Adhering
to the Methodology
of Muslim Masses
{وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا}
[سورة النساء/ءاية ١١٥]
Ayah 115 of Surat an-Nisa’ means: [And he who opposes the Messenger after the guidance had been shown to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, Allah will leave him to what he has chosen and torture him in Hellfire,
and that would be his miserable end].
Imam Ash-Shafi^iyy and others deduced from this Ayah that the scholarly consensus on a certain matter is classified as proof for the Religion.
Therefore, following a way different from that of the Muslim Masses means deviating from the Jama^ah (Majority of Muslims), which is haram. Hence, following the Majority of Muslims and adhering to their path is an obligation because Allah
threatened those who oppose the Messenger and follow a way different from that of the Muslim Masses with torture. This proves that the consensus of the Muslim nation’s top scholars can be used as proof for the Religion.
The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said in the hadith narrated by Al-Bayhaqiyy that Allah Willed for this nation never to agree on a misguidance.