The Shaykh’s clarification of the obligation to refer to specialists in distinguishing between primary and secondary matters, and that this is not for the general public.

The Shaykh : I draw your attention to the fact that this is a matter of specialization. As for this classification, which you called "priorities," it is obligatory to refer to the specialists in this. I think this conclusion should not be a subject of disagreement, is that not so?

The questioner : Your statement is correct.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. So, if the matter is one of specialization and the research is in classifying priorities, then it is obligatory to refer to the specialists in this. I am one of them; for example, if I researched aviation and what a student of knowledge who wants to join aviation should start with, I think I would be overstepping, I would be seeking what is not mine, and I would be contradicting the Qur'anic text: This is aviation knowledge, material knowledge, not knowledge of what Allah said or what the Messenger of Allah said. It is knowledge that came to us from the disbelievers and we received it from them. We find that this is necessary knowledge that we must adopt. Nevertheless, it is knowledge that came from the disbelievers, and I am not permitted to speak about it. Why? I have no knowledge of it. Allah disciplined me and said to me: If it is agreed that knowledge has levels and knowledge is specialized, then every scholar must speak within his area of specialization. This is, in fact, a Qur'anic advice when He (Mighty and Majestic) commanded us not to speak without knowledge, especially regarding what is forbidden, what is lawful, what is a matter of creed, what is obligatory, what is a recommended practice, what is recommended, and so on. It came in the authentic Sunnah that a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out on an expedition for jihad in the path of Allah, and a battle took place between them and the disbelievers. The night separated them, and there were inevitably wounded among them. One of the wounded men had a wet dream at night. When morning came, the full ritual bath became obligatory upon him. He asked those around him, "My situation is such and such. I am wounded as you see me, but the full ritual bath has become obligatory upon me. I had a wet dream at night." They found for him a dispensation not to take the bath in his current state. They told him, "You must take the bath." The man was a believer, and he asked, and they issued a ruling for him, and he took the bath. His death resulted from this bath because he was wounded; the wound became infected, and so on, and his fever rose until he died. The news reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he became very angry and said: Those who issued the ruling for him stepped into what they had no knowledge of. They issued a ruling without knowledge, and they became the cause of his death. So the Messenger (peace be upon him) prayed against them that Allah would fight them. Undoubtedly, whoever Allah fights is killed and perishes. So we take from this case a confirmation of what was mentioned before: that a Muslim should not insert himself into what he has no knowledge of, especially in this serious matter that we are living through now, and no Muslim doubts that the Muslims today have fallen into what Islamic history has never known.