Blameworthy Imitation: An Analytical Study of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Treatment of the Issue in His Work Iqtida’ Al-Sirat Al-Mustaqim 10.35781/1637-000-133-003

Abstract

This study examines the concept of blameworthy imitation (tashabbuh) in the thought of Ibn Taymiyyah, with a particular focus on his work Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim. The research aims to clarify its parameters, domains, and the groups prohibited from being imitated, by analyzing the relevant textual evidences and their interpretive pathways, and by deriving the foundational principles underlying the notion of imitation. The study adopts an inductive, descriptive, and analytical methodology. Among its most significant findings are the central importance of the issue of imitation, its impact on creed and worship, and the conclusion that imitation is not confined to religious matters but also extends to worldly practices specific to non-Muslims.