Following the common people and asking the people of knowledge
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This questioner says in his final question: What is the ruling on the common people following others in all matters? And what is obligatory: following or imitating the common people?
Answer:
What is said to the common people? The common person follows the advice to ask the people of knowledge, just as a blind person asks for sight. It is not said to him, "Show me the way," and he goes to ignorant people. He asks people to show him the path; he does not go to the ignorant who will confuse him and mislead him. He asks people to show him the way in the mosque, in his home, and he trusts them. So it is with the ignorant in knowledge; the blind in knowledge asks the people of knowledge. He does not ask whoever comes to mind. He chooses from the ranks of scholars, those who are known for good and knowledge, and he seeks them out in his land. Even if it requires traveling to other lands, he seeks them out, or by telephone, or by correspondence, he seeks them out. The merchant who wants to buy weapons asks the experts; merchants ask the experts about weapons, and they go to ask people they do not understand. Likewise, the one whose car is broken down asks people they do not understand; they ask the quarter of people who understand his car's breakdown to cooperate with them. So let him ask the people of knowledge, while they ask the general public. He should also be discerning; he does not ask every person of knowledge. They ask, and he is discerning in his land, just as if there is no one in his land, he travels to another land to ask, or by telephone if there is a connection, or by correspondence, or by telegram. He should not be lax. Allah says:[An-Nahl 16:43] And it was narrated from him that he said to a group who asked people who did not know: Sunan ad-Daraqutni 1:640? .
It is obligatory for Muslims to know that they should ask. They do not ask just anyone. They do not ask an ignorant person like themselves. No, they ask the people of knowledge. They ask the people of remembrance. It was not said, "Ask whom you wish." It was said, "Ask the people of remembrance." The people of remembrance are the people of knowledge, the people of the Qur'an, the people of insight. May Allah grant success to everyone. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
This questioner says in his final question: What is the ruling on the common people following others in all matters? And what is obligatory: following or imitating the common people?
Answer:
What is said to the common people? The common person follows the advice to ask the people of knowledge, just as a blind person asks for sight. It is not said to him, "Show me the way," and he goes to ignorant people. He asks people to show him the path; he does not go to the ignorant who will confuse him and mislead him. He asks people to show him the way in the mosque, in his home, and he trusts them. So it is with the ignorant in knowledge; the blind in knowledge asks the people of knowledge. He does not ask whoever comes to mind. He chooses from the ranks of scholars, those who are known for good and knowledge, and he seeks them out in his land. Even if it requires traveling to other lands, he seeks them out, or by telephone, or by correspondence, he seeks them out. The merchant who wants to buy weapons asks the experts; merchants ask the experts about weapons, and they go to ask people they do not understand. Likewise, the one whose car is broken down asks people they do not understand; they ask the quarter of people who understand his car's breakdown to cooperate with them. So let him ask the people of knowledge, while they ask the general public. He should also be discerning; he does not ask every person of knowledge. They ask, and he is discerning in his land, just as if there is no one in his land, he travels to another land to ask, or by telephone if there is a connection, or by correspondence, or by telegram. He should not be lax. Allah says:
So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَDid they not ask when they did not know?
ألا سألوا إذا لم يعلمواThe cure for ignorance is to ask
إنما شفاء العي السخاةIt is obligatory for Muslims to know that they should ask. They do not ask just anyone. They do not ask an ignorant person like themselves. No, they ask the people of knowledge. They ask the people of remembrance. It was not said, "Ask whom you wish." It was said, "Ask the people of remembrance." The people of remembrance are the people of knowledge, the people of the Qur'an, the people of insight. May Allah grant success to everyone. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Source
فتاوى الحج 1410 هـ - 7 (2) — archive.org (36:51)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.