The Shaikh and Imām, Ibn Bāz (Allah’s mercy be upon him) explained the madhhab of Ahlul-Hadeeth in his saying:
“Whoever makes a mistake, then he is not taken from in his mistake, and the mistake is rejected just as Imām Mālik (Allah’s mercy be upon him) said: ‘There is not one of us except that his speech is accepted and rejected except for the companion of this grave,’ meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Every scholar can be correct or mistaken. So, his correct views are taken, and his mistakes are left. And if he is from the people of al-ʿAqeedat as-Salafiyyah (the Salafi Creed) but he falls into some mistakes, then his mistakes are avoided—but he is not removed from al-ʿAqeedah as-Salafiyyah due to his error if he is known to follow the Salaf. However, he may fall into some mistakes in some of his explanations of hadeeth, or in some words that he spoke with—so the mistake is not accepted, and he is not followed in it.
That applies to all the great scholars if they make a mistake: Ash-Shāfiʿī, Abu Haneefah, Mālik, Ahmad, ath-Thawrī, al-Awzāʿī and other than them. You take what is right and leave what is wrong. So, a mistake is that which opposes the Sharīʿah proofs, that which Allāh has said, or what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said. So, an error which opposes the proofs is not accepted from any person—and it is obligatory to follow the truth.
The scholars are agreed that every person’s saying can be taken or left except the sayings of the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings be upon him). So, it is obligatory to follow what he (peace and blessings be upon him) came with and to accept it. And to avoid rejecting anything from what he came with (peace and blessings be upon him) due to the noble verse and its meaning:
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
‘And if you differ among yourselves in any affair, refer it back to Allāh and the Messenger if you believe in Allāh and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.’ (an-Nisā: 59)”
Source: Questions to Imam Ibn Bāz at the Masjid al-Harām, dated: 25/12/1418 H. See Majmoo’ Fatāwā 28/255.
Abu Khadeejah ‘Abdul-Wāhid Alam.
من أخطأ لا يؤخذ بخطئه الخطأ مردود مثل ما قال مالك رحمه الله: “ما منا إلا راد ومردود عليه إلا صاحب هذا القبر” يعني النبي ﷺ وكل عالم يخطئ ويصيب فيؤخذ صوابه ويترك خطؤه وإذا كان من أهل العقيدة السلفية ووقع في بعض الأغلاط فيترك الغلط ولا يخرج بهذا من العقيدة السلفية إذا كان معروفًا باتباع السلف ولكن تقع منه بعض الأغلاط في بعض شروح الحديث أو في بعض الكلمات التي تصدر منه فلا يقبل الخطأ ولا يتبع فيه.
وهكذا جميع الأئمة إذا أخطأ الشافعي أو أبو حنيفة أو مالك أو أحمد أو الثوري أو الأوزاعي أو غيرهم يؤخذ الصواب ويترك الخطأ والخطأ ما خالف الدليل الشرعي وهو ما قاله الله ورسوله فلا يؤخذ أحد من الناس إلا بخطأ يخالف الدليل والواجب اتباع الحق
وقد أجمع العلماء على أن كل إنسان يؤخذ من قوله ويترك إلا رسول الله ﷺ فالواجب اتباع ما جاء به وقبوله* وعدم رد شيء مما جاء به عليه الصلاة والسلام للآية الكريمة المذكورة وما جاء في معناها ولقوله تعالى: فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا النساء:59
سؤال موجه لسماحته بعد الدرس الذي ألقاه في المسجد الحرام بتاريخ 25/ 12/ 1418 هـ. مجموع فتاوى ومقالات الشيخ ابن باز 28/ 255
