Manhaj.Com | Is Tazkiyah (or Graduation) Required Before One Teaches and Gives Da'wah? Part 4: Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhali

Following the role of Ahl al-Sunnah in the West of conveying the speech of the Scholars regarding certain figureheads who went astray, the followers of many of these figureheads spread doubts about some of the callers in the West, with respect to teaching and giving da'wah, claiming that a person must have a tazkiyah to teach, or he must have graduated from an institution and so on. However, the reality of the matter is that those whom they target in this way actually have connections with the Scholars, they travel to them, and take knowledge from them in aqidah, manhaj and fiqh, even if they have not formally studied in an institution, or graduated or have a specific tazkiyah. The real reason for these doubts is to undermine what the callers do in the West (in addition to calling to the Sunnah) of warning from doubts, innovations and desires and warning from the people who are upon them or promote them. The articles in these series will shed light on this matter and repel the doubts spread. No one article in this series should be read in isolation as it is possible for a person with ulterior motives to utilize some of these fatwas from the scholars to justify isolation and separation away from the main body of Salafis in that land and from their centres and mosques with the claim that everybody has the green light to teach, and so some of them teach in the mosques and centres of the hizbees and others teach in their homes (often secretly) whilst spreading poison that aims to isolate people from the students of knowledge. Rather, all the statements of all the Shaykhs should be put together and understood collectively to get a clearer picture of this whole affair. This is because there are generalizations in some fatwas, clarifications in others, important minor details in others, and contexts in some fatwas not found in others. All of this should be put together to get a full, comprehensive picture. Alongside the clarifications in these articles, it should be still be stressed that seeking knowledge from the Scholars, by travelling to them and sitting in their lessons is of utmost importance and should not be neglected as it is the primary route of seeking knowledge. And for those who are unable to do this, then they should take from the students of knowledge in their lands, those who have connections with the Scholars, have studied with them and take from them. So they should attend their lessons, in the Salafi mosques and centres, and any issues that arise such as requiring a fatwa, or removal of a shubhah or clarification in an issue of knowledge, then those students of knowledge can return these questions to the Scholars on behalf of the people of that land if the answer is not already known.
Here are links to all articles so far for easy reference:
Shaykh Abd al-Muhsin al-Abbaad (see here) Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhali (see here) Shaykh Muhammad bin Haadee (see here) Shaykh Ibn al-Uthaymeen (see here) Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (see here) Shaykh Ubayd al-Jaabiree (see here) Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghudayan (see here) Shaykh Rabee bin Haadee (see here) Shaykh Ibn al-Uthaymeen (see here) Shaykh Ahmad Bazmul (see here) Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (see here).
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Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhalee was asked in his first lesson of Sharh Usool al-Sunnah of Imaam Ahmad (mp3) the following:

You know of the situation of the Muslims in the lands of disbelief that many of the youth, non-Arabs, they do not understand the Arabic language. In our city for example, there is a brother who translates the statements of the Scholars from their books... small concise books such as Sharh Usool al-Thalaathah of Shaykh al-Uthaymeen and some other books. But he was criticized and it was said that you must have a specific tazkiyah (commendation) from a senior scholar from Saudi for example, a Salafi scholar, so what is your saying regarding this matter?

The Shaykh answered:

My saying regarding this is that whoever has learned something from the sciences of the Islamic religion and Islamic jurisprudence and has attained precision in that, there is no harm (for him to teach), rather he has reward when he teaches (others) by it. And it is not a condition that he brings a tazkiyah but it should be looked at, what is he teaching the people? If he is teaching them what is correct, through shari'ah rulings with its evidences, then this is desired. Hence, it is not a condition that he is given a commendation by a Shaykh. And if he errs, then necessarily, there will be found one who will criticize the error if he errs. So it is not permissible for him to teach the people something that is not correct. And this matter is like the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Convey from me, even if it is a verse", meaning, this is an evidence to show that whoever carried a small amount of knowledge and the people are in need of knowing it, it is obligatory upon him to convey that and it is not permissible for anyone to criticize him, unless he sees him misguiding the people, speaking about Allaah without knowledge, giving verdicts without knowledge and laying down principles without knowledge. So all of this is not permissible firstly, and it is not permissible to remain silent upon him, but he is to be advised to learn until he has acquired a portion of knowledge and he then teaches the people. So he is not prevented the while he is correct and when he errs he is not corroborated upon that.

Questioner:

And when he suffices with just translating the speech of the Scholars and does not add or decrease?

Shaykh Zayd responded:

When he quotes (and conveys) the sayings the scholars with academic integrity then there is no harm, this is the way of the seekers of knowledge, they quote from their Shaykhs and from the ealier (scholars) who authored works and compiled the compilations of the Sunnah. He quotes from them but with academic integrity, and it is better for him that he gains understanding of what he is quoting from them such that if is asked, he is able to explain the matter with respect to the Islamic ruling in a religious matter so that no error is fallen into. So quoting itself, it must also be accompanied with understanding of what a person is quoting (and conveying), so a person could sometimes say something that is distorted or (what is) a typographical error (in print) or what is erroneous, so he brings harm to the listener. So there must be understanding alongside the quoting.