Is it permissible for a mufti to answer a questioner by saying, "The madhhab is such-and-such, and the stronger position is such-and-such"?
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The questioner : If a man wears a leather sock and ties it, and then comes to ask for clarification, do we have to say, "According to the madhhab, it is not permissible, but the correct view is that it is permissible"?
The Shaykh : No, not for the layperson.
The questioner : Often, Shaykh, you say this even in the lessons. When an issue comes up, you usually say, "According to the madhhab, it is such-and-such, and the correct view is such-and-such." So why don't we mention only the correct view?
The Shaykh : What do you mean, why?
The questioner : Do we not mention only the correct view in the fatwa?
The Shaykh : No, in the fatwa, we do not say anything but the correct view.
The questioner : No, sometimes, many times, an issue came up...
The Shaykh : Here, I mean.
The questioner : Here and elsewhere, I have noticed this.
The Shaykh : Here, I currently have students.
The questioner : So, even once in the Haram...
The Shaykh : No, we do not say "O Allah," but we say it because the Haram is also a place where, mostly, everyone around me is a student of knowledge. But if a layperson comes to me in the market and asks me, and I say, "This issue, for example, has five opinions from the scholars," that is problematic!
The questioner : Okay, even with the students, you do not usually say "five opinions"; you usually say, "The madhhab is such-and-such, and the correct view is such-and-such"?
The Shaykh : Yes, if there are opinions that are close in strength, we mention them. But it may be that, apart from two opinions, the others are weak in our view, so I do not mention them. What is the need for me to mention them and then go and bring their evidence and respond to them?
The Shaykh : No, not for the layperson.
The questioner : Often, Shaykh, you say this even in the lessons. When an issue comes up, you usually say, "According to the madhhab, it is such-and-such, and the correct view is such-and-such." So why don't we mention only the correct view?
The Shaykh : What do you mean, why?
The questioner : Do we not mention only the correct view in the fatwa?
The Shaykh : No, in the fatwa, we do not say anything but the correct view.
The questioner : No, sometimes, many times, an issue came up...
The Shaykh : Here, I mean.
The questioner : Here and elsewhere, I have noticed this.
The Shaykh : Here, I currently have students.
The questioner : So, even once in the Haram...
The Shaykh : No, we do not say "O Allah," but we say it because the Haram is also a place where, mostly, everyone around me is a student of knowledge. But if a layperson comes to me in the market and asks me, and I say, "This issue, for example, has five opinions from the scholars," that is problematic!
The questioner : Okay, even with the students, you do not usually say "five opinions"; you usually say, "The madhhab is such-and-such, and the correct view is such-and-such"?
The Shaykh : Yes, if there are opinions that are close in strength, we mention them. But it may be that, apart from two opinions, the others are weak in our view, so I do not mention them. What is the need for me to mention them and then go and bring their evidence and respond to them?