Taqlid in Muhammad b. Yusuf al-Sanūsī

Abstract

Questions such as “Who is a muqallid?” and “Can one have certainty without
evidence?” have been significant topics of debate in the history of Islamic thought. While
taqlid has been accepted in practical matters, its validity in the realm of faith has been
a subject of contention among theologians. Some defended the validity of a muqallid’s
faith, whereas others argued that one cannot be a true believer without escaping imitation.
Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. Yūsuf b. ʿUmar b. Shuʿayb al-Sanūsī (895/1490),
whose life details are rather limited , engaged in theology and Sufism and successfully
represented Ashʿarism in the Maghreb. This study seeks to answer questions such as:
Who döşe Sanūsī define as a muqallid? What distinguishes his definition from others?
Does he consider the faith of a muqallid invalid? These questions are addressed using
summarization and content analysis methods based on Sanūsī’s own commentaries. In this
context, it is understood that Sanūsī defines a muqallid as someone who lacks certainty
and whose knowledge remains at the level of doubt. Consequently, he asserts that the
faith of a muqallid is not valid. He emphasized in all his works that this view aligns with
the opinion of the majority of scholars (jumhūr al-ʿulamāʾ) and supported its correctness
with evidence from the Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus (ijmāʿ), and rational arguments.