The Preaching of an Illiterate but Gifted Speaker

Question

The local Muslims invited an outside preacher, whose lectures led people of unsound belief to correct their creed, those who did not pray began to pray, and those without beards grew them; women, children, scholars and ordinary people all listened to his lectures with keen interest. Every point was supported with proofs from the Qur’an, Hadith and Fiqh, and his manner of speaking was very simple and pleasant.

Answer

Preaching and moral reform (islah) are, in their essence, the office and duty of the true scholars who possess inward [spiritual] insight. An unlearned person, as a rule, is unable to observe the proper limits or to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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