On the Exam: If a Student Is Asked a Question That Contradicts the Methodology of the Salaf, How Should the Student Answer?
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The questioner : Shaykh, on the exam, if a student is asked a question that contradicts the methodology of the Salaf...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Sometimes the teacher forces the student to answer this question.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So what does he do? Does he leave it or answer it?
The Shaykh : He says: The Asha'irah said so, or the author of the book said so.
The questioner : And he is safe?
The Shaykh : And he is safe, yes, he is safe from this, because reporting a statement is not committing to it. For this reason, some people, when they want to escape responsibility before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), mention the statements of the scholars and that is sufficient, as long as the truth has not become clear to them. A person is compelled to do this because if he were to speak the truth in this matter, especially if his teacher is biased, I think he would fail him. So he says: The author of such-and-such a book said so, or the Asha'irah school says so, or something similar.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Sometimes the teacher forces the student to answer this question.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So what does he do? Does he leave it or answer it?
The Shaykh : He says: The Asha'irah said so, or the author of the book said so.
The questioner : And he is safe?
The Shaykh : And he is safe, yes, he is safe from this, because reporting a statement is not committing to it. For this reason, some people, when they want to escape responsibility before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), mention the statements of the scholars and that is sufficient, as long as the truth has not become clear to them. A person is compelled to do this because if he were to speak the truth in this matter, especially if his teacher is biased, I think he would fail him. So he says: The author of such-and-such a book said so, or the Asha'irah school says so, or something similar.