regarding the non-obligatory nature of scholars' statements for the general public?
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The questioner : If the scholars say something, meaning they argue with texts from the Book and the Sunnah,
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The questioner : then if not... obligatory by their statement, meaning they oblige people by their statement...
The Shaykh : No, no, no. The statement accompanied by evidence: one does not say, "Accept my statement; this is the Messenger's speech, this is Allah's speech." No, no. It is the argumentation. If the argumentation is correct and the evidence is correct, it is obligatory for them, not because so-and-so said it, but because it is the implication of the evidence. Yes, that is agreed upon among the scholars. It is not for a person to force people to accept his statement, but he must force them to accept the evidence. For example, if he says carrion is forbidden, he obliges them to accept that carrion is forbidden because so-and-so said it, or because Allah said it? Because Allah said it. But in matters of independent legal reasoning that are open to acceptance and rejection, it is not obligatory to oblige people with what you see. Yes, did we take three?
The student: One.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The questioner : then if not... obligatory by their statement, meaning they oblige people by their statement...
The Shaykh : No, no, no. The statement accompanied by evidence: one does not say, "Accept my statement; this is the Messenger's speech, this is Allah's speech." No, no. It is the argumentation. If the argumentation is correct and the evidence is correct, it is obligatory for them, not because so-and-so said it, but because it is the implication of the evidence. Yes, that is agreed upon among the scholars. It is not for a person to force people to accept his statement, but he must force them to accept the evidence. For example, if he says carrion is forbidden, he obliges them to accept that carrion is forbidden because so-and-so said it, or because Allah said it? Because Allah said it. But in matters of independent legal reasoning that are open to acceptance and rejection, it is not obligatory to oblige people with what you see. Yes, did we take three?
The student: One.