The Ruling on Understanding the Book and the Sunnah Without Adhering to the Understanding of the Salaf

Question:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh, this questioner says: There are those who say that understanding the Book and the Sunnah is not specific to the understanding of the righteous Salaf, and that this statement was not made by anyone but the later scholars. What is your view on this?

Answer:
Yes. Understanding the Book and the Sunnah is required for one who has the ability and capacity. It is required that we seek to understand the Qur'an and the Sunnah, but with the scholarly qualifications that the scholars mentioned in the conditions for a mujtahid (a scholar qualified to derive rulings). If these are present in him, he derives rulings from the Book and the Sunnah. It is not obligatory that he agrees with the words of the Salaf verbatim, but his understanding must not contradict the understanding of the Salaf. It is not a substitute for agreeing verbatim and saying what the Salaf said verbatim. Rather, it is a condition that he does not contradict, differ from, or oppose the statement of the Salaf. Yes.