By Allāh, he who gives people verdicts (fatwā) for every question they ask him is crazy (majnūn).

Ibn Battah Al-’Ukbarī, Ibtāl Al-Hiyal article 81, et al.

Imām Ibn Battah (d. 304H) laments:

So here is Ibn Mas’ūd, swearing by Allāh that a person who gives people verdicts for every question they ask him is mad. And [now] if a person swore, he would not be breaking his oath, and if a person said, he would be speaking the truth: that most of the muftis of our time are mad. For you will hardly find a man who is asked about an issue pausing to consider carefully before answering, nor fearing Allāh and bringing to mind that Allāh is watching him, and fearing that He will say to him: What is the basis of your answer? Rather, most of them worry that it will be said: so-and-so was asked a question and he had no answer…

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1. Some of the Best and Worst People in Society
2. Who can give a Fatwa?
3. Worse than not knowing
4. Beautiful Cursed Women
5. You haven’t prayed for 40 years!

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

Issuing fatwâ is not allowed except for a person who knows what the people have differed in. It was said, ‘Do you mean the different views of the people of opinions (those who depend more on analogy and speculation)? He replied, “No, [I mean] the different views of the Companions of Muhammad – Allâh’s praise and peace be upon him. And he must also know the textual evidence that abrogates [other rulings] and that which is abrogated [by other texts], both in the Quran and the hadîth of Allah’s Messenger – Allâh’s praise and peace be upon him. Such a person can issue fatâwâ.

Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jâmi’ Bayân Al-’Ilm wa Fadlihî article 1529.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. Al-Mubârak – Allâh have mercy on him – was asked, “When can a person issue an edict (fatwâ)?” He replied, “When he is knowledgeable about the narrations (hadith and traditions of the Salaf), and has insight into [juristic] opinion.

Ibid. article 1532.

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1. The Mad Mufti
2. Some of the Best and Worst People in Society
3. Beautiful Cursed Women
4. The Companions’ Sincerity in Knowledge
5. I sit with the Salaf

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

Al-Lâlakâ`î, Sharh Usûl I’tiqâd Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamâ’ah Vol.1 p120.

It is reported that ‘Uthmân b. Hâdir said, “I said to Ibn ‘Abbâs: ‘advise me.’ He replied, ‘It is upon you to be upright, follow al-athar, and beware of innovating [in religion].’”

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ Vol. 1 p214.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. Al-Mubârak said, “Let it only be the narrations (al-athar) that you rely upon, and take from reasoning and opinion that amount that will help you to understand and explain hadîth.”

Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jâmi’ Bayân Al-‘Ilm wa Fadlihi Vol. 3 p329.

It is reported that Sufyân Al-Thawrî said, “The narrations (al-âthâr) are the religion.”

And it is reported that he also said, “A man should not even scratch his head except based on a narration.”

Al-Harawî, Dhamm Al-Kalâm wa Ahlihî Vol. 2 p264.

It is reported that Al-Musayyib b. Râfi’ Al-Asadî said, “We only follow, we do not innovate; we follow behind and do not start anything [in the religion], and we will never stray as long as we adhere to the narrations.”

Al-Harawî, Dhamm Al-Kalâm wa Ahlihî Vol. 2 p265.

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1. Risking your religion through Argumentation
2. Umar b. Abd Al-Aziz on the Way of the Believers
3. Rejected Sunnah vs Beautified Opinion
4. Who speaks Wisdom?
5. Imam Al-Awzai’s Letter of Warning against Heresy and Heretics

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jâmi’ Bayân Al-‘Ilm wa Fadlihi Vol.2 p465.

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1. The Sunnah is Wisdom
2. Why so Many Hadîth, Abu Hurayrah?
3. Don’t ask the Polytheists
4. Beautiful Cursed Women
5. The Narrations are the Religion

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi

May Allâh curse those women who tattoo or seek to be tattooed, those women who remove facial hair or seek it to be removed and those women who put gaps between their teeth for beautification; those who seek to change Allâh’s creation.

This reached a woman from Banî Asad who was called Umm Ya’qûb and who used to read the Qur`ân. She came to [Ibn Mas’ûd] and said, “What is this I hear from you, that you curse women who tattoo or seek to get tattooed, and those who remove facial hair and those who put gaps between their teeth for beauty, those who change Allâh’s creation?” ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas’ûd] replied, “And why should I not curse those whom Allâh’s Messenger has cursed and those who are mentioned in Allâh’s Book?” She said, “I have read [the Qur`ân] from cover to cover and I have not seen it mentioned.” He replied, “If you had really read it [carefully] you would have found it; Allâh the Mighty and Sublime said:

And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, shun it. [Al-Hashr (59):7]

The woman then said, “Well I have just seen some of this on your own wife.” He said, “Go and see her.” So she went to the wife of ‘Abdullâh but didn’t see anything. She returned to him and said, “I don’t see anything.” He said, “Well, if any of those practices had been done I would not be with her any more.”

Al-Bukhârî and Muslim. This translation is from the version in Muslim.

Points to note

• The teachings of Allâh’s Messenger have the same legal weight as teachings in the Qur`ân because the Qur`ân commands us to take everything the Messenger teaches us, even if it is not specifically mentioned in the Qur`ân. This refutes the claim of heretics who say we only need to follow the Qur`ân
• It can even be said that a ruling given by Allâh’s Messenger is in the Qur`ân based on the verse quoted
• Tattooing, removal of facial hair – including the plucking of eyebrows – and making gaps between the teeth for beautification are strictly forbidden in Islâm and are regarded as major sins. In another narration, hair extensions have also been mentioned
• Exceptions have been made by scholars in cases where a woman suffers a condition that causes her to grow a full beard, or where filing of teeth and widening spaces are needed for medical reasons
• Being cursed (al-la’nah) means to be removed from Allâh’s mercy; this goes to prove that these practices are major sins
• People should ask Allâh to curse those whom Allâh’s Messenger has asked to be cursed
• Women can ask male scholars about matters of religion and can converse with them for the purpose of understanding knowledge and legal rulings
• Wives who remain disobedient to Allâh should be divorced
• A person who helps another to sin is regarded as a participant in that sin

These points have been summarized from Ibn Hajr, Fath Al-Bârî and Al-Nawawî, Sharh Sahîh Muslim.

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1. Men on Menses
2. The Madhab of Imam Malik
3. Who can give a Fatwa?
4. Won’t you collect your Share?
5. Righteous Women and the Maidens of Jannah

This is from Sayings of the Salaf - English translations of narrations from the Salaf - the earliest believers, our righteous predecessors, and true scholars of Islam. Selected and translated by Owais Al-Hashimi