Is it obligatory for the lecturer to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan every time he reads a verse he cites as evidence?

The questioner : All right, speaking of the Basmalah; if we are in a lecture, and the lecture requires more than one piece of evidence, should he seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan every time he reads a verse?

The Shaykh : This is an important question. Many people, among preachers and orators, have become accustomed to seeking refuge before a verse when they wish to bring a verse to argue for the knowledge they are addressing. This is contrary to the Sunnah. Seeking refuge before a verse is prescribed only when reading for recitation. As for when one cites a verse or more in the context of argumentation or quotation from it, it was not the custom of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to seek refuge before them. There are many, and very many, hadiths on this issue. Al-Hafiz al-Suyuti, who is well known, has a specific and beneficial treatise on this issue, which he included in his book *Al-Hawi li al-Fatawa*. It is a specific treatise in which he clarifies that the seeking of refuge commanded in the previous verse is to be done before recitation, not before arguing with a verse. So there is a difference between the two matters, and this should be observed in following the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : From this comes a rule from the principles of jurisprudence regarding religious innovation, which is that what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) left of acts of worship, leaving it is a Sunnah, and what he did of them, doing it is a Sunnah. Therefore, there is a Sunnah of action and a Sunnah of omission. What the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did, we do, and what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) left, we leave. This is an example from among dozens of examples. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge before recitation, so we seek refuge. He did not seek refuge before arguing with a verse, so we do not seek refuge. This is a Sunnah and that is a Sunnah. So action where he acted is a Sunnah, and omission where he omitted is a Sunnah.