Causes of Disagreement Among Scholars

Question:
Why did disagreement occur among the scholars, and what is a person’s position in this matter?

Answer:
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) mentioned the causes of disagreement in their books. This is because a legal issue may contain many pieces of evidence, some of which are hidden from some people. Or an issue may contain only a few pieces of evidence, which are hidden from some people. Consequently, they differ in their rulings according to their knowledge. One person receives the evidence and says, “It is obligatory” or “It is prescribed.” The other person does not receive the evidence and says, “It is not prescribed” or “It is not obligatory.” So the causes of disagreement are: the receipt of evidence and its absence, and also the difference in understanding. A person may understand from a text what another scholar does not understand. Whoever exerts effort (ijtihad) and seeks the truth is in a great state of goodness, if he is among the people of knowledge. If he is correct, he has two rewards; and if he errs, he has one reward, provided he sought the truth and is from those qualified, from the people of knowledge and insight, and exerted effort. He is between two rewards and one reward: if he is correct, he has two rewards; and if he errs, he has one reward.
So the causes of disagreement are: the difference in understanding, then the difference in access to the evidence, and the receipt of the evidence. One person may receive something, while the other does not receive anything. Therefore, the ruling differs for him because of that. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.