Prohibition on Speaking without Knowledge and Ruling based on Opinion

Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to me: beware of two qualities – due to them have been destroyed those who have been destroyed: beware of giving Fatwa to the people based on your own opinion or to take as part of your Diin…

whoever gives Fatwa to the people without knowledge or true guidance the angels of mercy do curse him and so do too the angels of punishment and the burden of the one who acts by his Fatwa attaches itself to him.

say what you know and if you do not know then say: “Allāh is more knowing”, a man selectively picks out a verse from the Qur’an and falls in it (misinterpreting it) a farther distance than what is between the earth and…

it is for the scholar – if he is asked something of which he does not know – to say: “Allāh is more knowing” and it is not for other than the scholar to say that.

if a man from among you is asked about that which he does not know – he should say: “I do not know” and should not say: “Allāh is more knowing”, because that will cast doubt in the heart of the questioner, and if the…

I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: what is the right of Allāh over his creation? he said: that they should only say that which they know and should remain silent over that which they do not know – so if they were to do…

Abu Abdillah عليه السلام was seated in a study-circle of Rabia al-Rayy when a bedouin came and asked Rabia al-Rayy about a matter and he (Rabia) proceeded to answer him, so when he was done (answering) the bedouin asked:…

I asked Aba Ja’far عليه السلام about the Shahada (giving witness) of a Walad Zina (child born out of Nikah) – is it permissible? he عليه السلام said: No. I said: al-Hakam bin Utayba holds it to be permissible, so he عليه…

the messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وآله said: whoever gives Fatwa to the people without knowledge the angels of the heavens and the earth do curse him.