05/09/2025
We live in times where a person’s worth is too often measured by the name of the scholar they follow rather than by the sincerity of their quest for knowledge. Instead of asking “What wisdom have you gained?” or “How has knowledge transformed your character?”, people are quick to ask, “Which scholar do you listen to?” As if this one question can define the entirety of a person’s faith, understanding, and commitment.
This shallow approach has created a dangerous culture. I have seen people speak of their teachers with such rigid loyalty that they expect nothing short of full agreement from everyone around them. To differ even slightly with their teacher’s opinion is treated as rebellion. To admire another scholar alongside theirs is seen as disloyalty. This attitude is not only unhealthy but a serious disturbance within our society. It suffocates open dialogue, kills intellectual humility, and turns diversity of thought into grounds for hostility.
For myself, I have been a student and follower of Sayyidi Shaykh-ul-Islaam Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tahir al-Qadri for more than a decade. His vast scholarship, spiritual depth, and tireless service to faith have left a deep imprint on my life. Yet never have I compelled another person to follow him, nor have I demanded that they listen to his words simply because I do. Knowledge is a light, and light is not meant to be imposed. My attitude has always been to benefit quietly and allow others the freedom to benefit from whomever they choose.
Sadly, what I witness around me is that disagreements between scholars are often carried forward by their followers, until they evolve into personal enmity. Instead of respecting one another’s paths, people begin to define relationships solely by the differences between their teachers. This is not the way of knowledge, nor the way of the pious. The true purpose of learning is to soften hearts, not to harden them; to build bridges, not walls.
Therefore, I seek Allah’s refuge from ever falling into the trap of arrogance, blind partisanship, or animosity. I pray that my loyalty to any scholar never outweighs my loyalty to the truth, and that my respect for my teacher never blinds me to the value of others. May Allah grant us humility in knowledge, respect in disagreement, and unity in diversity.
