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Caution and Verification are behind the Delay in Issuing Fatwa
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 12-07-2023

Caution and Verification are behind the Delay in Issuing Fatwa

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of The Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

In clarification for what was published by the news website "Saraya" under the title: "The Iftaa` Department Delays Issuing a Fatwa Regarding Foods, Believed to be Forbidden, Consumed by Jordanians" the writer wonders about the justifications for the delay in providing an answer to this issue!

Regarding this matter, the General Iftaa` Department clarifies that the delay in providing an answer is not a form of procrastination, as initially stated in the title. Rather, it is following the noble prophetic approach of caution and thoroughness before issuing the Fatwa since Allah will hold the Department accountable for it. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Deliberateness is from Allah, and haste is from Satan." (Transmitted by At-Tirmidhi).

 

This prophetic approach is the direct reason for controlling the Fatwa and preventing it from deviating towards extremism or leniency, safeguarding it from error and danger. Moreover, it ensures that the Mufti is cleared from liability before Allah on the Day of Judgment, especially in delicate and intricate matters such as the issue of the ingredients used in the food industry.

 

It is an issue related to hundreds of diverse products that affect the lives of all Muslims. Thousands of companies and factories oversee these products, each with its own manufacturing and composition methods. The knowledgeable jurist is the one who distinguishes and contemplates whether a transformative "impossibility" has occurred in the substance's composition, or if mere "consumption and immersion" is sufficient, as some jurists have stated. This has been the subject of decisions by specialized jurisprudential assemblies.

 

This matter requires a great deal of Ijtihad (Independent reasoning) and consideration of advancements in industries and sciences today. Thus, the Iftaa` Department sought the guidance of specialized official institutions, such as the General Organization for Food and Drug Administration, to inquire about similar issues within the scope of this research.

 

However, anyone who believes that a Fatwa is an improvised political statement or a media sound bite has misconceived the principles of Islamic Law, which aims to uphold the interests of individuals and prevent harm from befalling them. May Allah have mercy on the Islamic scholars who have bequeathed to us the humility of saying, "I don't know." They were not driven by shyness or arrogance to withhold knowledge from its rightful owners or delay issuing a Fatwa. As the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever seeks the pleasure of people by displeasing Allah, Allah will be displeased with him, and people will be displeased with him." (Transmitted by Ibn Hibban).

 

We advise the media to not hinder scientific institutions from carrying out their work with caution and excellence, especially the religious institutions responsible for issuing Fatwas and religious knowledge.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Someone asked me to pay off his debt on his behalf as a loan, without any compensation. When I went to the creditor, he told me that if I paid the full amount at once, rather than in installments, he would give me a certain discount. Is this permissible? And if he applies the discount, to whom does the deducted amount belong?

If part of the debt is paid and the creditor forgives the remaining amount, the waiver is valid, and the remaining debt is no longer the responsibility of the original debtor. The person who paid the debt on behalf of another has no right to claim any portion of the original debt. And Allah Knows Best.

Is it permissible for a woman to inherit the same share as of a man?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all if his family and companions.                                                                                                                                                                                                 Thorough studies in which woman's right to inherit according to law of distribution of estate indicates that there are more than one case by which women inherit the same as man and sometimes much more, or to shed the lights regarding the right to inherit while men who share the same family line with her don't have the right to inherit because the deceased has closer ties of kinship with her. In addition to four cases whereas woman inherits half share in comparison with man's share although they had the same degree of kinship with the deceased. For further details as regards the latter cases, kindly refer to elaborated jurisprudence books. And Allah Knows Best.

 

 

Is Lease-to-own through Islamic Bank Permissible?

Lease-to-own is a controversial issue among  contemporary Muslim scholars; we (Iftaa Dept.) advise you and in order to be on the safe side to conclude this sale transaction through Murabaha contract. And Allah Knows Best.

What should a woman, who has given several births during different months of Ramadhaan, and didn`t make up for them in addition to forgetting the exact number of the days and years in which she had missed fasting, do?

She should make up the missed days of Ramadan after estimating their number, and paying the ransom (in food) due on each missed day that she had delayed making up. In addition, she is obliged to repay the ransom according to the number of years if she was able to fast before that time, but didn`t.