And from Allah is tawfeeq, and may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be on His messenger, his family, and his companions.

The Standing Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta:

Member: Abdullah bin Qu'ud, Member: Abdullah bin Ghudayaa, Vice President: AbdurRazaaq Afeefee, President: Abdul-Aziz ibn Baaz

The fourth question from Fatwaa No. 4172

Q) What is the ruling for the blind following (taqleed) of the four schools of thought (mathaahib) and following their sayings in every situation and era?

A) All praise is for Allah alone and may the Peace and Blesssings be on His messenger, and his family, and his companions.

To proceed:

First: The four schools of thought (mathaahib) are ascribed to the four imaams; Imaam abu Hanifah, Imaam Maalik, Imaam Shaafi'i, Imaam Ahmad [ibn Hambal]. So the Hanafi madhhab in ascribed to abu Hanifah, and so on for the rest of the mathaahib.

Second: These imaams took fiqh (jurisprudence) from the Book and the Sunnah and they were mujtahideen in that, and a mujtahid is either correct-- then for him is two rewards, a reward for his ijtihaad, and a reward for it being correct, or [a mujtahid] is incorrect-- then he is rewarded for his ijtihaad, and is excused for the incorrectness.

Third: The one who is able to derive from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah takes from them [the Qur'aan and Sunnah] like it was taken from them before, and it is not permitted for him to blindly follow other than what he believes to be true. But he should take what he believes to be true and it is permissable for him to do taqleed of in what he is incapable of and [what he] needs.

Fourth: Who does not have the ability to derive [from the Qur'aan and Sunnah], it is permissable for him to blindly follow who he has confidence in doing taqleed to, and if there arises in himself a lack of confidence, he is to ask until [it] is obtained.

Fifth: It is clear from what has preceded that their [the imaam's] sayings are not followed in every situatation and era, because they may have erred. But the truth is followed from their sayings which are bulit upon evidences.

And from Allah is tawfeeq, and may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be on His messenger, his family, and his companions.

The Standing Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta:

Member: Abdullah bin Qu'ud, Member: Abdullah bin Ghudayaan, Vice President: AbdurRazaaq Afeefee, President: Abdul-Aziz ibn Baaz

The following is a translation taken from:

"The Fataawaa of The Standing Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta (Fataawa al-Lajnat -ud-daaimah lil-buhuth al-Ilmiah wal-Iftaa)", Volume 5: Fiqh and Tahaarah, Gathered and organized by Sheikh Ahmad bin abdur-Razaaq ad-Duwaish, Dar al-'Aasimah, 1413h.

Fatwa No. 5560

Q) I am a student in the Teacher's Institute in Haa'il, and the Professor of Religion explained that it is imposible to bring together the method of the four imaams in the religion of Islam, for example in the method of salaat (prayer), wudoo', siyam, etc., in all which is obligatory upon us. The professor says that it is not possible to bring together the method of the four imaams in Islamic legislation. I ask from your eminence that you mention to us whether the professor was correct or [whether he] erred, and I ask that you send if there is a book about this problem.

A) All praise is for Allah alone and may the Peace and Blesssings be on His messenger, and his family, and his companions.

To proceed:

Indeed a Muslim is not asked to bring together the four madhhabs in his actions, but if he is able to derive the rulings [of Islam] by himself from the evidences, it is obligatory upon him to take what his apparent to him, and if he is not able to derive the rulings, he is to follow an imaam from the imaams of the Muslimeen, emulating them, as Allah, The Most High, says, "So have taqwa of Allah as much as you are able," and The Most High's saying, "Then ask the people of the remembrance [scholars] if you do not know."

And from Allah is tawfeeq, and may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be on His messenger, his family, and his companions.

The Standing Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta:

Member: Abdullah bin Qu'ud, Member: Abdullah bin Ghudayaan, Vice President: AbdurRazaaq Afeefee, President: Abdul-Aziz ibn Baaz

The fourth question from fatwa No. 2815