The intended meaning of "people of knowledge" in His saying, the Exalted: "So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know."

The Shaykh : So, let us not forget that all people are divided into two groups, as explicitly stated in the Qur'an. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: . The people of knowledge are the people of the Qur'an, because "knowledge" (al-dhikr) has been mentioned in other verses as well. Consequently, the scholars agreed that the intended meaning of "knowledge" here and there is the Qur'an. Thus, when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: , the intended meaning of this "knowledge" is the Noble Qur'an. Similarly, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the previous verse, which divided people into scholars and non-scholars: , the intended meaning of "knowledge" in this verse is also the same as in the previous verse, namely the Qur'an.
If we ask the people of the Qur'an, it is also self-evident that the intended meaning of "people of the Qur'an" here is not those who recite the Qur'an and memorize its letters and the rules of tajwid, and who may perhaps be moved by it in an impermissible way, but who do not understand anything of the meanings of what they recite. The intended meaning of "people of the Qur'an" is not those who memorize its letters without its meanings, but rather the intended meaning is the people of knowledge; that is, the people of understanding of the Book of Allah, Glory and Exaltation be Him, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
It is not possible—or rather, it is not permissible—for a Muslim to consider himself knowledgeable of the Qur'an, its interpretation, and its meanings, while being ignorant of the Sunnah. Therefore, we must keep in mind and in our hearts that when we interpret this verse: as referring to the people of the Qur'an, and that the intended meaning is the people of knowledge of the Qur'an and understanding of its meanings, we must also keep in mind that they are knowledgeable of the Sunnah. Otherwise, whoever is ignorant of the Sunnah, or does not distinguish its authentic from its weak, and its weak from its fabricated, cannot understand the Qur'an in any way. It is not possible for a person to interpret the Qur'an except by relying on the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.
This is indicated by the Qur'an itself, for Allah, Glory and Exaltation be Him, said in it, addressing His Prophet: . The explanation of the Messenger, peace be upon him, of the Qur'an is his Sunnah. If the scholar does not know this explanation, he will never be able to interpret the Qur'an correctly. Therefore, we see in this era and before it that many people do not know anything of the Sunnah worth mentioning.
It is obligatory for scholars to issue rulings for non-scholars, and it is obligatory for non-scholars to ask the people of knowledge, as explicitly stated in this verse. Each of the two groups has its obligation. Whoever is not a scholar the people of knowledge, and whoever is among the people of knowledge, it is his duty to convey this knowledge. Otherwise, the curse mentioned in the Qur'an and the warning in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, will encompass him: . Therefore, to fulfill the obligation of asking, for one who is not a scholar to ask the people of knowledge, he, peace and blessings be upon him, said in a well-known hadith: . If we ask someone who is not knowledgeable of the Book and the Sunnah, and we do not ask a scholar, and if this person who is not knowledgeable of the Book and the Sunnah issues a ruling for us, or issues a ruling contrary to the Book and the Sunnah without presenting us with knowledge, then it is not permissible for us to follow him at that time. Otherwise, we will go astray with him, as you heard in the previous hadith: . If there are some people who do not care if they go astray by issuing rulings based on opinions contrary to correct knowledge, then the majority of Muslims who are not among the people of knowledge, and whose duty, as we mentioned, is to ask, should be alert and not go astray with those who have gone astray among those who issue rulings without knowledge. The way to do this is to conduct ourselves according to the command of Allah, Glory and Exaltation be Him, in the Qur'an: . And if we do not do as our Lord commands us in this verse, we will go astray with the astray and be among the people of the Hellfire.
We ask Allah, Glory and Exaltation be Him, to protect us and you from everything that misleads us and takes us off the straight path. Perhaps this extent is sufficient to clarify that beneficial knowledge is: Allah said, the Messenger of Allah said, and the Companions said.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And beware of that.

The questioner : It is observed that many of the questions submitted have been raised in previous meetings, such as the issue of a woman driving a car, the issue of rebelling against contemporary rulers, the issue of covering the face for women, and matters related to prayer. Therefore, these matters are postponed because they have been raised in other meetings, and it is possible to obtain them from the previous tapes.