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There are many scholars, many of whom may also specialize in particular fields of knowledge. However, no matter how proficient they may be, it is essential to acknowledge that scholars are not infallible, and they are not immune to making errors. There is a famous statement from imam Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him) who said: "There is no one among us but he may refute or be refuted, except the occupant of this grave—meaning the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." Hence, regardless of how much you admire and look up to a scholar, you may, at times, come across some zallaat [زلات], or mistakes. Sometimes, even small details, such as the wording of their statements, might be mistaken.
How beautiful are the words of 'Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him): “Whoever among you wishes to follow (someone), let him follow one who has died, for the one who is still alive is not safe from fitnah (trial). The companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were the best of this Ummah, the most righteous of heart and the deepest in knowledge and the most straightforward, people whom Allah chose to accompany His Prophet and establish His Deen. So acknowledge their virtue and follow in their footsteps, and adhere as much as you can to their morals and Deen, for they were following right guidance." Narrated by ibn ‘Abdul-Barr in al-Jaami’, no. 1810.
As shaykhul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "The wise believer agrees with all people in that in which they are in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah and obey Allah and His Messenger, but he does not agree with that in which they go against the Qur'an and Sunnah." (الفتاوى 11/280ـ29)
Let me first mention some English speakers that are students of knowledge:
If you understand the Arabic language or plan to learn it later, I would strongly recommend specific scholars to you, may Allah have mercy upon them:
Living Scholars:
Other Mashaayikh:
Note that the scholars mentioned are, of course, recent and contemporary. There are certainly more names that could be included, but hopefully, this gives you an idea of whom to learn from. While there are many more scholars from the past, those listed above have provided extensive explanations on “classical” books, which are particularly beneficial for seekers of knowledge, especially laypersons. Shaykh ibn 'Uthaymeen has addressed these matters in his book 'The Book of Knowledge.' Additionally, there is similar work by shaykh ibn 'Uthaymeen available in English, which explores these points in a specific manner:
It’s important to note that Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah do not follow scholars solely based on their personalities. Instead, we accept the truth presented by the scholars. Therefore, we don't adhere to them for their namesake, but instead, we draw from the sources of legislation: Qur'an, Sunnah, Ijmaa' (Consensus), Qawl as-Sahaabi (Saying of the Companion) and Qiyaas (Scholarly Analogy). All of the imams draw from and agree on these same sources of legislation. However, the differences between them arise from how they derive and extrapolate from these sources, and this is influenced by the principles of jurisprudence. There is a statement from imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) who said: "We do not know the truth through men, but we know men through the truth." Most importantly, as shaykhul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said: “No one should affiliate themselves to a shaykh, thus making friendship (i.e. loyalty) and enemies (i.e. disavowal) based on him." (Source)
What you should be concerned with is learning the primary eight sciences of Shari'ah and adhering to a madhhab, as it is obligatory to follow one in particular. By learning within a madhhab, you will gain knowledge not only in fiqh but also in the principles of jurisprudence. These principles are applicable not only to fiqh but to all the sciences of Shari'ah.
To understand what scholars go through in the sciences of knowledge:
It should be noted that once you agree on and accept the foundational matters of the Deen and learn about the pursuit of knowledge, building your foundation in the process, you should be aware that Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, especially in the area of subsidiary issues (furoo'), may occasionally have respectful disagreements among themselves. Therefore, it is understood that no matter is entirely free from misunderstandings, mistakes, and errors. Even in principles of jurisprudence (usool al-fiqh), it's challenging to find a book that is completely untouched by the influence of the mutakallimoon (theologians). Shaykh Saalih Aalush-Shaykh has addressed how to approach the reading of scholarly works and has offered advice to students of knowledge on this and other related topics:
A fatwa, an integral part of Islamic jurisprudence, is more than just a religious verdict. As imam al-Qaraafi defines in [الفروق] (1000/4): "A fatwa is the act of informing and answering the questioner about the problems and other matters that people need in their lives, even after death." Then shaykh ibn Jibreen further explained: "And it was done by those whom Allah enabled to do so among the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who followed them, according to their understanding and the strength of their deduction."
Approaching fatwas requires discernment, considering the context and the scholar's background. Not every fatwa, as noted by sources like IslamQA.info, is universally applicable. It's important to note that while IslamQA.info is generally reliable, there are rare occasions where certain details might not be entirely accurate, despite the overall correctness of the information. Understanding the role of a mufti, who is qualified to issue fatwas, is essential. This concept is explored in the chapter 'المفتي والمستفتي' or 'The Mufti and the Questioner' in introductory books on Usool al-Fiqh.
Shaykh ibn Jibreen's comprehensive work, [حقيقة الفتاوى وشروط المفتي], delves into the intricacies of issuing fatwas. Scholars emphasize that 'a good question is half of knowledge' (حسن السؤال نصف العلم), highlighting the importance of how questions are posed. Misunderstandings in questions can lead to incorrect fatwas, not due to the scholar's error, but due to the lack of detail in the question. Scholars assert, [الحكمُ على الشيء فرعٌ عن تصوره] or 'the judgment on a matter is a branch of its perception,' emphasizing the significance of understanding and interpreting the issue correctly.
It was narrated from ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas, that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “If a judge passes a judgement having striven to reach a decision, and he gets it right, he will have two rewards. If he passes a judgement having striven to reach a decision and he gets it wrong, he will have one reward.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7352) and Muslim (1716).
With regard to what the attitude of the ordinary Muslim (layman) should be, the ordinary Muslim may ask about anything that he does not understand, or ask about an issue that he is facing, then he should act in accordance with the fatwa that he receives. Fatwa websites are not like the books of Islamic rulings, and the visitor should realize that. For not every fatwa is appropriate for everyone, because the fatwa takes into consideration the situation of the questioner, and the mufti may issue a fatwa based on a scholarly view that he regards as less strong, rather than that which he thinks is stronger, with regard to a matter concerning which the scholars have different views, especially after something that happened to the questioner, because of a need or because of a reason that the questioner mentioned. This is permissible according to many scholars. However, on our website we are keen to spread knowledge, by mentioning different views and discussing evidence, and by quoting from the books of scholars, so that the site will become a means of spreading knowledge, and not simply issuing a specific fatwa to a specific questioner only.
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One of the key aspects in this context is for the scholar responding to a question to ascertain whether the matter in question is defined in the Qur'an and Sunnah. If it is not, the definition is sought in the Arabic language. If the Arabic language doesn't provide a definition, then scholars turn to the concept of 'urf (عرف), meaning customs, culture or norms. For instance, if the questioner inquires about 'salah', it is defined in the Qur'an and Sunnah; if the inquiry is about animals, these are defined in the Arabic language. 'Urf plays a role in defining contemporary concepts such as democracy and voting, which are not directly defined in the Qur'an and Sunnah, nor in the Arabic language. Definitions are primarily based on these sources, rather than on individual perceptions, personal understanding, intentions, or goals. While the latter are considered eventually, initial understanding are rooted in these primary sources. Therefore, it's important to approach definitions within their respective scholarly frameworks, as emphasized by scholars.
Scholars have highlighted the importance of not prejudging a matter before it is thoroughly 'perceived, tasted, and smelled'. They caution against the injustice in knowledge that arises from issuing a premature fatwa before thoroughly examining and contemplating the issue, hearing the claims, reading the arguments, and examining the proofs.
It should also be noted that in the pursuit of knowledge, you may occasionally come across or hear about issues that require 'ijtihaad' (independent reasoning) from scholars. I must preface this by addressing a prevailing issue among laypeople and even beginner students of knowledge: the misuse and misapplication of terms such as 'ijtihaad.' There is a common misconception that anyone can undertake the scholarly task of formulating a unique opinion or understanding. However, it's important to recognize that such tasks are reserved for scholars who are qualified to perform them. Here, 'ijtihaad' means striving to understand the religious ruling based on Islamic evidence. These issues, which might not be explicitly defined or mentioned in the Qur'an or the Sunnah, are referred to as [النوازل] 'an-nawaazil' (contemporary or emergent issues). In such cases, you will often find scholars having differing opinions. (Relevant).
Moreover, when seeking knowledge and encountering someone who declares a certain matter to be 'raajih' (likely correct opinion), it's important to understand that this is often within the context of a specific school of thought (madhhab) and not a universally agreed-upon view among all scholars. An opinion might be considered 'raajih' from the perspective of one scholar or within one particular school of thought. Hence, comprehending the context is crucial when a viewpoint is labeled in this manner. When there is ‘raajih’, it is deemed to have stronger evidence or more convincing reasoning compared to other competing opinions (known as [مرجوح] “marjooh" opinions, which are considered less likely to be correct).
The determination of an opinion as "راجح" is based on several factors, including the strength and authenticity of the evidences supporting it, the methodology used in deriving the opinion, the consistency of the opinion with established principles of Shari’ah, and how well it aligns with the overall objectives of Shari’ah.
Again, madhhabs pertain to jurisprudential matters. As such, all of the imams draw from and agree on the same sources of legislation. However, the differences between them arise from how these sources are derived and extrapolated, influenced by the principles of jurisprudence. Regrettably, laypeople often misrepresent madhhabs as if they were entirely separate religions without shared sources of legislation. Quite the contrary, there are no major differences between them; the variations occur only in the minor aspects of fiqh. In other words, there are more points of agreement among scholars than disagreements. To the layperson, this may seem otherwise due to the fact that scholars tend to have discussions on the matters they disagree upon, rather than on those they concur with. These disagreements, however, are considered minor.
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