Usama Al-Qahtani We all have the right to express our opinions as long as they do not show disrespect for others or violate the rulings of the Holy Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him). If a scholar expresses his viewpoint regarding an issue and does not base his opinion on clear evidence from the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's sayings, can we oppose such an opinion? I know some people do not want to be part of such a discussion, but I think it's important to briefly discuss these matters without showing disrespect for each other. There are renowned Shariah scholars to whom I will always be grateful. These scholars are the pride of this country and there is no questioning their knowledge. However, we all follow the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh). In the Holy Qur'an, Allah reprimanded Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in one of the chapters, something which means that no one is above constructive criticism. Let me make this clear: I am not criticizing any scholar. All I'm trying to do is to shed light on an important issue on which many youngsters today differ. Should the opinions of Shariah scholars be treated as binding and something that cannot be discussed? If the majority of scholars agree on a certain issue, should their opinion be regarded as final? Is it permissible in Islam to force others to follow this opinion? These questions call for a discussion. When we raise such an issue, we should, as Muslims remind ourselves that whatever is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's sayings must be regarded as final and binding to us. Any opinion expressed by scholars should be based on these two major sources. The real problem is that sometimes students who attend lessons of a certain scholar tend to take everything the scholar says as final and binding and try to force his opinion on others. In many cases, the opinion of the scholar turns out to be inaccurate and the scholar himself may change his opinion later. Many people have differed over this issue. I think we should not be overly sensitive when it comes to such issues. The most important thing is that we should not force others to accept the opinion of a certain scholar because such an act is not permissible in Shariah. I can't stress enough the importance of respecting our scholars and holding them in high esteem. After all, we all have great love for them in our hearts.
