When is it right for a student of knowledge to say, "This is what appears most correct to me" or "This is what I believe" and when does he deserve to give circles of teaching independently, for many youth hasten to put themselves forward in gatherings (to teach), so what is your advice?

The Shaykh responded:

My advice to the Salafi youth is that they prepare themselves to strive (hard) in acquiring knowledge and that they learn. However, when they are in a land where there are ignorant people and there are no scholars (present), but there is a student of knowledge and (those people) are in need of the little knowledge he possesses, then I hold that he should offer what he has of knowledge. And we do not make binding the affairs upon the youth who sees the world darkened with deviations, ignorance and shirk such that we say to him, "Do not put yourself forward to teach the people until you have reached the level of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ahmad bin Hanbal." Allaah, the Exalted, said, "Allaah has made clear what He has made unlawful to you, except that which you are forced by way of compulsion" (6:119). Necessity makes permissible what is otherwise prohibited as is said in the legislative principle.

The Shaykh continues:

Meaning, when he is amongst the peasantry (in desert regions) observating the innovations (that are present), the abandonment of prayer and he knows what are innovations and what are the sunnah affairs, likewise, some of you know something of knowledge, then he teaches something from the Qur'an, something of tajweed, he teaches them the books which he has studied, al-Usool al-Thalaathah (the three principles), Kitab al-Tawhid. Now, I am not encouraging a student of knowledge to position himself as a scholar, not, (but I am saying that) when he is forced, and there is not a scholar other than him, and he has something of knowledge, then let him offer what he has of knowledge and (at the same time) to never speak in the deen of Allaah with ignorance. It is not permissible for him except to ascribe to Allaah except the truth, He, the Exalted said, "Say: "(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are great evil (lustful) sins, whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allaah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allaah of which you have no knowledge." (7:33). So saying things about Allaah without knowledge is unlawful and is from the greatest of major sins. Rather, it is greater than disbelief in Allaah because disbelief in Allaah, misguidance and innovations all arise from speaking about Allaah without knowledge. Hence, it is the vilest of things, and greatest of major sins, irrespective of whether it appears from a scholar or an ignorant person.

The Shaykh continues:

Hence, when he sees the people (in need) compelled towards the little knowledge he possesses, then let him speak only within the limits of what he knows and not to transgress his limit. So when he is asked about what he does not know, he says, "Allaah knows best", he says, "I do not know", for (indeed) the greatest of the greatest of the scholars and the leading Imaams amongst the Imaams say, "I do not know", where one of the major students of (Imaam) Maalik says, "If I wished to fill my slate (tablet) with the saying of Maalik, 'I don't know', I would have done so." And all of you know that he was asked about forty matters, he responded to four of them and said "I don't know" about the rest. And in that time, when a man repeated the saying "I don't know" often, he became great in the eyes of the people. But as for today, if he says "I don't know" in just one or two matters, they say, "Jaahil (ignoramus)". Upon these scales (of measure) it is necessary that one abstains and that (even) half or a quarter of the scholars are not led to speak about Allaah without knowledge on account of the people. But in any case, it is desirable for a scholar to cultivate his students to say "I don't know" for it is one half of knowledge (to not speak without knowledge).