What is the ruling on disagreement among scholars in fatwas, and whom should one follow?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Peace be upon you. And upon you be peace. The honorable Shaykh, the female questioner says: We hear on satellite channels one person answering a question with a specific ruling, and we hear another answering with the opposite of that answer, this one or that mufti. So what is your guidance (may Allah preserve you) in this matter?
The Shaykh : Our guidance in this matter is that disagreement among the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) has existed since ancient times, and it is not strange for there to be two opinions or more from the scholars on a matter. However, a person must not seek a fatwa except from one in whose knowledge and trustworthiness he has confidence.
The questioner : Yes, they do not remain.
The Shaykh : And he should not take the fatwa of anyone except one he knows and trusts in his knowledge and trustworthiness.
The questioner : Yes, good, and we know the trustworthy ones.
The Shaykh : Because it is regrettable now that some people issue fatwas without knowledge.
The questioner : Yes, oh.
The Shaykh : It is merely their opinion, and some people do not trust him even if he is a scholar.
The questioner : Yes, good, we are.
The Shaykh : And this matter is a matter of religion.
The questioner : And I have this thing for you.
The Shaykh : What do we cut off? What is in it?
The questioner : A person cannot follow in his religion and worship except one he sees to be qualified for that.
The Shaykh : Please, ask and say.
The questioner : We hear more often than not.
The Shaykh : Of fatwas that are not correct. Therefore, we warn people against following every fatwa, for they do not know the mufti by his knowledge and trustworthiness.
The questioner : She says, O honorable one, that we heard that a person takes one of the two opinions of one of the scholars, and the sin is on this mufti?
The Shaykh : This is if the mufti is known to the listener to be qualified for issuing fatwas. And if another person, known to the listener to be more qualified for the fatwa, issues a ruling, then the two fatwas conflict. He takes what he sees to be the stronger position. If they are equal in his view regarding the defects, he takes the easier one according to one opinion, or the stricter one according to another opinion, or he is given a choice according to a third opinion.
The questioner : But if a person merely heard a person on the radio and does not know what it is? He is speaking, and he knows nothing about the man. Have you seen if a person is in the wilderness and wants a specific city, and he sees a person in the desert whom he does not know to be a guide to the way? Is it possible for him to ask him for the way? And if he asks him, can he possibly take his word while he does not know if he knows the way or not?
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. Thank you to the female questioner. Please.
The Shaykh : Our guidance in this matter is that disagreement among the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) has existed since ancient times, and it is not strange for there to be two opinions or more from the scholars on a matter. However, a person must not seek a fatwa except from one in whose knowledge and trustworthiness he has confidence.
The questioner : Yes, they do not remain.
The Shaykh : And he should not take the fatwa of anyone except one he knows and trusts in his knowledge and trustworthiness.
The questioner : Yes, good, and we know the trustworthy ones.
The Shaykh : Because it is regrettable now that some people issue fatwas without knowledge.
The questioner : Yes, oh.
The Shaykh : It is merely their opinion, and some people do not trust him even if he is a scholar.
The questioner : Yes, good, we are.
The Shaykh : And this matter is a matter of religion.
The questioner : And I have this thing for you.
The Shaykh : What do we cut off? What is in it?
The questioner : A person cannot follow in his religion and worship except one he sees to be qualified for that.
The Shaykh : Please, ask and say.
The questioner : We hear more often than not.
The Shaykh : Of fatwas that are not correct. Therefore, we warn people against following every fatwa, for they do not know the mufti by his knowledge and trustworthiness.
The questioner : She says, O honorable one, that we heard that a person takes one of the two opinions of one of the scholars, and the sin is on this mufti?
The Shaykh : This is if the mufti is known to the listener to be qualified for issuing fatwas. And if another person, known to the listener to be more qualified for the fatwa, issues a ruling, then the two fatwas conflict. He takes what he sees to be the stronger position. If they are equal in his view regarding the defects, he takes the easier one according to one opinion, or the stricter one according to another opinion, or he is given a choice according to a third opinion.
The questioner : But if a person merely heard a person on the radio and does not know what it is? He is speaking, and he knows nothing about the man. Have you seen if a person is in the wilderness and wants a specific city, and he sees a person in the desert whom he does not know to be a guide to the way? Is it possible for him to ask him for the way? And if he asks him, can he possibly take his word while he does not know if he knows the way or not?
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. Thank you to the female questioner. Please.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 2696- ما حكم الأختلاف بين العلماء في الفتوى وبماذا يأخذ/سؤال على الهاتف 📞 /ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.