Das Verständnis von Nachahmung (taqlīd) nach Ibn Qayyim al-Ǧawziyya (gest. 751/1350) am Beispiel seines Werkes Iʿlām al-muwaqqiʿīn ʿan Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn

The discussion about the authority and handling of norms developed by legal scholars has been prevalent since time immemorial. This mainly involves the extent of influence these laws have and the degree of dependence on them. Do they have a totalitarian validity, leading to complete obedience and devotion, or is such absolute obedience unacceptable? For the layman, this question holds relevance because they do not engage in extensive study and seek to verify the evidence, but rather consult a competent individual capable of clarifying their queries. The result is the imitation of the issued law without knowledge of the respective evidence. Consequently, the question arises: Is it sufficient or even necessary to accept and imitate the laws of legal scholars or is it obligatory for every Muslim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject and to read and study the texts to make their own judgment. The following article considers this topic from the perspective of the Ḥanbalī jurist Ibn Qayyim al-Ǧawziyya, identifying his view on imitation, clarifying his stance on the issue and recapitulating how he defends his position.