0/8. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 53 — Fatwa Without Basis
Avoiding individual opinion and analogy (with regard to matters of religion)
Hadith About Giving Fatwa Without Knowledge
Sunan Ibn Majah : 53
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 53
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هَانِئٍ، حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هَانِئٍ الْخَوْلاَنِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، مُسْلِمِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " مَنْ أُفْتِيَ بِفُتْيَا غَيْرَ ثَبَتٍ فَإِنَّمَا إِثْمُهُ عَلَى مَنْ أَفْتَاهُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever is given a Fatwa (verdict) that has no basis, then his sin will be upon the one who issued that Fatwa.'
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 53In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 0English translation : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 53
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 53
This Hadith about giving Fatwa without knowledge is short but very important. The Prophet said that whoever is given a verdict that has no basis, the sin is upon the one who issued that verdict. The narration protects the questioner from being blamed for a baseless answer he received, while placing responsibility on the one who speaks without proof. It also warns anyone who answers religious questions to be careful. A Fatwa is not casual opinion. It affects how people worship, act, and make choices. This Hadith teaches that speaking in religion without a firm basis is not a small matter.
What we learn from this hadith
- A baseless Fatwa is a serious matter.
- The one who issues the wrong verdict carries the sin mentioned here.
- Religious answers need a sound basis.
- People should not rush to answer without knowledge.
