EVERY MUSLIM IS HIS OWN MUFTI & VERDICT SCHOLAR

.Sheikh “Muhammad Abduh” (1849-1905)the head of the islamic official verdict body (mufti) in egypt & most islamic countries in his time says that Islamic religion totally demolished & turned over & abolished any kind of religious authority or control on any one belief or faith & there is no religious authority to anyone in islam including himself & the Islamic scholars or religious figures or imams or muftis or their fatwas /edicts/verdicts do not have any kind of religious authority or power or ruling on people belief & the only authority given to them is only civil authority of giving advice & reminders only in good & tender manner without any control on anyone belief ,or his worshipping to ALLAH or his way of thinking , moreover the advice right is a mutual right where anyone regardless of his religious knowledge has the same right to advise the highest ranked imam or scholar, see below

1. PROPHET Muhammad (pbuh) was assigned by Allah only as a messenger & not as a dominator or controller over people , & this is clearly stated in Quran in many verses , an example is Q 88;21-22

” فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ ﴿٢١﴾ لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ .

translation is “So remind, [O Muhammad]; you are only a reminder, You are not over them a controller (dominator)”—-,

2. THE Sheikh says that the religion text revealed by Allah is broad & flexible enough to allow & encompass all times & places & circumstances & that the verdicts should take these factors in account targeting the achievement of society welfare & justice as instructed by Islam  & that we should use our mind, reasoning, rationale & modern knowledge to assess the old verdicts made by past scholars many centuries back,  not just blindly copying them  & if our current mindful thinking  conclusion contradicted with a previous scholar verdict , then the current  mindful conclusion should be the upheld one. He also says that blindly following the opinions & verdicts issued by scholars or imams as a part of religion  is contradictory to Islam & makes muslims fall in the same pit & sin of the previous people of scripture who blindly followed their religious scholars & rabbis & popes who enforced their opinions on the people dominating &  enacting what is  allowable & what is banned  whether or not it is stated in the Holy Book  , see Allah words on that

Q9;31 اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّـهِ

Translation “They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah”

3.THE Sheikh also says that Allah will guide whoever strives to find the right path Q29;69

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

translation” And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.”—- Also there is sahih hadith that complies with Quran , & it says “ Who does what he knows , then ALLAH will guide him of what he does not know” , Also another sahih hadith also compliant to Quran  demolishing any religious verdict   authority   & making every muslim refer ultimately to his conscience saying  “ Take the verdict from your heart/mind even if others gave you the verdict” —-

4.He also says that our ultimate judgments should be taken from Quran, book of ALLAH while using our rationale & thinking when reading it taking into account the main legislative (Sharia) rule of focusing on people interest & averting the harms & if you find someone you think he has good religious knowledge & manners & does not ask you a return for religious advice or makes business out of religious advice , then take his advice after assessing it mindfully & if you did not find this person & still strive to find the truth ,then know that Allah will guide you somehow as HE promised

5- For those who like reverting to Hadith for making up their minds, Hadith also confirms the same as above , this is the hadith told by Imam Ahmad 17545 & which Alnawawi & Al Albani also confirmed  that Prophet (saws) said

اسْتَفْتِ قَلْبَكَ وَاسْتَفْتِ نَفْسَكَ ٍ الْبِرُّ مَا اطْمَأَنَّتْ إِلَيْهِ النَّفْسُ وَالْإِثْمُ مَا حَاكَ فِي النَّفْسِ وَتَرَدَّدَ فِي الصَّدْرِ وَإِنْ أَفْتَاكَ النَّاسُ وَأَفْتَوْكَ

translation ” Take the verdict from your  heart and yourself   . the righteousness is what your conscience  assures you is right & the sin is what  wavers & itches in the soul & heart , even if people give you the verdicts & judgements “