Life #15 So many opinions, what should I do

So many opinions in Islam,

who is correct?

So I'm sure you've heard this before. There's

so many opinions in Islam.

This Sheikh says this,

that Sheikh says that,

who is correct? Who do I follow?

A couple things to keep in mind brothers

and sisters.

First and foremost

is it's such a terrible situation

when we have options,

and as long as all of those options

come from sincerity,

they come from authentic sources.

Having options to perform a particular act of

worship

or doing things a certain way, is an

absolute mercy and blessing.

Can you imagine that if you go to

one country and then travel to another,

that the habits and the culture of one

people to another,

obviously it differs. In one country people may

talk a certain way, dress a certain way,

eat a certain way,

and where you come from you're accustomed to

a different schedule, a different routine.

And the mercy behind all of this is

that as long as it stays within the

parameters

of our Redeem,

you can go to another society or country

and adapt those changes

and fit in with the community.

Be part of that culture.

It's more comfortable for you, it's easier for

everyone else, that's a mercy from Allah Subhanahu

Wa Ta'ala.

But remember the key is it has to

stay within the parameters

of Islam,

especially what the scholars have set for us.

Now with that being said,

let's put things really into perspective.

You go to a class, you study a

particular opinion about salah.

So let's say for example where should I

fold my hands? Should they be here on

my chest? Should it be on my stomach?

Should it be on the upper part of

our chest?

How do I fold my hands? Should I

grab my hands? Should I hold my arm?

What exactly do I do here?

And you listen to your sheikh and they

give you an opinion.

They teach you where you should fold your

hands and where they should be positioned, and

they give you all the authentic sources.

Now when you leave that class and you

go to a different community, you'll find that

the community does it slightly

differently from how you learned. What do you

do in a situation here?

The scholars say one very simple way out:

as long as you are learning

your deen

from a reputable

knowledgeable

sheikh,

a learned

scholar,

somebody who is known that whatever they teach

they have authentic

sources,

authentic

proofs,

stick to that Sheikh.

Don't put yourself in confusion

unnecessarily where there's no need. Why? Because these

are areas where the sharia

allowed us to have some room to have

options to do things slightly different. So going

back to the same example,

in the sharia we have options where either

our hands could be here, or it could

be a little higher, or you could fold

one hand above the other or you can

grab your arm. We have those options.

So the point here is choose a sheikh

and you know that the sources are authentic

and say Bismillah and stick with that one

way. And as you progress

with your knowledge of the Deen and as

you continue to learn more and more you'll

have a better idea of which direction you

want to go to and when you want

to change that opinion.

But really and truly,

but really and truly, brothers and sisters, this

shouldn't be complicated.

It's one of those situations that we make

it harder on ourselves than it really is.

Remember that the Prophet alayhis salatu wasalam tells

us, Al halalubayin

wal haramubayin.

Halal is clear, haram is crystal clear,

but what is in between are things that

are doubtful.

When you get into that area where you're

not so sure,

ask a local Sheikh. If you don't have

a local Sheikh, there is many online.

You have access to, you can email, you

can go on certain websites, you can get

certain fatawa from reputable

and scholars from around the world.

Choose an opinion, stick to that. And I

think there's one more thing important that I

should mention,

Respect other people's opinion.

So part of the journey of finding what's

right and wrong should also be respecting others

who choose a different opinion. You went on

that journey and your sheikh said a b

and c

does not give you the right to impose

that on others who may have chosen a

slightly

different opinion.

As long as they have authentic sources,

you have authentic sources,

but the act is slightly altered or it's

slightly different. Alhamdulillah.

It is a blessing from Allah. At the

end of the day, your goal is to

do what is best based on your knowledge

and ability to please Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.

make it easy for you.

make it easy for you.