# Is it a virtue for a scholar never to hold an original position?

*Yasir Qadhi saying he never held a position of his own*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/kwmtt2tqao0/s/3/
- Date: 2020-08-24 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #179 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (10:54–14:40)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWmtt2TQAO0&t=654s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/kwmtt2tqao0/

**Topics:** Exchanges with Yasir Qadhi; Schools of law and following them

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth argues that a teacher of Islam who claims never to have held a position of his own is admitting he has never had an original thought in the faith.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth comments on a clip he watched of Yasir Qadhi, in which, he says, Yasir Qadhi tried to justify himself by saying that in his whole teaching life he had only ever followed positions of the ulama and never come up with one himself. Mufti calls over-justifying oneself a sign of insecurity and says one should have some backbone and dignity. He argues that a teacher of Islam saying this is in effect saying he has never had an original thought within the faith and has no leadership qualities, and that however humble it sounds it is a disservice to his own training and profession. He adds that everybody has to bluff a little.

## Sources and names cited

- Yasir Qadhi

## Transcript (machine tier, 10:54–14:40)

[10:16] to realize that maybe what i've lived my whole life has been a lie in the words of khalif that you know that a day of such a regret is in and of itself so regrettable so people do not you know limit yourselves to the to the bizarre limitations placed by sex

[10:54] and certain clergymen use use that in there and i want to say that i um i watched a a clip of our one of our beloveds the jar with a small d but i watched this clip of sheikh yasir khadi and in it he's uh he's trying to justify himself and you know i'll tell you something this is a sign of insecure men insecure people

[11:31] they often go far and beyond over and beyond in trying to justify themselves you know you need a bit of like backbone to you you understand when you like i understand in certain context you justify something but to over express a justification always you know you're always seeking and like the forgiveness

[12:03] you know have some dignity man but so anyway watch this clip but in this clip it's not like he was uh seeking compassion but maybe he was but he was shaykh was saying that oh you know i've and he was trying to explain to the public it's on youtube i saw it last week actually he says you know i i've in my entire life teaching life of islam i've only ever followed positions that like of of ulama

[12:42] and i've never come up with a position uh myself ever and you know from one perspective people might say you know [Music] [Laughter] from one perspective you might you might think you one has to ask are you see basically what you're saying what you're saying

[13:21] is you have never had an original thought in your entire life to do within this faith which you've never ever nothing has occurred to you originally ever [Laughter] what have you been studying for why don't you just you know if all right so if that's been your studies in islam as a teacher of islam remember this isn't a student like this is a teacher of islam because this

[14:00] got a bit blurry ah that's better right so then you might as well just pack up sharp and i don't know you might as well just open a fish and chip shop basically what you're saying is i've never had leadership qualities ever in my islamic profession i am nothing but a follower and as humble as that may sound it just you know it's a complete disservice to people their own training and profession so i

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment KWmtt2TQAO0/s/3. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/kwmtt2tqao0/s/3/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.