Is it permissible to address a university student as "Sheikh" if he has memorized the Qur'an, leads his friends in prayer, answers their jurisprudential questions in accordance with the sayings of the scholars he emulates, possesses a scholarly background in Usul al-Fiqh, Aqeedah, Hadith terminology, grammar, and Fiqh, and has memorized some hadiths along with Sheikh Al-Albani's rulings?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is permissible to bestow the title "Sheikh" upon a colleague if he possesses knowledge that benefits his peers. The term "Sheikh," in its conventional usage, refers to someone worthy of being a mentor. And anyone who provides religious benefit to another is their Sheikh.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/134165
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 134165
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy