nor al-Thawrī; learn as we have learned.”

He also used to say:

“It is a sign of a man’s limited knowledge that he follows others unquestioningly in matters of religion.”

And he said:

“Do not follow men unquestioningly in your religion, for they cannot be free of error.”

It is authentically reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding of the religion.”

This necessarily implies that whoever Allah does not grant understanding of the religion, He has not intended good for him. Thus, gaining understanding of the religion is obligatory.

Understanding the religion means knowing the rulings of the revealed law together with their transmitted evidence. Whoever does not know these has not gained understanding of the religion. Some people, however, may be unable to learn the detailed evidence concerning all their affairs. They are therefore excused from learning what lies beyond their ability, but this inability does not exempt them from gaining religious understanding altogether. They remain obliged to learn what they can.

As for someone capable of reasoning from evidence, one view holds that following others unquestioningly is prohibited for him in all circumstances; another permits it in all circumstances; and a third permits it when necessary, as when there is insufficient time to examine the evidence. This third view is the most balanced.

Independent juristic reasoning is not an indivisible whole. A person may be qualified to exercise it in one discipline, chapter, or question, but not in another. Each person’s exercise of independent reasoning is according to his capacity. Thus, if someone examines a question over which scholars disagree and finds revealed texts supporting one of the two positions, without knowing of any countervailing evidence after examining the matter to the extent that someone of his ability can, he faces two alternatives: