(Part 32)
The Sixth Topic: Factors of Taqlid Expansion
Factors Behind the Expansion of Taqlid
The Fifth Speech: Prejudices
Prejudice is defined as a rigid bias toward something (Moein, 1386, 2/123). In other words, it is an irrational bias toward something to the extent that one sacrifices truth for it. This type of prejudice has numerous examples in Islamic texts. Resistance against prophets was often based on ethnic, religious, political, class-based, or other forms of prejudice. The Qur’an contains many verses on this matter. The refusal of Iblis to prostrate to Adam is considered the first example of prejudice in human history.
There are multiple causes of prejudice. The first is arrogance. Arrogance is the root of many sins. God Almighty says about the arrogant:
«قِيلَ ادْخُلُوا أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا فَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ» (زمر، 72).
“It will be said, ‘Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein. And wretched is the residence of the arrogant.’” [Az-Zumar: 72]
” The Prophet of Islam said in a hadith:
)الکبر بطر الحق و غمط الناس(
“Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” (Muslim, 1416 AH, 1/93). The second cause of prejudice is blind imitation. Resistance against all prophets was often due to blind imitation of the religion of their ancestors. Deep attachment to forefathers, low levels of knowledge and culture, personality cults, and similar factors contribute to such blind prejudice.
Blameworthy prejudice has numerous consequences and dangers on both individual and societal levels. It distances a person from God’s mercy and leads to deviation from the truth. This deviation results in backwardness and irrational dependence. On the societal level, it causes general regression, hypocrisy, and discord among people. Blind and irrational imitation is also rejected intellectually because following misleading beliefs and harmful ideologies leads to laziness, stagnation, and a lack of scientific progress in society. Islam refers to this as the zealotry of ignorance (ḥamiyyat al-jāhiliyyah).
There is also a commendable form of prejudice — when attachment is to positive, beneficial, and constructive matters based on knowledge and awareness. This is called commendable prejudice, and in this form, it becomes rational zeal. Righteous individuals are zealously attached to good morals, virtuous deeds, scholarly figures, Islamic jurisprudence, prophetic traditions, Qur’anic verses, and the saints and prophets of God. Imitation has at times spread through blind prejudice and at other times through commendable zeal. However, imitation of the rightful schools of thought has a scholarly basis and does not require ignorant prejudice.
Imitation in The Present Age
