Don’t Give Fatwa Unknowingly

As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum wa RaḥmatuLlāhi wa Barakātuh. A‘ūdhu BiLlāhi Minash-shayṭāni r-rajīm. BismiLlāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm. Wa ṣ-Salātu wa s-Salāmu ‘alá Rasūlinā Muḥammadin Sayyidi l-Awwalīna wa l-Akhirīn. Madad yā RasūlAllāh, Madad yā Sādāti Aṣḥābi RasūliLlāh, Madad yā Mashāyikhinā, Dastūr Mawlana Sheikh Abdullāh al-Fā’iz ad-Dāghistāni, Sheikh Muḥammad Nāẓim al- Ḥaqqānī. Madad. Ṭarīqatunā aṣ-Suḥbah wa l-Khayru fi l-Jam‘iyyah.

When our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam was telling about the signs of the end of times, he ﷺ said, “Everyone admires his own opinion.” Every person likes his own thoughts and doesn’t like what others think. Our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam said about this time. Everyone thinks what they know is correct, and others are wrong. They say “This is so according to me. And it is right.” They insist on that. That is wrong. Because if something is wrong, people must know that. It is good to know the wrong. Because when you know the wrong, you can correct it. But if you see the wrong as correct according to your own mind, it won’t bring any benefit to you. Sometimes it even brings harm.

This is like this regarding worldly matters. And it is even tougher for matters of Akhirah. If you talk according to your own mind when there is some matter and say, “It is ok. It is appropriate to do so,” when you say it is appropriate, it becomes a Fatwa. You give Fatwa as you like. It is wrong to give Fatwa. If you give Fatwa as you like about religious matters that you don’t know, you will commit a sin. And when you interfere in the matters of others, you commit a bigger sin. Therefore, you should tell about the things you know and are sure about. You should say, “We heard this. But you better ask about it.” Because to give Fatwa, one must be not only a scholar but also authorized to give Fatwa. He carries the responsibility for it.

Everyone who doesn’t understand the basics dare give Fatwa according to his own mind. Ok, you may be wrong regarding the worldly matters. You may have wrong opinion or ideas about them. Their harm will be here, and it doesn’t effect Akhirah. But if you give Fatwa about Akhirah, you take on a big responsibility that may lead to punishment in Akhirah. Because if that Fatwa is out of what Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla and our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam said, that Fatwa will become a responsibility and lead to your punishment.

Therefore, don’t commit a sin out of nothing. Don’t harm yourself. If you know, say that you know. But it is good to say you don’t know as well. If you don’t know something, others may know it. Others will give Fatwa for it and tell what is good and bad about it. But if you give Fatwa to someone, you will have cut off that matter. He will think there is no need to ask from someone else; they received a Fatwa, so no need. If you say, “I don’t know. I don’t possess so much knowledge. I am not aware of such a matter. Go and ask Muftis,” the man or woman will learn the truth and save you from the responsibility then.

May Allah ﷻ not let us obey our egos. The ego thinks it knows everything. The ego thinks saying “I don’t know” is bad, whereas it is not bad. Say what you know, and don’t say what you don’t know. You will commit a sin and lead others out of the right way. May Allah ﷻ protect us.

Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 01 August 2024/ 26 Muharram 1446 Fajr Prayer, Akbaba Dergah