Authenticity of the Hadith, "Ikhtilaaf of the Ulama is rahmat"

Q: Some of the Ulama from Deoband consider animated pictures as permissible and other Ulama are totally opposite to that extent that they declared it haraam. I have heard that "Ulama ka ikhtalif rehmat hai".

Will I be sinful if I follow the Ulama who regard animated pictures as permissible?

A: There is no hadeeth that says that the ikhtilaaf of the ulama is rahmat. The ikhtilaaf is when there is no clear categorical hadeeth. If there is any hadeeth which is clear and categorical then we will not call it a ikhtilaaf. In this case you will go with the clear ruling of the hadeeth. And the ruling of the hadeeth is that when something is doubtful and not clear then abstain from it. Now to misconstrue this and say that you will be covered with rahmat if you embark on it is a clear indication that you have not understood deen correctly, for this hadeeth of abstaining from things that are doubtful is a clear hadeeth of saheehain.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)