BENEFIT 455: A Student of Knowledge Should Never Feel Embarrassed to Admit His Ignorance!

Question: May Allāh reward you and bless you. A brother asks about some pilgrims and those performing ‘Umrah who begin issuing religious verdicts (fatwas) upon arriving here, without referring to the scholars regarding well-known issues in the Fiqh of Hajj and ‘Umrah. Sheikh Sulayman Ar-Ruhaili hafidahullah: Yes, a student of knowledge who has studied and learned, and who teaches others within the scope of what he has learned, and conveys the rulings of the scholars according to what he knows — this is considered a form of knowledge and there is no harm in that. However, he must beware of taking a leading role prematurely, and of the ailments of the heart — this is very important. When people begin to turn to a person, he is tested. Therefore, he must be extremely cautious of the diseases of the heart — such as becoming conceited, admiring oneself, or believing that he has become a scholar. He must be cautious of this. He must also avoid giving fatwas about matters he does not know. Sometimes a person may feel shy or embarrassed to say "I don't know" after having given several answers — thinking it inappropriate to suddenly admit ignorance — and so he proceeds to issue verdicts without knowledge. This is dangerous, and he is then venturing into the gates of Hellfire. He must be mindful and cautious. However, it is not permissible for him to refrain from answering people on matters they need, if he possesses knowledge of them. Especially since we know that many laypeople, if they ask a student of knowledge and receive no answer, will not seek out anyone else. So if a student of knowledge is asked about a matter that the people need and he knows the correct ruling, then he should respond and inform them of what he knows. #فوائد_تربوية #Tarbiyah@masjidsahabah