Conditions for transmitting a fatwa from the one who issued it in a legal matter to others

Question:
Are there conditions for transmitting a fatwa from the one who issued it in a legal matter and passing it on to others?

Answer:
First, the questioner should be referred to the scholars, and he should not wait for someone to transmit the fatwa to him; rather, he should go to the scholars or contact them and ask them, as it is said: “Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” This is because transmission is subject to error and lack of certainty, or the fatwa may be issued for a situation different from the current one, so it does not apply to that situation. Therefore, do not transmit a fatwa except out of necessity, when no one is available to issue a fatwa and it is not possible to contact the scholars. In that case, you may tell the person in need, “I heard or read that so-and-so issued a fatwa on such-and-such,” provided that it applies to this person’s situation. Also, the mufti must be someone whose knowledge and religion are trusted.