Reading books and benefiting from them
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question 17 from Fatwa No. ( 6914 )
Q17: I read some religious books by certain scholars, and I find that a certain issue differs in another book by another scholar, in addition to the fact that what that scholar benefited from is contrary and incorrect. An example of this is what our brother, the distinguished scholar Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, said regarding the prohibition of gold rings for women, and some of our brother scholars responded to him on that matter.
As a reader, am I permitted to continue reading the writings of this scholar who differs on some issues, since it is possible that I will take what he presented without knowing what others have said, and sometimes doubt and disagreement trouble me? I ask for clarification.
A17: If you are capable of research, argumentation, and comparing evidence, and of preferring what you see to be correct, then read from both sides of the disagreement, or from the various sides, to broaden your understanding, without fear of doubt or confusion befalling you. And if you are not qualified for that, then follow a trusted jurist who is a mujtahid, known for his knowledge, trustworthiness, and adherence to the Book and the Sunnah. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q17: I read some religious books by certain scholars, and I find that a certain issue differs in another book by another scholar, in addition to the fact that what that scholar benefited from is contrary and incorrect. An example of this is what our brother, the distinguished scholar Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, said regarding the prohibition of gold rings for women, and some of our brother scholars responded to him on that matter.
As a reader, am I permitted to continue reading the writings of this scholar who differs on some issues, since it is possible that I will take what he presented without knowing what others have said, and sometimes doubt and disagreement trouble me? I ask for clarification.
A17: If you are capable of research, argumentation, and comparing evidence, and of preferring what you see to be correct, then read from both sides of the disagreement, or from the various sides, to broaden your understanding, without fear of doubt or confusion befalling you. And if you are not qualified for that, then follow a trusted jurist who is a mujtahid, known for his knowledge, trustworthiness, and adherence to the Book and the Sunnah. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.