Whoever practices medicine without medical knowledge is liable!

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

The jurists assert that it is impermissible for individuals without expertise and who are not qualified doctors to practice medicine in the treatment of illnesses.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ تَطَبّبَ وَلا يُعْلَمُ مِنْهُ طِبٌّ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ

"Whoever practices medicine without being known for any medical knowledge is liable."

Narrated by ‘Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'iyy, Ibnu Majah, and Al-Hakim.

This signifies that he is responsible for what he causes to be lost. If he causes a person's death due to his mistake or inflicts harm upon a part of their body, he will be held accountable. Furthermore, it is not permissible to learn medicine or similar fields solely by relying on the reading of books. This principle is even more critical in religious knowledge, as the danger of issuing rulings without knowledge in religious matters is far greater. A single ruling made without knowledge results in the individual being cursed and deserving of Allah's punishment in Hell.

Allah ta^ala said :

﴿وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ﴾

“And do not say about what your tongues utter falsely: 'Such and such is lawful and such and such is forbidden,' fabricating lies about the religion approved by Allah. Indeed, those who fabricate lies about the religion approved by Allah will not succeed.

(Suratu n-Nahl: 116)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمَّدًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنْ اَلنَّارِ

“Whoever lies against me intentionally, let him take his place in the Fire.”

(Narrated by Muslim)

Scholars have asserted that anyone who relies solely on reading religious texts without proper guidance will emerge as a misguided and misleading individual.

Conclusion

The matter of religion is not an innovated concept or a slogan adopted by some for their worldly ambitions. Rather, the essence of religion lies in following the path of those great figures, adhering to their teachings and upholding their principles.  This can be achieved by understanding what has been transmitted by the predecessors of this ‘Ummah from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his esteemed companions, may Allah accept their deeds.

One of the methodologies of the righteous predecessors is their caution in issuing fatwas; they were apprehensive about doing so hastily. It has been reported from ^Abdu r-Rahman ibnu ‘Abi Layla, may Allah have mercy on him, that he said: "I encountered one hundred and twenty companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ among the ‘Ansar. When one of them was asked about a matter, he would refer the question to another, and that one to yet another, until it ultimately returned to the first one."

Ibnu Sa^d also narrated in his Ṭabaqat from Ibnu Mas^ud, may Allah accept his deeds, who stated: "Whoever issues fatwas on every matter presented to him is mad."

Additionally, Ash-Sha^biyy, Al-Hasan, and ‘Abu Hasin, the righteous successors, may Allah have mercy on them, remarked: "One of you might issue a ruling on a matter, but if it were presented to ^Umar ibnu l-Khattab, he would gather the people of Badr to consult them."

And Allah, ta^ala, knows best and is the wisest. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Sources
These issues have been compiled and summarised from:

• The Noble Qurʾan
• The Prophetic Sunnah
• Sahih Muslim
• Sunanu n-Nasaʾiyy
• Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim
• Ṭabaqāt of Ibnu Sa^d Al-Kubra
• Al-Madkhal ila s-Sunan by Al-Bayhaqiyy
• Al-Faqih wa l-Mutafaqqih by Al-Khatib al-Baghdadiyy.