Barring Non-Scholars from Explaining Rulings

Question

If persons who know only Urdu are forbidden from explaining fiqh rulings (other than [rulings on] prayer, ablution, and the like), being told, “Do not explain the ruling,” would this measure be wrong or correct? Given that scholars of religion are present — some of whom understand Urdu, and some of whom do not even understand Urdu — if both are forbidden from explaining rulings concerning the lawful and the unlawful, is such a prohibition permissible or not? May strictness be exercised in this prohibition or not?

Answer

As long as matters of fiqh have not been properly acquired from a trustworthy teacher, there can be no confidence that they will be conveyed correctly; therefore general permission for this should not be granted, although it is also possible that some servant of Allah, having understood correctly, will convey it correctly.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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