The Shaykh’s warning to the youth against rushing into issuing fatwas.

The Shaykh : For this and other matters we hear about, I warn our youth, to whom Allah has granted some knowledge, not to rush into issuing fatwas until they are deliberate and examine the matter from all angles. The mufti does not speak except on behalf of Allah and His Messenger; he says, “This is the Shari'ah of Allah and His Messenger.” He will be questioned about every one of these matters: about what he ruled on, where he took it from, whether there is any contradicting evidence, whether a general statement has a specific exception, whether an absolute statement has a restriction, and whether there is any abrogating text, until the truth becomes clear. If a person wants to travel to a country, does he not ask about all the roads leading to that country? Does he not ask whether these roads are easy or difficult? Are there bandits on them or not? He cannot proceed on a road until he knows it is a safe road that leads to the country he intended. So it is with the Shari'ah. It is obligatory upon us, my brothers, not to rush and not to hasten in issuing fatwas, but to reflect and look from all angles. We must not look at the texts with a blind eye, or with a squinting eye that sees from only one side, or judge while having closed his eyes and not seeing the truth. This issue is very serious; it is serious for the mufti first, if he does so without verified and precise knowledge, and it is serious for Muslims in general, because it causes confusion and doubt among Muslims regarding the foundation and the branches of their religion. Since people in general do not know the chaff from the wheat, if they issue a ruling that is contrary to the truth, based only on a deficient understanding and little knowledge, there is danger in that. Therefore, I warn you, and I advise myself before I advise you in this matter, not to rush into issuing fatwas until we clarify the matter from all its angles, so that we may have an excuse before Allah the Exalted. For this reason, the Salaf, who were more eager than we are for knowledge and good, would decline to issue fatwas. When a person came to them, they would say, “Go so-and-so, for he is more knowledgeable than I,” or “Go so-and-so, for he is more knowledgeable than I.” Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about a matter in inheritance involving a daughter of a son and a full sister. He said, “The daughter gets half, and the sister gets the remainder. Go to Ibn Mas'ud and ask him.” So this man went to 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and asked him. He said, “Go to Ibn Mas'ud...” and so on. The man went and informed Ibn Mas'ud of what Abu Musa had said. Ibn Mas'ud said: The point of this is that Abu Musa, who was one of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), did not rely on himself in issuing a fatwa until he referred the matter to someone more knowledgeable than him. And our rushing into issuing fatwas, as if we are trading in reaching and appearing in knowledge, is a serious matter with a dire consequence. I ask Allah the Exalted to guide us all to His straight path and to make us among those who see the truth as truth and follow it, and see falsehood as falsehood and avoid it. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.
After this word regarding this night, the twenty-seventh night, we return to our lesson from last night.