Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Although you say not to follow only any one of the Imams i.e. Imam Abu Hanifa etc. Is it true that your rulings and guidance are, as though you are propagating the ways and teachings of Imam Ahmed bin Hambal ?
Can you site 2-3 examples where in scholars like you of today are not in just accordance with the Hambali ul Maslak ?
Kindly don`t leave this question for archives as it is done with my previous Question No. 6765, dated: 6/27/2003.
These are questions which matter to a whole group of my friends and many re-reverts to Islam.
May Allah bless you and all of us with his Rahmat and guide us to the right path Amin!. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Our madhab is hanbali

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Beloved and dear Brother in Islam, our sole intention is to follow The Quran and the Sunnah, and Allah is witness that Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal, Imam Shafei, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Haneefa, and all the good scholars and Imams who served the Noble Cause of Islam followed the same Quran and Sunnah.

We respect the opinion of all the noble Imams and scholars who selflessly dedicated their lives to the Noble Cause of Islam, and documented their opinions for the benefit of future generations. May Allah Subhanah reward each one of them for their sacrifices and their deeds, and grant them all the highest honor in His Kingdom of Paradise.

Allah Subhanah is our witness, we are neither Hanbali, nor Shafei, nor Maliki, nor Hanafi; but we, and all the true believers, should be honored to be recognized only by the name that Allah Subhanah has chosen for the believers: that is, ‘muslims’.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77-78: O you who have believed, do ‘rukooh’ (bow down) and do ‘sajdah’ (prostration), and worship your Lord Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds: it may be that you attain true success! Exert your utmost for the cause of Allah, as one should. He has chosen you for His service, and has not laid on you any hardship in your religion. Therefore, be steadfast in the religion of your father Abraham. Allah had named you ‘muslims’ before this, and has named you (muslims) in this Quran also, so that the Messenger may be a witness in regard to you, and you may be witnesses in regard to the rest of mankind.

Each of these scholars based their opinions of ‘fiqh’ or jurisprudence on their understanding of the Quran and Sunnah; and every opinion that is based on the Quran and Sunnah should be respected and honored by the believers.

To tell you the truth brother, just as you think that our answers are based on the opinions of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, some people reading our mails may think our answers are more in sync with Imam Malik, Imam Abu Haneefah, or Imam Shafei; and they too would not be wrong! Allah is our witness, we respect and honor each of the noble Imams and their invaluable opinions in the matters of Islamic jurisprudence.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan