Why is it that Abu Bakr and ʿUmar never allowed anyone...

Why is it that Abu Bakr and ʿUmar never allowed anyone, by way of their own independent assessment (ijtihad) , to differ with them; rather, in issues which call for ijtihad , it is an obligation upon every individual who has reached the level of being able to conduct independent research and analysis (mujtahid) to follow his own ijtihad!” [^1] Al-Shokani, apparently in discussing the sources of Islamic legislation, has raised an objection and has said that the opinions of the companions are not a proof [for us] as God only appointed (S) for this nation and other than one Prophet and one Divinely sent book, we have nothing else [to take as a proof of the religion].

Thus, he contends that the entire Muslim nation is obligated to follow and obey the Book of God (Qur’an) and the sunnah of (S) and there is no differentiation between the companions or others as everyone is mandated to take their religious responsibilities from the Book and the sunnah .

Therefore, whoever says that after the Qur’an and the sunnah of the Prophet (S) and whatever reaches back to these two sources as a proof [of the religion] for us in the religion of God, that there are other proofs [of legislation] has actually said something about the religion of God which is incorrect.[^2] Therefore, the only things which are a proof over us [in terms of religious mandate] are the Qur’an, Sunnah of the Prophet (S), the unanimous consensus of the Muslim scholars, and the unambiguous intellect and the opinions of the companions – as long as their opinions do not go against the statements of the Prophet (S) - for if it goes against the Qur’an and Sunnah then it is definitely not a proof of the religion for us; however, if their opinions are extracted and deduced from the Islamic religious sources, then for them and for those who follow them, they are a proof – and they are not binding on other people – on the mujtahidin and the muqallidin .

The companions of (S) and the first generation after the companions, are divided into two groups: righteous and iniquitous; and accepted and rejected; and when we do not accept the traditions which they claim to have heard (S) say, then we must clarify the point that this is not a condemnation that we reject all of the traditions which the companions of the Prophet (S) related.