What is the advice for students of knowledge who proceed to issue fatwas without qualification?
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The questioner : Regarding students of knowledge, what is your advice for them concerning the matters of issuing fatwas? If one hastens to issue a fatwa, or always follows his statement with "this is my opinion," or "this is what I see," what is your advice for these people?
The Shaykh : Jurisprudential issues are divided into categories. Some are explicit in the Book and the Sunnah, while others are the result of a scholar's independent legal reasoning and derivation. In the first category, if it is easy for him to mention the evidence from the Book and the Sunnah along with the opinion he is ruling with, and he believes the questioner is capable of understanding the text from the Book and the Sunnah, he should combine that with the fatwa. However, if the issue is one for which there is no explicit evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, but only understanding, it is sufficient for the scholar to say, "This is my opinion." It is not required for him to elaborate on it in detail for the general public, because this was the method of the Companions and the Tabi'un. When they were asked, they did not attempt to provide evidence for their answers. But if it was an opinion, they would say, "This is our opinion," so as not to restrict people in a broad matter. And if it was easy for them to recall the evidence, if it was of the first type from the Book and the Sunnah, they would mention it, if theThe questioner : person is capable of understanding the Book and the Sunnah, shall I answer your question?
The questioner : We mean, O Shaykh, regarding many of the young people who hasten to issue fatwas.
The Shaykh : They hasten to issue fatwas.
The questioner : And they cite the statements of some scholars, and always follow up by saying, "This is my opinion," or "This is what I see"?
The Shaykh : This is one of the calamities of our time. We have many recorded statements with our brother here, of one who has not reached the level of understanding from Allah and His Messenger, but he read a statement or heard an opinion, and it pleased him. He has no right to say, "This is my opinion." Rather, he should say, "This is the opinion of so-and-so, and I benefited from him," unless he is a scholar, in which case it is permissible for him to do so. Well, I have given you the answer, so is there anything else?
The Shaykh : Jurisprudential issues are divided into categories. Some are explicit in the Book and the Sunnah, while others are the result of a scholar's independent legal reasoning and derivation. In the first category, if it is easy for him to mention the evidence from the Book and the Sunnah along with the opinion he is ruling with, and he believes the questioner is capable of understanding the text from the Book and the Sunnah, he should combine that with the fatwa. However, if the issue is one for which there is no explicit evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, but only understanding, it is sufficient for the scholar to say, "This is my opinion." It is not required for him to elaborate on it in detail for the general public, because this was the method of the Companions and the Tabi'un. When they were asked, they did not attempt to provide evidence for their answers. But if it was an opinion, they would say, "This is our opinion," so as not to restrict people in a broad matter. And if it was easy for them to recall the evidence, if it was of the first type from the Book and the Sunnah, they would mention it, if theThe questioner : person is capable of understanding the Book and the Sunnah, shall I answer your question?
The questioner : We mean, O Shaykh, regarding many of the young people who hasten to issue fatwas.
The Shaykh : They hasten to issue fatwas.
The questioner : And they cite the statements of some scholars, and always follow up by saying, "This is my opinion," or "This is what I see"?
The Shaykh : This is one of the calamities of our time. We have many recorded statements with our brother here, of one who has not reached the level of understanding from Allah and His Messenger, but he read a statement or heard an opinion, and it pleased him. He has no right to say, "This is my opinion." Rather, he should say, "This is the opinion of so-and-so, and I benefited from him," unless he is a scholar, in which case it is permissible for him to do so. Well, I have given you the answer, so is there anything else?
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