The ruling on citing a verse with a clear meaning in a specific context
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Question:
After this, we move on to a message received by the program from one of the listening brothers, who indicated his name with the letters: (A. S. N). Our brother asks a collection of questions, among which is a question that says: Are verses with clear meanings cited in certain occasions, even if the one citing them is not a scholar of their interpretation? For example, the saying of Allah the Exalted: "Allah does not charge a soul except [with] its capacity" [al-Baqarah:286], and His saying: "Great is the word that comes out of their mouths; they do not say except a lie" [al-Kahf:5], and His saying: "And their affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves" [al-Shura:38], and His saying: "The believers are but brothers" [al-Hujurat:10], and similar verses. Is it permissible to cite these verses, even if the one citing them is not knowledgeable about their meaning?
Answer:
These verses are clear in meaning, so if they are cited in their proper place, there is no harm; because their meaning is evident, there is no harm in using them in their proper place, provided that one understands the meaning, praise be to Allah.
A believer, O brothers, if he is advising his brothers in that, or consulting among them regarding a doubtful matter, he would like to guide them and say, "Their affair is consultation," and read to them the verse: "And their affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves" [al-Shura:38], so that they may consult and understand each other. And so is His saying—(Exalted and Majestic is He)—: "Allah does not charge a soul except [with] its capacity" [al-Baqarah:286], if a person is ill and it is difficult for him to stand, then he says to him, or reads to him the verse, or reads: "So fear Allah as much as you are able" [al-Taghabun:16]. If it is in its proper place, there is nothing wrong with it. Yes.
As for if it is in a place where he is confused, he should not say anything; he should not speak about the Qur'an without knowledge. But if the matter is clear to the layperson and the scholar, like these verses, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if he says to someone who is warning him about unlawful sexual intercourse, "Allah says: 'And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality,'" [al-Isra:32]. And he says to one who drinks intoxicants and engages in gambling, "Allah the Exalted says: 'O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [for what is desired], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid them that you may be successful,'" [al-Ma'idah:90]. And so on...
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
After this, we move on to a message received by the program from one of the listening brothers, who indicated his name with the letters: (A. S. N). Our brother asks a collection of questions, among which is a question that says: Are verses with clear meanings cited in certain occasions, even if the one citing them is not a scholar of their interpretation? For example, the saying of Allah the Exalted: "Allah does not charge a soul except [with] its capacity" [al-Baqarah:286], and His saying: "Great is the word that comes out of their mouths; they do not say except a lie" [al-Kahf:5], and His saying: "And their affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves" [al-Shura:38], and His saying: "The believers are but brothers" [al-Hujurat:10], and similar verses. Is it permissible to cite these verses, even if the one citing them is not knowledgeable about their meaning?
Answer:
These verses are clear in meaning, so if they are cited in their proper place, there is no harm; because their meaning is evident, there is no harm in using them in their proper place, provided that one understands the meaning, praise be to Allah.
A believer, O brothers, if he is advising his brothers in that, or consulting among them regarding a doubtful matter, he would like to guide them and say, "Their affair is consultation," and read to them the verse: "And their affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves" [al-Shura:38], so that they may consult and understand each other. And so is His saying—(Exalted and Majestic is He)—: "Allah does not charge a soul except [with] its capacity" [al-Baqarah:286], if a person is ill and it is difficult for him to stand, then he says to him, or reads to him the verse, or reads: "So fear Allah as much as you are able" [al-Taghabun:16]. If it is in its proper place, there is nothing wrong with it. Yes.
As for if it is in a place where he is confused, he should not say anything; he should not speak about the Qur'an without knowledge. But if the matter is clear to the layperson and the scholar, like these verses, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if he says to someone who is warning him about unlawful sexual intercourse, "Allah says: 'And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality,'" [al-Isra:32]. And he says to one who drinks intoxicants and engages in gambling, "Allah the Exalted says: 'O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [for what is desired], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid them that you may be successful,'" [al-Ma'idah:90]. And so on...
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.