['Aalim Network QR] Taqlid of Four Sunni Imams

[Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salaamun alaykum,
	
	The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Mulla
Asghar.

Wasalaam,

Mustafa Rawji
Moderator, 'Aalim Network
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QUESTION:

I have read some of the Risalas of Seestani and Khomeni, and it appears
that there is an assumption that taqlid on a mujtahid who is a'alam (most
knowledgeable) appears to apply only, in their view, to those mujtahids
who are Shi'i (Ithna Ash'ari).  Exactly why is the fiqh of the Sunni imams
not applicable for purposes of taqlid?  This question is not
confrontational: it is that I just did not see it in any Risala I have
recourse to. 

ANSWER:

There are two factors.

Since Fiqh primarily depends upon the Qur'an and authentic Hadith, Sunni
brothers (i.e. their Ulema) have based most of their judgements
(Jurisprudence) on analogy, Istehsan (that which one finds to be good),
Istestah (that which is ones judgement is advisable) and so on.  These,
according to Shia fiqh, are extraneous, and therefore, BATIL.  Secondly,
they do not base their judgements on the fiqh of Ahlul Bait (A.S.) 

Asgharali M.M. Jaffer