It has become widespread in this age to rush into issuing fatwas without knowledge or insight. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding this matter?
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The questioner : It has become widespread in this age to rush into issuing fatwas without knowledge or insight. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding such a matter?
The Shaykh : The ruling of the Shari'ah, in our view and the view of other scholars, is that it is not permissible to rush into issuing fatwas without knowledge. Indeed, issuing a fatwa without knowledge is among the greatest of sins. Allah the Exalted equated it with shirk (associating partners with Allah) in His saying:[Al-A'raf 7:33] The mufti is a spokesperson for Allah Mighty and Majestic and a spokesperson for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He is a spokesperson for Allah because he speaks about the rulings of Allah concerning His servants, and a spokesperson for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) because the scholars are the heirs of the prophets. If that is the case, woe to him if he fabricates a lie against Allah and against His Messenger. Let a person be cautious about rushing into issuing fatwas, and let him follow the righteous Salaf (the earliest generations), who would pass the responsibility of issuing fatwas among themselves, each one deflecting it to the other, to be safe from its responsibility.
And let him know that leadership in religion is not achieved in this manner. If people see one who rushes into issuing fatwas and know the frequency of his errors, they will turn away from him and not trust his fatwa. But if he is steady and deliberate, and does not issue a fatwa except based on knowledge or a strong presumption in matters where a strong presumption is sufficient, then he will be dignified and respected among people, and his words will be given consideration and acceptance.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This is a listener whose name is symbolized by the letters A, H, T. He says: O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The ruling of the Shari'ah, in our view and the view of other scholars, is that it is not permissible to rush into issuing fatwas without knowledge. Indeed, issuing a fatwa without knowledge is among the greatest of sins. Allah the Exalted equated it with shirk (associating partners with Allah) in His saying:
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَAnd let him know that leadership in religion is not achieved in this manner. If people see one who rushes into issuing fatwas and know the frequency of his errors, they will turn away from him and not trust his fatwa. But if he is steady and deliberate, and does not issue a fatwa except based on knowledge or a strong presumption in matters where a strong presumption is sufficient, then he will be dignified and respected among people, and his words will be given consideration and acceptance.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This is a listener whose name is symbolized by the letters A, H, T. He says: O honorable Shaykh.