Al-Iftaa` Administrative Organization Regulation


 

Article (1):

This regulation shall be cited as "Al-Iftaa` Administrative Organization Regulation/2007" and shall come into effect after the date of its publication in the official Gazette.

Article (2):

The following words and expressions, wherever used in this Regulation, shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them, unless the context otherwise provides:

-The Grand Mufti: Grand Mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

-The Department: General Iftaa` Department.

-The Secretary General: Secretary General of Iftaa` Department

-The Mufti: Any Mufti at the Department or its branches in governorates.

Article (3):

The organizational structure of the department shall consist of:

A-The Grand Mufti.

B-The Secretary General.

C-The Muftis.

D-The following directorates:

1-The Directorate of Islamic Research and Studies.

2-The Directorate of Public Relations & Media.

3-The Directorate of Administrative & Financial Affairs.

4-The Directorate of Bureau.

H-The following two units:

1-Internal Auditing.

2-Information Technology (IT).

I-Iftaa` offices in governorates.

Article (4):

An Iftaa` office shall be established in every governorate and shall be supervised by a Mufti.

Article (5):

A-The Secretary General shall be associated with the Grand Mufti and shall be responsible before him for the flow of work at the Department or any of its branches.

B-Muftis shall be administratively associated with the Secretary General.

C-Managers of directorates and units shall be associated with the Secretary General, and each shall be responsible before him for delivering the tasks & obligations entrusted to them.

Article (6):

A-A committee shall be established at the Department cited as (Planning Committee). It shall be presided by the Grand Mufti, and the following names shall be members:

1-The Secretary General-Vice president.

2-Muftis cited by the Grand Mufti.

3-Managers of directorates at the Dept.

B-The committee shall undertake the following tasks and obligations and report the proper recommendations to the Grand Mufti:

1.Studying the Department`s plan of action and proposing the best methods of development to enable the Dept. to deliver its message.

2-Preparing job classification system of the Dept.

3-Preparing draft laws, regulations and instructions pertaining to the function of the Dept.

4-Preparing the annual budget draft and the man-power table budget of the Dept.

5-Any other matters transferred by the Mufti.

C-The committee shall convene upon invitation of its chair or vice chair, in case the former was absent, at least once a month or whenever the need arises. Its meeting shall constitute a quorum by the attendance of two thirds of the members; provided that the chair or his deputy is amongst them, and recommendations shall be adopted through, at least, the majority voting of the members.

D-The Grand Mufti shall name an employee as secretary of the committee. The latter shall be entrusted with preparing the agenda, following up meetings invitations, keeping record of sessions, following up the execution of recommendations and filing documents and correspondence.

E-The Chair of the committee may invite whoever he sees fit from the employees of the Dept. or others, seeking their professional opinion on issues presented to the committee, but without giving them the right to vote.

 

Article (7):

A-Based on a letter from the Secretary General, the Grand Mufti shall have the right to establish, abolish or merge any directorate or unit at the Dept.

B-Based on a letter from the manager in question, the Secretary General shall have the right to establish, abolish or merge any department or section in a directorate or an office.

Article (8):

The Grand Mufti shall issue the instructions needed for the implementation of the provision of this regulation, including the following:

A-Specifying the tasks of directorates and units and the responsibilities of their managers.

B-Classifying jobs at the Dept.

C-Defining the relationships and the channels of communication and coordination amongst the different directorates, units, and sections at the Dept.

 

Article (9):

Iftaa` Regulation (17/1997) shall be abolished.

Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on performing the Witr prayer as a single rak`ah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible to perform the Witr prayer as a single unit (rak‘ah). It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the night prayer, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: 'The night prayer is offered two by two (mathna mathna). If one of you fears the approach of dawn, let him pray a single rak‘ah to make what he has prayed odd-numbered (Witr) for him.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim)). However, limiting the prayer to only one rak‘ah is considered 'contrary to the preferred way' (Khilaf al-Awla).
 
It is stated in Al-Minhaj al-Qawim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah (p. 137): 'The minimum of Witr is one rak‘ah, but limiting it to that is contrary to what is best.'
 
The most complete form of Witr is eleven units, while the minimum level of 'perfection' is three units. It is stated in ‘Umdat al-Salik (p. 60): 'The minimum of Witr is one rak‘ah, and its maximum is eleven, performing the taslim (salutation) after every two units. The lowest level of perfection is three units with two separate taslims (meaning 2+1).' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the validity of the formula for sending blessings upon our master Muḥammad ﷺ: *"Allāhumma ṣalli wa sallim wa bārik ‘alā sayyidinā Muḥammad wa ‘alā ālihi, ‘adada kamāli-Llāhi wa kamā yalīqu bikamālihi"* ("O Allah, send blessings, peace, and grace upon our master Muḥammad and his family, by the number of Allah's perfection, and as befits His perfection")?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is permissible to send blessings upon our master, the Prophet ﷺ, using the formula mentioned in the question, since sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ is an act of devotion legislated in its basic essence, without a specific prescribed wording required outside of the formal prayer itself. It is therefore valid to perform it outside of prayer using any formula. This particular formula involves multiplying the blessings sent upon the Chosen Prophet ﷺ to the number of the perfections of Allah, the Exalted — which are limitless — so that, by Allah's permission, its reward and benefit never cease.
The meaning of "the number of Allah's perfection" is that it is without limit, making the blessings sent boundless, corresponding to His perfection, Glorified is He, which cannot be enumerated or counted. This formula is analogous to the words of our Greatest Prophet ﷺ, as related in the authentic ḥadīth narrated by Imam Muslim: the Prophet ﷺ said to Sayyidah Juwayriyyah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā): "Indeed, I said four phrases after you [left], three times, which, if weighed against everything you have said since this morning, would outweigh them: Subḥān Allāhi wa biḥamdihi, ‘adada khalqihi, wa riḍā nafsihi, wa zinata ‘arshihi, wa midāda kalimātihi" (Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him, by the number of His creation, by His pleasure, by the weight of His Throne, and by the extent of His words). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

When is Istikharah (guidance prayer) Du`a offered, before Tasleem (saying asalamu alikum warahmatu allah wa barakatuh to end the prayer), or after it?

It is offered after Tasleem.

Is it permissible to divide a single Sa‘ of Zakat al-Fitr—or its equivalent value in cash—among more than one poor person?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Zakat al-Fitr is estimated at one Sa‘ per person, but the number of people to whom this Sa‘ can be given has not been specified. For this reason, it is permissible to distribute a single Sa‘ among more than one poor person. And Allah the Exalted knows best.