In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Who Ascertained and Declared You Have Reached The Level of Mufti- The Well-Known Scholars of Sunnah, Ahlul Bidah or The Common People?!

Abdur-Rahmaan Bin Abee Layla [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: I have met a hundred and twenty companions of the Messenger [peace and blessinsg of Allaah be upon him] in this Masjid and not a single one of them would be asked about a hadeeth, except he wished that his brother would suffice him in (answering). Then the affair was assigned to a people who claimed knowledge at present. They give answers in affairs which if presented to Umar Ibnul Khattaab [radiyallaahu-anhu], he would have gathered the (Sahaabah of) Badr to consult them. (1)

Abu Khaythama narrated to us, (saying): Fadl Ibn Dukayn related to us, (saying): Sufyaan informed us from yahyah Ibn Saeed who said: ‘’I heard Al-Qaasim Ibn Muhammad say: ‘’A person lives his (whole) life being ignorant is better for him than giving fataawaa without knowledge. (2)

Imaam Shaafi’ee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: It is not permissible for anyone to give fatwa in Allaah’s Religion except a man who is knowledgeable about the Book of Allaah – [knowledgeable] about its Naasikh and Mansookh [i.e. the science of abrogating and abrogated related to verses of the Qur’aan]; its Muhkam [i.e. the clear verses which the scholars who are firmly grounded in knowledge point out be to those that do not require explanation by other verses] and its Mutashaabih [i.e. the verses which the scholars who are firmly grounded in knowledge point out be ones that require elaboration and explanation through other verses]; its [sound] interpretation; [knowledge about when an Ayah or Surah] was revealed- whether it is Makkiy or a Madaniy [i.e. the subject matter regarding how to determine that an Aayah or Surah was revealed in Makkah or Medeenah]; what is intended by a verse and for which circumstances [or purpose] it was revealed. Thereafter, he should have sure knowledge about the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] in relation to its Naasikh and Mansookh [i.e. the subject matter regarding the abrogating and abrogated ahaadeeth discussed by the scholars who are firmly grounded in knowledge], and he should know the affairs of the hadeeth in the manner in which he knows the Qur’aan. He should have sure knowledge about the Arabic language and Arabic poetry, and what is needed of it. Then he applies this [knowledge] alongside being a just person and one whose speech is little. He should be one who has the ability to adjudicate [or make sound judgements] on the differences of opinions held by the scholars of the different eras and he should be talented. If he is like this [i.e. if the upright scholars upon sound Islamic creed and methodology- those firmly grounded in knowledge-testify that he is qualified in all these fields], then he can speak and issue fatwa in affairs of halaal and haraam. But if he is not, then it is not for him to give fatwa. (3)

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee [may Allaah preserve him] said: We do not say that there are people of ijtihaad amongst ahlul bidah because they are followers of desires, and Allaah and His Messenger have testified to this. The misguided innovator stirs up discord and errs, and then says to you, ‘This is ijtihaad’. When Hikmatiyaar and the misguided parties (in Afghanistan) murdered Shaikh Jameel Ur-Rahmaan, they said: ‘This is ijtihaad.’ They [ahlul bidah] do not fall into an affair of misguidance or a calamity except that they say, “This is ijtihaad.” This is [tantamount] to diluting Islaam, falsehood, misguidance, bidah and confounding truth with falsehood, when the mistakes of the [true and qualified scholars of ijtihaad]- for which they are rewarded- are placed at the same level with innovation, about which the Messenger declared to be destined for the hell fire. (4)

[Ref 1: Sharhus Sunnah of Imaam Al-Baghawee: 1/305]

[Ref 2: Kitaabul Ilm of Abu Khaythama with the checking of Shaikh Al Albaani: Narration number 90. page 23]

[Ref 3: Source: An Excerpt from I’laam Al-Muwaqqi’een 2/87. Publisher: Daar Ibn Al-Jawziyyah’ 1st ed 1423AH.slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 4: An Excerpt from ‘Ajwibatul Allaamatush Shaikh Rabee Bin Haadee Al Madkhalee Alaa As-ilah Abee Rawaaha Al-Manhajiyyah page: 20]