Demeaning the People of Knowledge over Some Question

Question

There was a dispute among the religious scholars over a question; one day a decision was reached in the presence of the religious scholars of the villages and the mufti — a decision made from the Shar‘i point of view. A few days later some religious scholars planned to have the matter decided again and, with the intention of humiliating [the former] before some people, to have an already-decided question re-adjudicated. What of doing so with the intention of humiliation?

Answer

If the first decision was in accordance with the Sacred Law, no one has the right to overturn it — especially for the purpose of humiliating them. Humiliating any Muslim is not right, and humiliating the people of knowledge is particularly dangerous. May God protect us from the evil of self-will.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.