The ruling on issuing fatwas without knowledge

Question:
This questioner has used the letter A as a code for his name. He says: We have a brother among us who graduated from the Shari'ah department, and we refer to him for some fatwas. He issued a fatwa to me, and it became clear to me that it was wrong. Then this person spoke to me and said, "Verify this fatwa a second time so that I may clear my conscience." What is the ruling on issuing a fatwa without knowledge? And what is the ruling on issuing fatwas to people for a fee?

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. There is no doubt that questions are posed to the people of knowledge , and a person does not intend to rely on his own opinion or his guess without knowledge. A graduate of the Shari'ah college is expected to be good; he is expected to have more knowledge than others. However, he must seek the truth and not rush to answer. He must be careful and precise in his answer, then issue the fatwa. He should answer the questioner with what he has reached after reflection and after consulting the books, if he does not have the answer at hand, or by asking other people of knowledge. He must be certain and seek the truth, and he has a reward with Allah the Exalted for that, because he guides one who is confused and directs one who is mistaken and in need in his answer. If, for example, in a question like this, he made a mistake in the answer, and he corrects it and alerts the questioner that his answer needs review and needs certainty, this indicates his excellence, his scrupulousness, and his review of himself. This is a good thing. Likewise, it is befitting for a student of knowledge if an answer comes from him and then it becomes clear to him that this answer needs review and needs certainty, and then he alerts the questioner not to act on this answer, this indicates his excellence and his eagerness to clear his own conscience and the questioner's conscience. Yes.