Why Scholar hesitates to give a Legal Ruling

Question

What reason is there for a scholar to hesitate to give a legal ruling?

Answer

A scholar may hesitate to give a legal ruling, if he is qualified to do so, and has knowledge, because the evidences that he has seem contradictory, or it could be that he feels that the questioner is not serious, as some questioners are not searching for the truth, they only want to play around, or to know the opinion of this scholar and a second scholar, and a third scholar etc. In such cases, the scholar may hesitate or refuse to answer the questioner who knows, if he feels it likely that he is playing round in order to see what the people (i.e. the scholars) say, or he wants to compare some of the sayings of the people (i.e. the scholars) with others and this is worse for he goes around saying: “This scholar so-and-so said such and such and this scholar so-and-so said such and such. These are some of the reasons why a scholar may hesitate to deliver a ruling.

Shaikh Ibn Baz (Rahimahullah)


Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 1 Page 372