Is it permissible for a novice student of knowledge who has studied and mastered the chapters on purity and prayer to teach them and issue fatwas based on what he knows of their rulings, or must he first study all chapters of jurisprudence under the tutelage of شیخs?

A student of knowledge who has not reached the rank of ijtihad (independent reasoning) is permitted to issue fatwas or explain issues by way of taqleed (following) those from whom he learned. Those who undertake to issue fatwas are divided into two categories: a mujtahid (one who practices ijtihad) and a muqallid (one who practices taqleed). The mujtahid is permitted to issue fatwas even if his ijtihad is only in one area, which is called the divisibility of ijtihad (tajazzu' al-ijtihad). As for the muqallid, it is a condition for him to have knowledge of what he transmits, and he is permitted to issue fatwas by way of taqleed out of necessity and in the absence of a mujtahid. This is the soundest of opinions, and it is what is acted upon.