The people are of two types: the scholar and the ignorant, and the meaning of the saying of the Exalted: {So ask the people of knowledge}, and the obligation of the scholar and the ignorant with regard to the other.
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The Shaykh : So let us not forget that all people are two parties, explicitly stated in the Qur'an, where the Mighty and Majestic said: [An-Nahl 16:43] The people of knowledge are the people of the Qur'an, because the remembrance (dhikr) has been mentioned in other than this verse, and the scholars agreed on that that the intended meaning of the remembrance here and there is the Qur'an. So when Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Hijr 15:9] the intended meaning of this remembrance is the Noble Qur'an. Likewise, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the previous verse that divided people into scholars and non-scholars, when he said: [An-Nahl 16:43] the intended meaning of the remembrance in this verse is also the same as the intended meaning in the previous verse, which is the Qur'an.
So if we ask the people of the Qur'an, and it is self-evident that the intended meaning of the people of the Qur'an here is not those who recite the Qur'an and memorize its letters and the rulings related to the science of tajwid, and perhaps they are moved by it in an impermissible way, but they do not understand the meanings of what they recite. The intended meaning of the people of the Qur'an is not those who memorize its letters without its meanings, but the intended meaning of the Qur'an is the people of knowledge, that is, the people of understanding of the Book of Allah the Exalted and the Hadith 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 someone a scholar of the Qur'an, its interpretation, and its meanings, while he is ignorant of the Sunnah. Therefore, we must keep in mind and in our hearts that when we interpret this verse: with 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 keep in mind that they are also 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 absolutely. 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).
And this is indicated by the Qur'an itself, because Allah the Exalted said in it, addressing His Prophet:[An-Nahl 16:44] So the explanation of the Prophet (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 this era many people who do not know anything of the Sunnah worth mentioning.
The obligation of the scholars is to issue fatwas for the non-scholars. The obligation of the non-scholars is to ask the people of knowledge, explicitly in this verse. So each of the two groups has his obligation. The one who is not a scholar: the people of knowledge. And whoever is among the people of knowledge, it is obligatory upon him to convey this knowledge, otherwise the curse mentioned in the Qur'an and the warning of the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will encompass him: Riyad as-Salihin 1390 And therefore, to realize the obligation of asking for the one who is not a scholar to ask the people of knowledge, he (peace be upon him) said in a well-known hadith: So if we ask someone who is not a scholar of the Book and the Sunnah, and we do not ask a scholar, and if this one who is not a scholar of the Book and the Sunnah issues a fatwa for us, or issues a fatwa contrary to the Book and the Sunnah, and does not present us with knowledge, it is not permissible for us at that time to follow him, otherwise we will be misguided with him, as you heard in the previous hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 100 So if there are some people who do not care if they are misguided because of their issuing fatwas with opinions contrary to the correct knowledge, it is necessary for the masses of Muslims who are not among the people of knowledge, and whose obligation, as we mentioned, is to ask, that they should be alert, and not be misguided with those who are misguided among those who issue fatwas without knowledge. The way to do that is to conduct ourselves according to the command of Allah the Exalted in the Qur'an: [Al-Baqarah 2:111] And if we do not do as our Lord commands us in this verse, we will be misguided with the misguided and we will be among the people of the Hellfire. We ask Allah the Exalted to preserve us and you from everything that misguides us and takes us off the straight path. And perhaps this amount is sufficient to clarify that the beneficial knowledge is only: Allah said, the Messenger of Allah said, the Companions said.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And to you.
The questioner : It is noted that many of the questions that came were 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 a woman, 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.
So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فاسألوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمونIndeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.
إنا نحن نزّلنا الذكر وإنا له لحافظونSo ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فاسألوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمونSo if we ask the people of the Qur'an, and it is self-evident that the intended meaning of the people of the Qur'an here is not those who recite the Qur'an and memorize its letters and the rulings related to the science of tajwid, and perhaps they are moved by it in an impermissible way, but they do not understand the meanings of what they recite. The intended meaning of the people of the Qur'an is not those who memorize its letters without its meanings, but the intended meaning of the Qur'an is the people of knowledge, that is, the people of understanding of the Book of Allah the Exalted and the Hadith 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 someone a scholar of the Qur'an, its interpretation, and its meanings, while he is ignorant of the Sunnah. Therefore, we must keep in mind and in our hearts that when we interpret this verse:
So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.
فاسألوا أهل الذكرAnd this is indicated by the Qur'an itself, because Allah the Exalted said in it, addressing His Prophet:
And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them
وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبيّن للناس ما نُزّل إليهمThe obligation of the scholars is to issue fatwas for the non-scholars. The obligation of the non-scholars is to ask the people of knowledge, explicitly in this verse. So each of the two groups has his obligation. The one who is not a scholar:
So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.
فاسألوا أهل الذكرHe who is asked about knowledge (of religion) and conceals it, will be bridled with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection.
من سُئِل عن علم فكتمه ألجِم يوم القيامة بلجام من النارDo they not ask when they are ignorant? For indeed, the cure for ignorance is asking.
ألا سألوا حين جهلوا فإنما شفاء العيّ السؤالAllah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray.
إن الله عز وجل لا ينتزع العلم انتزاعا من صدور العلماء ولكنه يقبض العلم بقبض العلماء حتى إذا لم يُبْقِ عالما اتخذ الناس رؤوسا جهّالا فسُئلوا فأفتوا بغير علم فضلّوا وأضلّواProduce your proof, if you should be truthful."
هاتوا برهانكم إن كنتم صادقينThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And to you.
The questioner : It is noted that many of the questions that came were 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 a woman, 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.