What is the ruling on competing in legal issues, such as saying that whoever makes a mistake must buy a book for his brother?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Some students, while studying knowledge, say: whoever makes a mistake must buy a book, for example, for the one who has the correct answer.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Whoever makes a mistake in the issue must buy a book, for example, for the one who has the correct answer.
The Shaykh : Whoever makes a mistake in the issue.
The questioner : They are discussing the issue, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : They are discussing the pursuit of knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes, I do.
The questioner : And they say that whoever makes a mistake in the issue must buy a book for the one who has the correct answer, so is this...
The Shaykh : Is this a competition?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This, and the Shaykh al-Islam holds that there is no harm in a legal competition, meaning we discuss and say: the one who has the correct answer is entitled to a book, or dirhams, or clothing from the other. This is permissible according to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who says: because jihad is either with knowledge or with weapons. He also cites what is mentioned about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when the word of Allah the Exalted came down:[Ar-Rum 30:1-4] Who are the ones that the Romans defeated? The Persians. The Romans are Christians, People of the Book, and the Persians are Zoroastrians who have no book. Allah the Exalted said: [Ar-Rum 30:4-5] Because the believers love that the People of the Book should prevail over the Persians, because the Christians are closer to the truth than the Zoroastrians. And Quraysh loved that the Zoroastrians should prevail over the Romans, because they are People of the Book.
So Quraysh said: This is impossible. The Persians are a strong state, and the Romans can never defeat them. And they do not believe in the Qur'an. So Abu Bakr bet them on some camels or sheep—I forgot. He came to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him, and the period was short. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Increase the term and increase the bet, because the word "a few years" is from three to nine. So you should be cautious, increase the term, and increase the compensation. So Abu Bakr did so. And this is a scholarly issue. Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is permissible to bet on issues of Islamic jurisprudence.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Whoever makes a mistake in the issue must buy a book, for example, for the one who has the correct answer.
The Shaykh : Whoever makes a mistake in the issue.
The questioner : They are discussing the issue, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : They are discussing the pursuit of knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes, I do.
The questioner : And they say that whoever makes a mistake in the issue must buy a book for the one who has the correct answer, so is this...
The Shaykh : Is this a competition?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This, and the Shaykh al-Islam holds that there is no harm in a legal competition, meaning we discuss and say: the one who has the correct answer is entitled to a book, or dirhams, or clothing from the other. This is permissible according to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who says: because jihad is either with knowledge or with weapons. He also cites what is mentioned about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when the word of Allah the Exalted came down:
(1) Alif, Lam, Meem. (2) The Byzantines have been defeated (3) In the nearest land. But they, after their defeat, will overcome. (4) Within three to nine years.
الم * غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ * فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ وَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ * فِي بِضْعِ سِنِينَAnd that day the believers will rejoice (5) In the victory of Allah
وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِSo Quraysh said: This is impossible. The Persians are a strong state, and the Romans can never defeat them. And they do not believe in the Qur'an. So Abu Bakr bet them on some camels or sheep—I forgot. He came to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him, and the period was short. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Increase the term and increase the bet, because the word "a few years" is from three to nine. So you should be cautious, increase the term, and increase the compensation. So Abu Bakr did so. And this is a scholarly issue. Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is permissible to bet on issues of Islamic jurisprudence.