Is it permissible to adopt the most lenient opinions, imitating those who have absolutely permitted the adoption of dispensations?
Following the dispensations of the different schools of thought (madhahib) without a legitimate juristic preference or imitating someone more knowledgeable, but rather out of caprice, is a reprehensible and forbidden act according to the majority of scholars. Ibn Abd al-Barr and Ibn Hazm both reported a consensus on this matter.
If the opinions of jurists (muftis) differ on a matter subject to (independent juristic reasoning), a Muslim must act upon what he believes to be most likely correct, either by examining the evidence and acting upon the strongest opinion if he is qualified to do so, or by imitating the one he trusts most if he is not qualified.
If opinions are equally weighted and no single opinion is favored, it is permissible to adopt the easiest one, unless one is not confident in its correctness. In that case, it is not permissible to act upon it merely because it is the opinion of a mujtahid or the easiest opinion.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/165360
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 165360
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy