Ifta' (Issuing Rulings) on General Matters for Those to Whom It Has Not Been Delegated
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
The questioner says: If the one in authority appoints specific individuals to issue rulings, especially in matters of vital importance to the Muslim community, does the one who withholds knowledge commit a sin because he is covered by the ruling, or does he say, "I am a scholar, and this is what has become clear to me in this matter"?
The Shaykh:
As for individual rulings, the one who has knowledge issues them in matters of prayer and fasting; these are individual rulings. As for the general rulings that encompass the people, no one issues them except the people of ifta' to whom this matter has been delegated. Matters should not be in chaos, with everyone issuing rulings on general and important matters.
This causes confusion, it causes confusion, and it causes disorder and disagreement, and matters do not become regulated with this practice. As long as this matter has not been delegated to you, you are safe, praise be to Allah; this matter has not been delegated to you, so do not issue rulings and contradict the authority responsible for ifta'. Yes.
The presenter:
If Allah wills, here is what the questioner says.
The Shaykh:
This is usurping the role of the mufti. If he issues a ruling while he has not been entrusted to issue rulings on the general matters of the people, this is usurping the role of the authorities. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
The questioner says: If the one in authority appoints specific individuals to issue rulings, especially in matters of vital importance to the Muslim community, does the one who withholds knowledge commit a sin because he is covered by the ruling, or does he say, "I am a scholar, and this is what has become clear to me in this matter"?
The Shaykh:
As for individual rulings, the one who has knowledge issues them in matters of prayer and fasting; these are individual rulings. As for the general rulings that encompass the people, no one issues them except the people of ifta' to whom this matter has been delegated. Matters should not be in chaos, with everyone issuing rulings on general and important matters.
This causes confusion, it causes confusion, and it causes disorder and disagreement, and matters do not become regulated with this practice. As long as this matter has not been delegated to you, you are safe, praise be to Allah; this matter has not been delegated to you, so do not issue rulings and contradict the authority responsible for ifta'. Yes.
The presenter:
If Allah wills, here is what the questioner says.
The Shaykh:
This is usurping the role of the mufti. If he issues a ruling while he has not been entrusted to issue rulings on the general matters of the people, this is usurping the role of the authorities. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 29 من 64\شرح عمدة الأحكام (شرح كامل مع أسئلة)\الصيام\كتاب الصيام\صالح الفوزان\الفقه\كبار العلماء — youtube.com (1:04:58)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.