Prohibition of concealing knowledge, clarification that concealment only occurs after a request, and mention of the cases in which concealment is permissible.
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And among the benefits of this noble verse is the prohibition of concealing the truth, as He said: But can it be said that concealment does not occur except after a request? The answer is yes, concealment does not occur except after a request. However, there are two types of request: a request by spoken words, and a request by the situation. If a person comes to you and asks, "What do you say about such and such?" this is a request by spoken words. And if you see that people have plunged into something forbidden, then the request for clarification is by the situation. Accordingly, a person must clarify what is wrong and not wait until he is asked. Now, if he is asked and conceals it because he does not know, there is no sin on him, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:42] As for if he does not know and says, "I do not know," there is no harm. This is one case: if he does not know, it is obligatory for him to remain silent and say, "I do not know."
Second: If he sees that it is in the public interest not to clarify, there is no harm. There is no harm in concealing it, just as it came in the hadith of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib: And Ibn Mas'ud said: So if you see that it is in the public interest not to clarify, do not clarify, and there is no blame on you.
Third: If the questioner's intention is to test you, or if his intention is to seek out dispensations, and you know this, then you may refrain and say, "I will not inform you." Testing is when he comes to you and you know that the man knows the issue, but he asks you in order to test you: do you know it or not? Or he wants to take a statement from you to spread it to someone or convey it to someone; in that case, you may refrain. Likewise, if you know that the man is seeking out dispensations and comes to ask you, saying, "I asked so-and-so and he said this is forbidden," and you know that the one asked is a knowledgeable scholar and not ignorant, then at that time you may refrain and say, "I will not answer." However, if the one asked is a man you know has no knowledge, whether from the general public or from students of knowledge who have not yet matured, then at that time, if he says, "I asked so-and-so and he issued a ruling for me," because there is no sanctity to his ruling. But if a knowledgeable scholar you know is like you in knowledge or greater than you issued a ruling for him, then you may say, "I will not issue a ruling for him," because this questioner is generally seeking out dispensations. But if he says to you, "By Allah, I asked so-and-so, but I was looking for you and did not find you, and out of necessity I asked so-and-so, but now that Allah has brought you, issue a ruling for me," then at that time, do you issue a ruling for him or not? You issue a ruling for him, because the state of this man is as if he is saying, "I am not reassured except by your ruling," and at that time it is obligatory for you to issue a ruling for him, even if he consulted a person more knowledgeable than you and you know that the man does not trust except your words, you must issue a ruling for him. When does the concealment of the truth actually occur? After a request by spoken words or by the situation. We mentioned cases in which not clarifying is permissible, either for the sake of public interest or to ward off harm.
and you conceal the truth
وتكتموا الحقor conceal the truth while you know [it].
وتكتموا الحق وأنتم تعلمونSecond: If he sees that it is in the public interest not to clarify, there is no harm. There is no harm in concealing it, just as it came in the hadith of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib:
Inform the people of what they know. Do you wish that Allah and His Messenger be lied about?
حدثوا الناس بما يعرفون أتريدون أن يكذب الله ورسولهYou will not relate to a people a hadith that their minds cannot grasp except that it will be a trial for some of them.
إنك لن تحدث قوما حديثا لا تبلغهم عقولهم إلا كان لبعضهم فتنةThird: If the questioner's intention is to test you, or if his intention is to seek out dispensations, and you know this, then you may refrain and say, "I will not inform you." Testing is when he comes to you and you know that the man knows the issue, but he asks you in order to test you: do you know it or not? Or he wants to take a statement from you to spread it to someone or convey it to someone; in that case, you may refrain. Likewise, if you know that the man is seeking out dispensations and comes to ask you, saying, "I asked so-and-so and he said this is forbidden," and you know that the one asked is a knowledgeable scholar and not ignorant, then at that time you may refrain and say, "I will not answer." However, if the one asked is a man you know has no knowledge, whether from the general public or from students of knowledge who have not yet matured, then at that time, if he says, "I asked so-and-so and he issued a ruling for me," because there is no sanctity to his ruling. But if a knowledgeable scholar you know is like you in knowledge or greater than you issued a ruling for him, then you may say, "I will not issue a ruling for him," because this questioner is generally seeking out dispensations. But if he says to you, "By Allah, I asked so-and-so, but I was looking for you and did not find you, and out of necessity I asked so-and-so, but now that Allah has brought you, issue a ruling for me," then at that time, do you issue a ruling for him or not? You issue a ruling for him, because the state of this man is as if he is saying, "I am not reassured except by your ruling," and at that time it is obligatory for you to issue a ruling for him, even if he consulted a person more knowledgeable than you and you know that the man does not trust except your words, you must issue a ruling for him. When does the concealment of the truth actually occur? After a request by spoken words or by the situation. We mentioned cases in which not clarifying is permissible, either for the sake of public interest or to ward off harm.