The ruling on what to do when the opinions of scholars conflict
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His Eminence the Shaykh: If the opinion of one scholar conflicts with the opinion of another scholar from the people of the Sunnah and the community on a certain issue, whom should one follow? Knowing that I am unable to determine which of the evidences is stronger, what is your opinion? May Allah reward you with good.
I ask you: What does a patient do when two doctors differ, each prescribing a different medicine? In this case, the patient should prefer the one whose knowledge and reliability he feels in his heart. The same applies here. If you go to two scholars and they are equal in your view in terms of knowledge and trustworthiness—because not every scholar is trustworthy—The scholars are three: there are scholars of the religion, scholars of the state, and scholars of the nation.
As for the scholars of the religion—may Allah make us and you among them—these are the ones who adhere to the religion of Islam and the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, and they do not care about anyone, whoever he may be.
As for the scholars of the state, they look at what the ruler wants. They issue rulings according to his whims and try to twist the necks of the texts from the Book and the Sunnah until they align with this ruler’s whims. These are the scholars of the state who are losers.
As for the scholars of the nation, they are those who look at the direction of the people. If the people are inclined to permit something, they permit it, or if they are inclined to forbid it, they forbid it. They also try to twist the necks of the texts to what aligns with the people’s whims.
So, in any case, if the opinion of two scholars differs for you, look at which one is more trustworthy in your view in terms of knowledge and in terms of religion, and take what your heart finds peace with;Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Righteousness is what the soul finds peace with and the heart finds peace with) If you do not find peace or a stronger position, some scholars said: choose between taking the opinion of this one or the opinion of that one,And some scholars said: take the stricter one because it is the more cautious,And some scholars said: take the easier one because it is more in accordance with the spirit of the Islamic Shari'ah; because the Islamic Shari'ah is built on ease,As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (The religion is easy) and this is the wording of al-Bukhari. So, as long as we do not know that the religion has forbidden this thing or made this thing obligatory, we are free.
I ask you: What does a patient do when two doctors differ, each prescribing a different medicine? In this case, the patient should prefer the one whose knowledge and reliability he feels in his heart. The same applies here. If you go to two scholars and they are equal in your view in terms of knowledge and trustworthiness—because not every scholar is trustworthy—The scholars are three: there are scholars of the religion, scholars of the state, and scholars of the nation.
As for the scholars of the religion—may Allah make us and you among them—these are the ones who adhere to the religion of Islam and the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, and they do not care about anyone, whoever he may be.
As for the scholars of the state, they look at what the ruler wants. They issue rulings according to his whims and try to twist the necks of the texts from the Book and the Sunnah until they align with this ruler’s whims. These are the scholars of the state who are losers.
As for the scholars of the nation, they are those who look at the direction of the people. If the people are inclined to permit something, they permit it, or if they are inclined to forbid it, they forbid it. They also try to twist the necks of the texts to what aligns with the people’s whims.
So, in any case, if the opinion of two scholars differs for you, look at which one is more trustworthy in your view in terms of knowledge and in terms of religion, and take what your heart finds peace with;Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Righteousness is what the soul finds peace with and the heart finds peace with) If you do not find peace or a stronger position, some scholars said: choose between taking the opinion of this one or the opinion of that one,And some scholars said: take the stricter one because it is the more cautious,And some scholars said: take the easier one because it is more in accordance with the spirit of the Islamic Shari'ah; because the Islamic Shari'ah is built on ease,As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (The religion is easy) and this is the wording of al-Bukhari. So, as long as we do not know that the religion has forbidden this thing or made this thing obligatory, we are free.