WHAT ALLAH SAID ABOUT FOLLOWING THE MAJORITY

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL

There is a misconception among us that if the majority of people are doing this act of worship – that must be correct. 

1. Some cultures reciting Yaseen to the deceased
2. Some cultures after 7 days and 40 days and 1 year – gathering to recite Qur’an for deceased
3. Many people would decorate the graveyards of their loved ones
4. Many would celebrate Prophet’s birthdays
5. Many will pray sunnah after first adhan on Fridays in the mosque

Everyon is following their teachings of their forefathers and whe corrected they will always say but we were following what our forefathers have taught us:

وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُم تَعالَوا إِلىٰ ما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسولِ قالوا حَسبُنا ما وَجَدنا عَلَيهِ آباءَنا ۚ أَوَلَو كانَ آباؤُهُم لا يَعلَمونَ شَيئًا وَلا يَهتَدونَ

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا عَلَيكُم أَنفُسَكُم ۖ لا يَضُرُّكُم مَن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهتَدَيتُم ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرجِعُكُم جَميعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ

“And when it is said to them: “Come to what Allah has revealed and unto the Messenger (Muhammad SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for the verdict of that which you have made unlawful).” They say: “Enough for us is that which we found our fathers following,” even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever and no guidance. O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves, [do righteous deeds, fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. If you follow the right guidance and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden) no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do. “ 5: 104-105

This “Taqleed” or blind following has led many people astray.

The Quran negates the concepts of such people in clear way,

Quran encourages people to use their Aql. The words Aql refers to human intellect, reason and understanding.

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوابِّ عِندَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ البُكمُ الَّذينَ لا يَعقِلونَ

8:22. “Indeed, the vilest of living animals, in God’s sight, are the deaf, the dumb and those that do not use their intellect (yAQLun)”

Such people follow the concept of majority. As a result thereof, when you try to divert someone towards Quran, you get the argument that majority of Muslims cannot be wrong, but Quran does not say so. The basic tool that Quran describes for following something is the use of AQL, as we have seen above.

SHOULD I FOLLOW THE MAJORITY?

1. The Quran states that most of the people do not believe in Quran,

المر ۚ تِلكَ آياتُ الكِتابِ ۗ وَالَّذي أُنزِلَ إِلَيكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الحَقُّ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يُؤمِنونَ

Alif Lam Mim Ra. These are the verses of the Book; and that which is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, but most people do not believe. 13: 1

2. The Quran repeatedly talks about the former Messengers of God that fought against blind majority. In the end, they walked alone preaching guidance to them until their communities were strongly preached or ultimately destroyed. We should learn from Quran about the folk of Loot, Saleh, Hud and Shuaib (just few names). These historical narratives remain clear for anyone to read and study. Even the long life of Noah was not enough to convince the majority of his folk.

Therefore the obedience of the majority is forbidden in Quran, as they follow the guess work.

وَإِن تُطِع أَكثَرَ مَن فِي الأَرضِ يُضِلّوكَ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِن هُم إِلّا يَخرُصونَ

“And if you obey most of those in the earth, they will mislead you from the way of God. They follow but assumption / conjecture (Zana) and they only guess / lie (Yakhrasun)” 6: 116

أَم تَحسَبُ أَنَّ أَكثَرَهُم يَسمَعونَ أَو يَعقِلونَ ۚ إِن هُم إِلّا كَالأَنعامِ ۖ بَل هُم أَضَلُّ سَبيلًا

“Or do you think that most of them listen or use their intellect (yAQLuna)? They are only like cattle, nay, they are more astray from the way” 25: 44

3. Today majority of people follow hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (nonexistent term in Quran) besides the Quran. In various hadith, specifically in the chapters of the ‘Hereafter’ in the books of Bukhari and Muslim we read numerous predictions by the prophet detailing what will take place in future.

يُجَلّيها لِوَقتِها إِلّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَت فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۚ لا تَأتيكُم إِلّا بَغتَةً ۗ يَسأَلونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنها ۖ قُل إِنَّما عِلمُها عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ

“They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): “When will be its appointed time?” Say: “The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.” They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it. Say: “The knowledge thereof is with Allah (Alone) but most of mankind know not.” 7: 187

The above verse clearly negates the concept of majority today, who believe in hadiths and Sunnah because they talk about future.

4. Majority people who believe in GOD are also idol worshippers at the same time. 

Allah says,

وَما يُؤمِنُ أَكثَرُهُم بِاللَّهِ إِلّا وَهُم مُشرِكونَ

“And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him [i.e. they are Mushrikun -polytheists – see Verse 6: 121].” 12: 106

5. It is clear from the Quran that Satan will astray the majority,

وَلَقَد أَضَلَّ مِنكُم جِبِلًّا كَثيرًا ۖ أَفَلَم تَكونوا تَعقِلونَ

“And indeed, he did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did you not, then use your intellect / reason (tAQLun)? 36: 62

Many will blame their leaders:

وَقالوا رَبَّنا إِنّا أَطَعنا سادَتَنا وَكُبَراءَنا فَأَضَلّونَا السَّبيلا

“And they will say: O our Sustainer! Behold, we paid heed to our leaders and our great men, and it is they who have led us astray from the right path” 33: 67

Quran emphasize the reader to use intellect and reasons. Therefore each soul despite being part of a wider inclusive social group is ultimately only responsible for itself.

وَلا تَقفُ ما لَيسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمعَ وَالبَصَرَ وَالفُؤادَ كُلُّ أُولٰئِكَ كانَ عَنهُ مَسئولًا

“And do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed! the hearing and the sight and the heart – of each of these you will be questioned” 17: 36

Making the du’a to be among the few.

اللهم اجعلني من عبادك القليل

When Umar bin al-Khattab radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) was walking in the market, he passed by a man who was supplicating, “O Allah, make us of Your ‘few’ servants! O Allah make us of Your ‘few’ servants!”

So ‘Umar said to him, “Where did you get this du`a’ (supplication) from?” And the man said, “Allah in His Book says 

وَقَليلٌ مِن عِبادِيَ الشَّكورُ

‘And few of My servants are grateful.'(Qur’an 34:13)” So ‘Umar wept and admonished himself, “The people are more knowledgeable than you, O Umar! O Allah make us of Your ‘few’ servants.”

Sometimes when you advise someone to leave a sin, they respond with “But most people do it, it’s not just me!” But if you look for the words “most people” in the Qur’an, you will find that 

وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ

most people “do not know” (7:187), 

وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَشكُرونَ

“do not give thanks” (2:243) 

وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يُؤمِنونَ

“do not believe” (11:17). 

And if you look for “most of them”, you will find that most of them are 

وَأَنَّ أَكثَرَكُم فاسِقونَ

“defiantly disobedient” (5:59), 

وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَهُم يَجهَلونَ

“ignorant” (6:111), 

بَل أَكثَرُهُم لا يَعلَمونَ الحَقَّ ۖ فَهُم مُعرِضونَ

“But most of them know not the Truth, so they are averse.” (21:24), 

So be of the “few”, whom Allah says about them:

وَقَليلٌ مِن عِبادِيَ الشَّكورُ

“And few of My servants are grateful.” (34:13)

وَما آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلّا قَليلٌ

“But none had believed with him, except a few.” (11:40)

“In the Gardens of Pleasure, A [large] company of the former peoples, And a few of the later peoples.” (56:12-14)

Ibn al-Qayyim (ra) said, “Go on the path of truth and do not feel lonely because there are few who take that path, and beware of the path of falsehood and do not be deceived by the greatness of the perishers.”