At certain times, finding myself at far-off corners of this world, I have been obliged to issue judgements in religious matters. One of these concerned a lady from the Maghreb finding herself in the same far-off corner, who asked me -me of all people!- for a fatwa regarding a very sophisticated matter which in day-to-day life would be very hard to put into practice. Knowing the fierceness of her faith and knowing she would expect of me no less, I issued the harshest possible judgement. I could see that, owing to ist strictness, she was very happy with my fatwa which from that moment on she took as an inviolable doctrine, a recognition that made myself very happy, in turn, for it confirmed among other things my opinion that the judgement passed was indeed the best judgement I could have arrived at. But, much to my dismay, with the fervour of the true devotee, she now started to impose my fatwa on everyone around while making it a point to make sure that everyone around, including myself, was obeying it.

When, finally, at one point she accused me of having violated my doctrine at a certain occasion, I felt the need to explain myself. "Sister", I said, "I have told you what I think you should do. I have never claimed that this is what I am doing.

If you consider me a religious authority, this does not compel me to consider myself a religious authority as well.“

Inna li'llahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un.