Page 129 - Seekers Guide Book

The Seeker’s Guide
Alms are only for: the poor and the destitute,
for those who collect zakat, for conciliating
people’s hearts, for freeing slaves, for those
in debt, for spending for God’s cause, and
for travellers in need. It is a legal obligation
enjoined by God. God is all-knowing and
wise. (Quran 9:60)

48 What is a fatwa?

atwa literally means an ‘opinion’ and it is not legally
Fbinding. A fatwa is applicable only to the person
who has asked for it, and it is he or she who can decide
whether or not to accept it.

If a believer wants to know about his personal behaviour,
for example, if he wants to know about his way of worship
or whether his personal choices are in accordance with
Islam, then he may visit an Islamic scholar and put these
personal questions to him. And, that scholar may give
him his opinion according to his knowledge of Islam.
That is a fatwa. That is all there is to it.

Fatwa is non-binding and can only be solicited for one’s
personal matters. For instance, a person cannot solicit a
fatwa on the outfit worn by another person such as Sania
Mirza. Fatwa cannot be solicited for another person.
Doing this is unacceptable and forbidden in Islam.

The Sharia distinguishes between fatwa and qaza. The
former refers to the opinion given by a mufti when
someone consults him on a personal matter. Qaza, on

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