in their methods due to lack of scholarly leadership; which is impossible for them to have today because the Akhbar is no longer being collected.

Contemporary scholars and scientists of the Akhbar like Sadrs / Khoe'i / Hakims / Shirazis / Bahrul-Uloums / Fadhlullah / etc use the only correct method of deriving fatwas (through 'ilm-ul-usul).

[Kismet110]

^^^

It didn't die out as the prevalent ideology due to impracticality, the Usoolis got the upper hand via military means (and, to a lesser extent, the plague which killed many scholars in the Holy Cities).

You don't agree with it then fine but please don't muddy the facts for Usooli dominance; maybe things would have been different if an Akhbari scholar had agreed to give a fatwa for 'jihad'.

ALI