Giving Fatwa without knowledge is a very dangerous matter
20-12-2010 | IslamWeb
Question:
salam aleikum sheikh.. i have one question insha allah... we have one sister who make lesson for women every week..the problem is that the sister give diffrent fatawa and teach things about islam that is not correct.. i have send mail to the sister with hadiths and other proof from sunnah about the things she have say wrong and even send mail to some sisters that go to the lesson,who are my friends because its obligatory for me acording to islam to say when i know somebody say something wrong..its not only one or two things the sister say wrong, but many and she even have bad attitude to sisters, some sisters have complain about this and even me have notice the attitude. i have try to say for her in the lesson with strong hadith about bukhari and muslim but she have not even care to listen but she have almost change the subject to something else, i wanted to go to her after the lesson for to give hadiths about all 5 things she have say wrong, because in islam they say the one with strong iman say with words when something is wrong and the one with week iman objects with the heart in silense, but because the sisters attitiude i have feel i cant go and say for her..i still dont understand how they can let this sister to make lessons there or why sisters who know that she is not correct from what she say to still keep going there every week and write everything down for to practise..why even bother to go to one who dont teach right about islam?? and risk to follow things that is not correct and get since for..is it something more i can do than what i have already make?? also know that her husband is one famous brother here in this city who make lessons, but he have very much knowledge comparing with she, so i guess nobody will take this serious..everybody assume that she too have knowledge
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
There is no doubt that calling people to Allaah is a great act of worship and a matter that can get one closer to Allaah; many texts from the Quran and the Sunnah were reported about its excellence, and we mentioned some of them in Fatwa 85108.
Admonishing the people and guiding them to do good does not require much knowledge; rather, a Daa’iyah (caller to Allaah) should be good at what he wants to convey to the people even if it were only one verse or one Hadeeth. ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr 
narrated that the Prophet said: “Convey on my behalf even if it were only one verse (from the Quran)." [Al-Bukhari]
Also, the Prophet said: “May Allaah brighten (the face of) a person who hears my words, preserves them and then conveys them to those who had not heard them. At times the one carrying Fiqh (religious knowledge) has no Fiqh himself, and at times the one carrying Fiqh conveys it to one who has Fiqh more than himself.” [Ahmad, Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]
Hence, this sister did well by being keen on doing Da’wah, spreading knowledge and guiding the people, but it is not permissible for her to handle a subject she has no knowledge of, especially issuing Fataawa as this is a very serious matter and daring to issue Fatwa (without knowledge) is like daring to be sent to the Fire. For more benefit on warning against issuing Fataawa, please refer to Fatwa 89691.
Therefore, we advise you to encourage this sister to spread good and virtue, and you should advise her in a good manner and privately as the objective is to advise her and not to rebuke her.
However, you may seek the help of her husband in this regard as he is one of the Dua’ah (callers to Allaah) and a seeker of religious knowledge. Also, you may seek the help of those who are in charge of the place where she gives lessons if she is holding such lessons in Islamic Centers and the like.
On the other hand, if what is mentioned about her is true that she is harsh and that she mistreats the sisters, then she should be reminded about the importance of having a good moral conduct especially for a person who calls to Allaah, and that she should be a good example.
If advising her and rectifying her are of no avail, and it is predominantly thought that her giving such lessons is dangerous for the sisters who are attending her lessons, then one should warn these sisters against her out of sincere advice to the Muslims. Tameem Ad-Daari narrated that the Prophet said: “Religion is (sincere) advice". They said, "For whom?'' He replied, "For Allaah, His Book, His Messenger and for the leaders of the Muslims and their masses." [Muslim]
Allaah Knows best.