This shows that matters of the Sacred Law and of the religion are not open to conjecture, for such guesswork is mere pretension. Whoever possesses knowledge should answer; whoever does not should say, “Allah knows best,” and the one who says, “I do not know,” has in fact given a sound answer.

Imam Mālik (d. 179 AH) was once asked about forty questions. He answered six of them and replied to the remainder, “I do not know.” The inquirer objected, “I have come from a distant land, worn out my mount on the journey, and yet you say, ‘I do not know’!” Mālik responded, “Mount your beast again, return to the land you came from, and tell them: ‘I asked Mālik and he said, “I do not know.”’” There is no disgrace in a person—even a scholar—saying “I do not know” when he lacks knowledge of a religious ruling. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself said, “The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner.”

Similarly, whenever the Prophet ﷺ was asked about a matter on which no revelation had yet been sent, he would wait until revelation came down. Do you not recite: “They ask you about…,” “They ask you about…,” and then, “Say…”?—

“They ask you about wine and games of chance. Say, ‘In them there is great sin…’” (al-Baqarah 2:219),

and, “They ask you about the new moons. Say, ‘They are time-markers for people and for the pilgrimage.’” (al-Baqarah 2:189).