1. "Jinns didn't give notification of Hadrat Sulaiman's علیہ السلام demise, but the white ants which were eating his staff did." 29.8 - Surah Saban, Verse 14

Hadrat Sulaiman علیہ السلام passed away in the state of namaaz while Baitul-Muqaddas was being constructed (he remained in the standing position for six months, being supported by his walking stick). Eventually, termites ate his stick and his blessed body fell to the ground. When the linns (who were working on the construction) saw this, they abandoned their work and fled the area. From this ayat and incident, we can deduce,

1. After death, the bodies of the prophets are safe from decomposing and perishing. See: the body of Hadrat Sulaiman علیہ السلام remained the same for six months without any change.

2. Insects cannot consume the bodies of the prophets. The termites ate Hadrat Sulaiman's علیہ السلام stick, not his blessed foot. Thus, Hadrat Yaqub علیہ السلام had certainty that wolves didn't eat Hadrat Yusuf علیہ السلام. He knew that his sons were lying to him!

3. The kafn of a prophet is also safe from rotting or min. Hadrat Sulaiman's علیہ السلام kafn didn't become dirty or soiled during these six months. Otherwise, the Jinns would have known that he passed away.

4. The prophets fulfill religious and worldly needs even after their passing! Hadrat Sulaiman علیہ السلامmade sure the Baitul-Muqaddas Musjid was completed even after his demise.

5. Due to a religious need, to delay the kafn and burial of a prophet is the Sunnah of Allahعزوجل For the completion of the Musjid, Allahعزوجل kept Hadrat Sulaiman علیہ السلام without any kafn or burial for six months after his demise. Thus, the Sahaaba delaying the kafn and burial of Sayyiduna Rasoolullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم in order to select a Khalifa is absolutely correct because the appointment of a Khalifa is far more important than the completion of a Musjid.

6. Heart failure (i.e. sudden death), is not a punishment for Allah’sعزوجل virtuous servants, but a mercy. Hadrat Sulaiman علیہ السلام passed away suddenly even though it was a blessing for him. Yes, it is a punishment for the heedless and negligent because they do not get the time to repent. We present another ayat as an example,

2. “اذا جاء نصراللہ والفتح الخ”- Surah Fath

In this ayat, Allahعزوجل has mentioned two blessings of His to His beloved صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and has commanded His praise in Tasbeeh to be made in thanks for them. The first is the Conquering of Makkah and the second are the armies of people accepting Islam after it. The following deductions are made from this ayat,

1. The Sahaaba are not few in number but arc in the thousands, because Allahعزوجل has used the word 'armies' (Afwaaj), and a couple of people do not make an army. Just as how the prophets are approximately 124,000, from which 313 are Messengers (prophets with Divine books) and 4 are Mursa! (Specially sent), likewise, the Sahaaba are 124,000 in number, from which 313 are Badri companions and 4 are Khulafaa-e-Raashideen. Whoever says that Mu'min Sahaaba were only two or five in total refute this ayat.

2. The Imaan of those who accepted Islam on the day of the Conquering of Makkah and afterwards is accepted by Allahعزوجل.

The Holy Quran states that they have entered the deen of Allahعزوجل, leaving no doubt in the matter. Therefore, Abu Sufyan, Hinda, Ikramah, Arneer Muawiya, etc. رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ were true and sincere Mu'mins. Whoever rejects their Imaan refutes this ayat.

3. None from those who brought lmaan on the day of the Conquering of Makkah became apostates (Murtads). They remained as true Believers and passed away as such, because this ayat explicitly mentions their entering into Imaan while there is no ayat regarding their leaving it. Also, Allahعزوجل mentioned this as a Divine blessing. If they had lost their Imaan afterwards, then instead of ordering the performance of Tasbeeh and praise (hamd), Allahعزوجل would have said, "O Beloved! Their Imaan has no credibility because they shall resort to kufr again." Now, whatever historical incident "proves" their kufr is false, a lie and contrary to the Holy Quran.

Until today, has the brain of any Ghair-Muqallid Wahabi extracted such Imaan­ enlightening rules from the Quran and Hadith? If you wish to learn more Imaan ­strengthening commentaries like the above, refer to my marginal notes on the Holy Quran. We now return to the original topic (i.e. the necessity of Taqleed):

1. b. The Quran and Hadith are medicines of lmaan. Every single person cannot prescribe his own medication less he wishes to chance his life. Likewise, everyone cannot extract rules from the Quran and Hadith by themselves. If one does, he will lose his lmaan just as how Ghair­Muqal1id Wahabies have.

c. The Quran and Hadith are oceans of knowledge. When most people are incapable of bringing out pearls from the ocean, so too can every person not deduce rulings from the Quran and Hadith on their own. Pearls are not bought from the sea. When people desire them, they enter jewelry stores. Likewise, you will not get Islamic rulings from the Quran and Hadith but will need to browse the shelves of lmam Abu Hanifa رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ, Imam Shafee رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ etc.

d. In worldly matters, every person is the follower of some leader: in cooking food, sewing clothes, wearing clothes, etc, there is no worldly action wherein Taqleed of the masters of that particular field hasn't been made. Deen is more vital than this. If every person unrestrictedly does and says whatever he wishes, Islam will be mined.

Ghair-Muqallid Wahabies should wear their hats on their legs and their shoes on their heads, etc. because they make the Taqleed of general people when it comes to dressing. Why do you perform the Taqleed of a luminary in every matter but refute three or four? If you want to oppose Taqleed, be complete in it. Do everything uniquely!

e. The Ahadith have many visible differences in them, with several sometimes concerning only one issue. If Taqleed isn't made and only the Ahadith are looked at, we would be in a great predicament. Ya Allahعزوجل! Which Hadith do we follow?! Can a Wahabi perform a two rakaat namaaz in which all Ahadith are practiced upon, remembering that there are several narrations dealing with only one issue? Narrations differ regarding the Holy Prophet’sصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم Witr being 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 rakaats. Now, to those who don't follow any Imam, perform a Witr Namaaz which incorporates all of these.

Friends, it is the task of a Mujtahid to see which Hadith is applicable (naasikh), inapplicable (mansookh), which has a visible meaning and which needs interpretation. Only the person who recognizes the context of the Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم's actions should bring practice on the Hadith.