Epigraph
"He has named you Muslims before and in
this [Revelation]."
— Qur'an 22:78
Who Is the Imam Every Muslim Must Follow?
Muslims have rightly honoured many of the greatest scholars
in Islamic history by referring to them as Imam: Imam Abu Hanifah,
Imam Malik, Imam al-Shafi'i, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam al-Bukhari, and many
others. May Allah have mercy upon them all. They were remarkable scholars whose
contributions to Islam continue to benefit generations of believers.
Their scholarship deserves our respect. Their dedication
deserves our gratitude. Their legacy deserves to be studied.
Yet an important question remains:
Who is the one Imam whom every Muslim has been commanded
by Allah to follow?
The Qur'an gives only one answer: Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
He alone is the Messenger whom Allah instructed humanity to
obey. He conveyed the Qur'an exactly as it was revealed and demonstrated its
practical application through his Sunnah. Every Muslim, regardless of culture,
nationality, or school of thought, is required to follow him.
The great Imams themselves never claimed such universal
authority. They sought to understand the Qur'an and the Sunnah to the best of
their ability and encouraged others to follow the evidence wherever it led.
They were guides to the religion—not the religion itself.
Today, however, many Muslims primarily identify themselves
through schools of jurisprudence.
Some say, "I am Hanafi."
Others say, "I am Maliki."
Others identify themselves as Shafi'i or Hanbali.
There is nothing wrong with benefiting from the scholarship
of any of these schools. Their legal reasoning has enriched Islamic
civilization for centuries. What deserves reflection, however, is whether our
loyalty ultimately belongs to a school, or to the Qur'an and the Sunnah brought
by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Whenever we encounter a religious belief or practice, we
should ask a simple question:
What does the Qur'an teach?
If our parents, community, culture, or even our favourite
scholars happened to err in a matter, we should not hesitate to realign
ourselves with Allah's guidance. Respect for our predecessors does not require
unquestioning acceptance of every opinion attributed to them.
The Qur'an repeatedly invites believers to reflect, examine
evidence, and follow guidance rather than inherited assumptions.
It is for this reason that I choose not to define myself
primarily by sectarian or juristic labels such as Sunni or Shia.
The Qur'an tells us that Allah Himself has already given us
our identity:
"He has named you Muslims before and in
this [Revelation]."
(Qur'an 22:78)
That name is sufficient for me.
I honour every sincere scholar who served Islam. I learn
from all who faithfully explain the Qur'an and the Sunnah. But the only Imam
whom Allah has commanded every Muslim to follow is Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
May Allah grant us the humility to seek the truth wherever
it is found, the wisdom to distinguish between divine guidance and inherited
custom.
I choose to
be a Muslim.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Aamir Yazdani
MPhil, Islamic Thought & Civilization (Pakistan)
MSc, Irrigation Engineering (UK)
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