Studies in Ibāḍism (al-Ibāḍīyya)

cousin of the Prophet, 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud, and 'Abdullah b. Sallam, who were firmly rooted in knowledge. We walked in their steps, followed their sayings, relied on their conduct, and imitated their method....."16

The method followed by Abu 'Ubaidah was to keep fast to the teachings of the Companions and the followers, and not to form any line which might lead way from their way. To him, following Sunnah is a sign that the Muslim has a good soul. He related from Ibn 'Abbas that he said, "He who heard a Tradition inviting to moral excellence and did his best in following it; if the Tradition was as he heard it, he gets two rewards; the reward for memorising the Tradition, and the reward for acting according to it. If the Tradition was not as he heard it, he will get the same reward, for God will not waste the wage of good-doers. The reward for his good-doing and worship of God will not be wasted unless his work was in a heresy." 17 After quoting this opinion of Ibn 'Abbas, Abu 'Ubaidah commented, "Know that the Muslim if God granted him a good soul which is directed to obedience to God, whenever he hears what brings him nearer to God he will do his best in following it, and he will be rewarded as previously mentioned. But if the person has a bad soul he becomes weary of worshipping God and dislikes worship. All his concern will be in argument and doubt; so whenever he hears a Tradition which invites him to work, he opposes it with analogical reasoning (qiyas) and says, "This Tradition is not authentic, (Sahih), because his opinion which agrees with his desire has nothing to do with obedience to God." 18 However, Abu 'Ubaidah was a Traditionalist and was largely influenced by Traditions as a Jurist and Theologian. He was against using ra'y (personal judgement). When he was told that the people of Oman use ra'y in forming legal opinions, Abu 'Ubaidah said, "They will not be safe in the cases of blood shedding and marriage." 19 His followers were taught not to accept any opinion unless it is a narration, 'Athar, from the Shaikhs of the Ibadhi School. It is reported that 'Umm Shihab, an Ibadhi woman was visited by 'Abdullah b. 'Abd al-'Aziz and Saleh b. Kathir, students of Abu 'Ubaidah, she asked them for a legal opinion and Saleh answered her. She asked him from whom he narrated that opinion. His reply was that it was his own opinion based on his ra'y. She said, "Throw your ra'y against the wall, I do not need it." 20 During his time more attention was given to the system of al-walayah, and al-bara'ah, both in theory and practice, than the time of Jabir b. Zaid. The following two cases show the change of attitude as between the two leaders:

I It is reported that an Ibadhi called al-Hassan b. 'Abd al-Rahman proposed to 'Umm 'Affan who was an Ibadhi as her father; when her father consulted her, she would not agree to marry him. Jabir's opinion was that she must not be given in marriage against her wish. When a non-Ibadhi Muslim proposed to her and she agreed to marry him, Jabir ordered her father to give her in marriage to him. 21