What is the ruling regarding a young man on scholarship who reads religious books and reviews various fatwas, answering questions from Muslims and non-Muslims without adhering to a specific madhhab? And is his statement "haram" based on a fatwa he has seen considered a fatwa from him?

The questioner is congratulated for his interest in Sharia knowledge and calling to Allah. He is advised to continue learning and to be careful not to speak about Allah without knowledge or to hasten in giving fatwas (religious verdicts). This is among the gravest sins and has been linked with shirk (polytheism) in His (Allah's) saying: "and that you say about Allah what you do not know." And He (Glorified and Exalted be He) forbade fabricating lies against Allah in His saying: "And do not say about what your tongues falsely describe, 'This is lawful and this is unlawful,' to invent a lie against Allah. Indeed, those who invent a lie against Allah will not succeed."

It is clarified that issuing a fatwa without knowledge is a cause for misguidance and misleading people, as stated in the noble Hadith: "Indeed, Allah does not seize knowledge by snatching it from the people, but He seizes it by seizing the scholars, until when no scholar remains, people will take ignorant leaders. They will be asked, and they will issue fatwas without knowledge, so they will go astray and lead others astray." It is permissible for the questioner to inform others about the unlawfulness of something based on a fatwa he has read, and this is not considered issuing a fatwa by him if he is merely conveying the words of scholars, provided he ensures that the fatwa is from reliable sources. As for deducing rulings and attempting to derive issues based on their similarity to previous fatwas, this is not permissible except for scholars specialized in "deriving issues."

It concludes by stating that it is not obligatory to restrict oneself to a single school of thought. It is permissible for a layperson to follow any trusted scholar he wishes, without intending to seek out concessions, as there is a consensus on this matter, and he may follow any mujtahid (independent jurist) he wishes.