[1] “I have asked People of Knowledge and I have a Fatwa, and I am acting on the verdict”. [Examine these statements based on sound proof]

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Al-Allaamah Saalih Al-Fawzaan [may Allah preserve him] stated:

At present when someone desires something, he says, “Such and such a person has given a verdict on this” without considering whether it has a basis in the Book and the Sunnah. You say to him, “This verdict is wrong”, he says, “It has nothing to do with me as long as the verdict was given by such and such”. If the verdict is not in agreement with his desires, he says, “This verdict is not correct or it is a harsh one”. They gather lies, and the mistakes of the scholars in a book, present and spread it amongst the people with their assumptions, saying, “The religion of Islam is easy. It does not make things difficult for the people”. When it is said to them, “Examine it (i.e. these verdicts) under the Book and Sunnah”, they say, “These are statements of the scholars”. Is the scholar greater than the Book and the Sunnah? Are his statements not to be examined under the Book and the Sunnah!? This is how the people of desires behave, and Allah’s Refuge is sought. They are those who “took their Rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah”. When they are forbidden from Bidah which Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] warned against, they say, “Such and such a person acts upon this and he is a scholar or that he is a righteous person”, “This is acted upon by the people of such and such a country and they are righteous and pious”. We say, righteousness and piety do not suffice, rather there has to be conformity to the Book and the Sunnah. Therefore, to take the statements of the scholars and (devout) worshippers as sound legal verdicts without examination under the Book and the Sunnah was a way of the people of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance [Footnote a], and they are those who took their rabbis and their monks as lords besides Allah. [Footnote b] [1]

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Footnote a: Al-Allaamah Saalih Al-Fawzaan [may Allah preserve him] stated: Al-Jaahiliyyah is derived from al-Jahl (ignorance). It is an absence of knowledge, and the intent behind it is the state of affairs before Islam.

They were in a state of ignorance in all aspects (of life) and the greatest of that was concerning worship and creed. They used to be upon the creed of Shirk..

The Jaahiliyyah Aamma (The pre-Islamic ignorance that was widespread in the world and touched every aspect of life) has ceased to exist, but it remains with some people or some of the tribes, or in some of the lands. This is Jaahiliyyah Juz’ee (aspects or traits of pre-Islamic Ignorance). As for the Jahiliyyah Aamma, this has ceased to exist after the advent of the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him], but some traits of pre-Islamic ignorance remain with some of the people due to the statement of the Prophet “Among my people, there are four characteristics that belong to the pre-Islamic period which they do not abandon: boasting of high rank, reviling other peoples’ genealogies, seeking rain by stars, and wailing (i.e. for the dead)”. [reported by Muslim] This remains, but it is a trait. As for the Jaahiliyyah Aamma, it has ceased to exist. Therefore, it is not permissible to say that the people are in Jaahiliyyah. Some say, “(The people) are in a state of pre-Islamic ignorance that is more severe than the one before the advent of the Prophet”. The meaning of this (statement of theirs) is a denial of what the Messenger brought – a denial of the Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet, and the abundant knowledge in our hands. This is a mistake, the people are not in Al-Jaahiliyyah, but there remain some of the traits in some individuals, some nations, and tribes, but this is a specific Jaahiliyyah. Therefore, it is incumbent to be acquainted with this affair. [2]

Footnote b: Shaikh Abdul Waahid Abu Khadeejah [may Allaah preserve him] quotes Al-Allaamah Ahmad Bin Yahyah An-Najmi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] as follows: Then Shaikhul-Islaam mentioned the saying of Allaah: [اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ – They have taken their “ahbaar” and “ruhbaan” as lords besides Allah..] [at-Tawbah: 31]

The “Ahbaar” are the scholars, and the “Ruhbaan” are the general worshippers – and the habit of the people is to refer back to these two groups and take to their speech and opinions. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, rebuked the unbelievers because they took the Ahbaar and Ruhbaan (the scholars and worshippers) as Lords besides Allaah whereby they made them as legislators of Religious Law (i.e. the Revelation). They would make halaal for them that which Allaah had made haraam, so they would then consider it to be halaal. And they would make haraam for them that which Allaah had made halaal, so they would then consider it to be haraam. This however does not necessitate, in an absolute sense, exiting from Islaam, rather this point it requires further explanation. So sometimes the one who falls into this reaches the point whereby he exits Islaam, and this is when they take them as legislators of Religious Law (i.e. the Revelation). So they take their legislation and they give it precedence over an above that which Allaah has legislated in His Book, and that which the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) legislated, and they believe that this legislation that is not from Allaah and His Messenger is equal to Allaah’s Legislation or an increase upon it.

However, if they seek verdicts (fatwas) from them and they issue fatwas making haraam what is halaal, or making halaal what is haraam. So they obey them in making haraam the halaal matters, and making halaal the haraam matters by way of acting upon those verdicts – and the people obey them whilst they know they are sinning and they affirm the fact that it is a sin, yet they still follow them but they know internally what is halaal is halaal and what is haraam is haraam. This is then a major sin. https://abukhadeejah.com/ahmad-an-najmees-kitaab-at-tawheed-chapter-5-the-explanation-of-tawheed-and-the-shahaadah-laa-ilaaha-illallaah/

[1] An Excerpt from "Sharh Masaa'il Al-Jaahiliyyah. pages 74-77

[Ref 2: https://salafidawah.uk/2013/09/updated-the-people-used-to-ask-about-the-good-hudhaifah-radiyallaahu-anhu/