As debate rages on whether last Sunday's dog-patting event contravenes the Shafee Muslim school of thought, a prominent scholar posits that it is not compulsory for Muslims to only follow one mazhab (school of thought).

In a Facebook posting yesterday, former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (below) cites Syrian scholar Wahba Zuhayli that Muslims can “switch between schools” as he or she deems fit.

"Wahba said: "According to the majority of ulama, it is not compulsory to follow only one particular imam (jurist) in solving all problems.

"It is encouraged for a person to follow any imam that he or she wants.

If he or she commits to a particular school of thought, it is not compulsory for it to be continuous.

"In fact, he or she can switch between schools of thoughts,” Mohd Asri quoted Wahba as saying.

Although Mohd Asri did not explicitly mention the 'I Want To Touch A Dog' event, it is an accepted fact that Muslim jurists have different opinions with regard to dogs.

The differing opinons was explained by the former mufti in an earlier posting soon after the controversy was sparked.

The Shafie school of thought regards dogs as najis mughallazah (heavy impurity) while the Maliki and Hanafi schools of thought opine that only dogs' saliva is impure.

Religious authorities and clerics have condemned Sunday's event, arguing that the unneccesary touching of dogs is forbidden in the Shafie school adhered to by most Malaysian Muslims.

Organiser Syed Azmi Alhabshi and a cleric who had demonstrated how Muslims can cleanse themselves after touching a dog have been called up by the Islamic Development Department for an explanation.

'Nothing is compulsory unless God says so'

In the citation from Wahba's book 'Al-Rukhas al-Syari'yyah' reproduced by Mohd Asri, Wahba further notes that Muslims can switch from one school of thought to another as the opinion of a jurist is not the word of God.

"Nothing is compulsory besides what that have been made compulsory by Allah and the Prophet.

"Allah and His Prophet did not make it compulsory for a person to follow only one school of thought.

"Allah only made it compulsory to follow the ulama, especially when not in the know of something."

Mohd Asri also noted that Wahba gave the example of the Prophet's companions who did not limit themselves to only one school of thought.

"This shows that it is not compulsory to only follow only one imam or to follow only one school of thought for all problems.

"The view that it is compulsory to commit to one school of thought will only bring difficulties," Wahba is quoted as saying in his book.

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