Question: You are aware of the reality of Muslims living in non-Muslim countries, where the majority of youth are non-Arabic speakers and do not understand the

Sheikh Zaid Al-Madkhali rahimahullah: My view is that anyone who has studied and mastered some knowledge of Islamic sciences and jurisprudence is not to be blamed for teaching what he knows. In fact, he will be rewarded for sharing beneficial knowledge. It is not a condition that he must have a tazkiyah. What matters is what he teaches people — if he teaches them correct rulings based on proper evidence from the Shari‘ah, then this is what is required. A tazkiyah from a shaykh is not a requirement. However, if he errs — and mistakes are inevitable — there must be someone who corrects his errors. He must not teach people anything that is incorrect. This is the essence of the matter, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Convey from me, even if it be a single Āyah.” This is evidence that even if someone has a small portion of knowledge and people are in need of it, he is obligated to share it. No one should obstruct his path unless he is seen misleading others, speaking about Allāh without knowledge, issuing fatwas without proper understanding, or laying down principles without basis. Such a person must be prevented — not only is he not permitted to continue in that way, but it is also impermissible to remain silent about him. Rather, he should be advised to seek knowledge so that he may gain a proper share of it and then teach others correctly. If he is correct, he should not be stopped, and if he is mistaken, he should not be allowed to continue in error. Follow-up Question: And if he limits himself only to translating the statements of scholars without adding or omitting anything? Sheikh Zaid: If he translates or transmits the statements of scholars with scholarly integrity — without omission or distortion — this is acceptable. This is the path of students of knowledge: they transmit from their teachers and from the earlier scholars who authored books and compiled the hadith collections. They transmit knowledge, but with honesty and integrity. It is better for him to also have understanding of what he conveys so that if asked about an issue, he can elaborate on the ruling and the religious matter. This is to avoid falling into mistakes. Therefore, even in transmitting, understanding is essential. A person may transmit something that is either distorted, mispronounced, or erroneous, which can cause harm to the listeners. Thus, comprehension must accompany transmission.