5 - Qurʾān and Sunna or the Madhhabs?

Summary

What do purist Salafis mean when they say everyone must follow the Qur'ān and Sunna? What level of knowledge must one have in order to do this? In the case of laypeople, are they to follow scripture directly or do they perform taqlīd? In this chapter, I answer these questions in order to shed light on the rhetorical strategies used by Salafis and Traditionalists. Salafis critiques of Traditionalism have brought forward a cluster of issues in which the texts seem to go against the position of the madhhabs. The legal theory of the madhhabs is often inaccessible to lay Muslims and is based on the global demands the positions of Traditionalists scholars have taken on various issues. On the other hand, independent Salafi thinkers like Albānī bring forward simple and easy-to-understand texts. This chapter focuses on how purist Salafis critiqued the madhhabs by portraying Traditionalists as ones that follow scholars instead of the authentic teachings of the Qur'ān and Sunna. I explain how the variant definitions Salafis and Traditionalists have of taqlīd and ijtihād often leads to confusion on their practical application of Islamic law and religious authority.