A non-scholar invites a scholar and says that this food is from haram

Question

Question: If some usurer (one who consumes riba) invites a scholar and says in front of that scholar: “This is haram wealth; I am feeding you from it; if you want to eat, then eat,” and the scholar says: “It is haram for you and halal for us,” — if the scholar issues a fatwa that it is halal, will he be sinful or not?

Answer

Issuing a fatwa that something haram is halal is a grave sin; this can by no means be expected of a godly scholar (‘alim rabbani). It may, however, be that a non-scholar considers something to be haram, while an expert scholar knows that it is not haram because he is acquainted with its underlying reason and its essence, whereas the mind of a non-scholar cannot reach that far.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.