His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad: Some people told him that he owes a blood sacrifice. Is there any guidance for those who issue fatwas without knowledge?
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The questioner : Some people told him: "You owe a blood sacrifice." Is there any guidance for those who issue fatwas without knowledge?
The Shaykh : Yes, there is a necessary guidance. We must guide our brothers who rush into issuing fatwas and tell them: "The matter is serious, because the mufti speaks on behalf of the Shari'ah of Allah. Is he prepared if he meets Allah the Mighty and Majestic and He asks him about what he ruled for His servants: 'Where is your evidence?'"
A mufti without knowledge has no evidence. Even if he hits the mark, he has erred, due to the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He:[Al-A'raf 7:33] Speaking about Allah without knowledge includes speaking about His essence, His names, His attributes, or His rulings.
And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Isra 17:36] And He the Exalted said: [Al-An'am 6:144] And in the hadith:
The Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) would pass on the fatwa until it reached the one upon whom it was incumbent to answer.
And I say to those who want to rush to prominence and leadership: I say to them: "Be patient. If Allah has willed good and elevation for you, you will attain it through knowledge. And if it is otherwise, your boldness in issuing fatwas without knowledge will only increase your humiliation among the servants and your disgrace on the Day of Meeting."
And I am amazed at some of the brothers who were given a small share of knowledge that they put themselves forward for issuing fatwas, as if one of them were an imam from the imams of the Salaf. It was even said to me about one of them when he issued a fatwa on an anomalous, weak issue: "Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal says otherwise." So he, meaning this mufti, said to the one who raised this objection: "Who is Ahmad ibn Hanbal? Is he not a man? He is a man, and we are men."
And he did not know the difference between the manliness he claimed and the manliness of Imam Ahmad, the imam of the people of the Sunnah (may Allah have mercy on him). And I am not saying that the statement of Imam Ahmad is a proof, but there is no doubt that his statement is closer to the truth than the statement of this mufti who took the wrong path, and Allah knows best the intentions.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good for this blessed guidance.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is a necessary guidance. We must guide our brothers who rush into issuing fatwas and tell them: "The matter is serious, because the mufti speaks on behalf of the Shari'ah of Allah. Is he prepared if he meets Allah the Mighty and Majestic and He asks him about what he ruled for His servants: 'Where is your evidence?'"
A mufti without knowledge has no evidence. Even if he hits the mark, he has erred, due to the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He:
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 Allah the Exalted said:
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
وَلا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًاThen who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah to mislead the people by [something] other than knowledge?
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا لِيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍThe boldest of you in issuing fatwas are the boldest of you in entering the Fire.
أجرؤكم على الفتية أجرؤكم على النارThe Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) would pass on the fatwa until it reached the one upon whom it was incumbent to answer.
And I say to those who want to rush to prominence and leadership: I say to them: "Be patient. If Allah has willed good and elevation for you, you will attain it through knowledge. And if it is otherwise, your boldness in issuing fatwas without knowledge will only increase your humiliation among the servants and your disgrace on the Day of Meeting."
And I am amazed at some of the brothers who were given a small share of knowledge that they put themselves forward for issuing fatwas, as if one of them were an imam from the imams of the Salaf. It was even said to me about one of them when he issued a fatwa on an anomalous, weak issue: "Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal says otherwise." So he, meaning this mufti, said to the one who raised this objection: "Who is Ahmad ibn Hanbal? Is he not a man? He is a man, and we are men."
And he did not know the difference between the manliness he claimed and the manliness of Imam Ahmad, the imam of the people of the Sunnah (may Allah have mercy on him). And I am not saying that the statement of Imam Ahmad is a proof, but there is no doubt that his statement is closer to the truth than the statement of this mufti who took the wrong path, and Allah knows best the intentions.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good for this blessed guidance.