Beware of Blind Following

Beware of Blind Following: A Reflective Review in the Light of Islam

The importance of thought, reason, and conscience in the history of human civilization has always been fundamental and undeniable. And in this regard, Islam occupies an exceptional place, because it does not call people to blindly follow, but rather to the path of knowledge, evidence, reason, and inquiry. From the beginning of Islam to the arrival of the last Prophet, the main goal was to awaken people to the sense of distinguishing between truth and falsehood, to expand the horizons of thought, and to remove the veil of blindness and call them to acquire the ability to understand reality.

In today's society, we see that many people blindly follow something, whether it is religious, social, political, or even family matters. They consider only the path of their ancestors to be the only right one, or accept the words of some Pir-Mashaykh, party, or political leader as the ultimate truth. This mentality is contrary to the fundamental spirit of Islam. The Quran has warned against this blind following in many places.

Allah says:

“When it is said to them, ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Nay, we will follow what we found our fathers following.’ Even though their fathers did not understand anything, nor were they guided.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 170)

This verse does not only condemn idolaters, but also teaches a fundamental lesson against any kind of unreasonable following. Islam teaches people to use their conscience and intelligence to make the right decisions. Except for the source of prophethood, everything else—people, doctrines, imams, pirs, or any tradition—is not above criticism. Islam does not say, you shall not listen to any scholar; rather, it says, you shall listen, understand, verify, and then accept if it is in accordance with the Quran and Hadith.

Today we see that many people are so attached to a Madhhab, Tariqa or a particular group that it becomes a kind of religious dogma. They believe in the words of their ‘Sheikh Sahib’ or ‘Peer Sahib’ as if they are superior to the Quran or Hadith. Yet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “None of you will be a true believer until his desires are guided by the Shariah that I have brought.” (A collection of ninety Hadiths, Sharhus Sunnah). He has repeatedly warned his followers not to deviate from his Sunnah and follow any other path.

We also find evidence in the early days of Islam of how dangerous blind following can be. The infidels of Mecca did not accept the message of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) even after hearing it, simply because it conflicted with the path of their ancestors. Yet they knew that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a truthful, trustworthy, and just person. Their bigotry and blind imitation hindered them from accepting the truth. This is the era of ‘Jahiliyyah’ in Islamic terms – the age of ignorance.

Not only in religious matters, but in our society, blind following of politics has taken on a more horrific form. The word of the leader is like law, his wrong decisions are great, and people consider his wrongdoings to be right. Such blind obedience is a form of person-worship, which can come close to a kind of ‘shirk’. The Quran has clearly rejected it.

Allah says,

“Those who take their scholars and priests as gods besides Allah…” (Surah At-Tawbah: 31)

The interpretation is that they have accepted the lawful and the unlawful of their religious leaders as unlawful, ignoring the laws of Allah – this was the main mistake.

The most serious consequence of blind following is – the path to acquiring knowledge is blocked. A person who enjoys the self-satisfaction of saying, ‘I know everything’ or ‘my path is the only right path’ does not learn anything new and closes the door to correction. Yet the very first word of the Quran is—“Iqra”—read, gain knowledge, think, understand.

The consequences of blind following are not only confusion in this worldly life, but also terrible in the Hereafter. It is narrated in the Quran that on the Day of Judgment, the followers will turn to their leaders and say, “Our Lord! We listened to them, and they showed us the way!” Then their leaders will say, “Are you crying for us? You wanted to follow us. Now suffer the punishment for your own sins.” (Surah Ahzab: 67-68)

In order to avoid such a day of regret, it is necessary to awaken our conscience now. Ask questions, practice logic, do research, learn from scholars, and above all, lead our lives based on the Quran and authentic Hadith.

Finally, Islam never says, "You go it alone." Rather, Islam has shura, consultation, and following—but it should be "knowledge-based following," not blind. Islam wants thoughtful followers, believers who are aware of the decisions they make, and a society where people use their God-given conscience to find the right path.

Let us all beware of blind following, try to walk in the light of the Quran and Sunnah, and take a firm stand for truth and justice based on reason and evidence. In this lies peace in this world, as well as salvation in the Hereafter.