Switching madhhabs due to not being able to find a teacher?
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Question
I live in the USA and have been looking for a shafii fiqh teacher for a while to no avail. I am thinking strongly maybe to migrate to find one out of the USA but don't know what Allah will decree for me. I do know of hanafi ulema here. I will continue to try and go learn the shafii school properly for a while longer but if I cannot do you have advice on what I should do? Most of what I know about fiqh comes from reading translated fiqh works and asking Q and As online and for the shafii school this is also limited. Should I stick it out with this if I cannot go to a madrasa that teaches shafii fiqh or switch schools?Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
The four Sunni schools of fiqh are all means to operationalize the Sunna of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace); they are not ends. It is a mistake to become emotionally attached to a particular school if one is unable to use it as a means to absolve oneself of one's responsibility before Allah.
If you are unable to worship correctly according to the Shafi'i school because of lack of knowledge, then you should switch to a school whose rulings you are able to learn adequately. Otherwise, switching schools is not necessary, although it is still permissible to do so if you wish.
And Allah knows best.
Hamza.
This answer was published by SunniPath and is preserved as written. Rulings can depend on circumstances; for your own situation, consult a qualified scholar.
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