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The Mufti is he who Issues a Fatwa that Leads to your Salvation, not one that Merely Pleases your Desires
Author : Dr. Mahmoud Muhaidat
Date Added : 24-06-2025

The Mufti is he who Issues a Fatwa that Leads to your Salvation, not one that Merely Pleases your Desires

 

From the words of His Eminence Sheikh Nuh Al-Qudha (may Allah have mercy on him):

"The Mufti is the one who gives you a fatwa that leads to your salvation, not one that simply pleases you."

Allah The Exalted Says (What means): "He grants wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever is granted wisdom has truly been given much good. But none will remember except people of understanding."

[Al-Baqara/269].

The scholars have mentioned that one of the meanings of Hikmah (wisdom) mentioned in this verse is accuracy in speech. Anas said: "It is knowledge of the religion of Allah, understanding, and adherence to it." Al-Hasan said: "It is piety, and it is also obedience to Allah, understanding of the religion, and acting upon it." Ibrāhīm Al-Nakhaʿī said: "It is understanding of the Qur’an." [Tafsīr Al-Qurṭubī, vol.3/p.330].

After this clarification of the concept of Hikmah—which is only granted to those whom Allah intends good for—I say: Whoever lived during the time of His Eminence Sheikh Nūḥ (may Allah have abundant mercy on him) and interacted with him, there is no doubt that he would realize that the Sheikh was among those who had been granted wisdom in all its meanings. When he spoke, he spoke with precision; when he issued a fatwa, he did so based on knowledge of Allah’s religion; when he interpreted (the Qur’an or religious matters), he conveyed deep understanding; and when he gave admonition, he acted upon what he advised.

Therefore, I say—while we do not ascribe purity to anyone before Allah—that His Eminence was indeed among those to whom Allah granted wisdom. And here is the motto he raised for us at the General Iftaa’ Department, which is a clear indication of his wisdom (may Allah have mercy on him): "The Mufti is he who issues a fatwa that leads to your salvation, not one that merely pleases your desires."

Whoever reads and reflects on this motto will notice that it guides both the mufti (scholar issuing the fatwa) and the Mustafti (questioner) as follows:

For the Mufti, it directs him to:

- Not follow personal desires in issuing fatwas.

- Exercise caution and patience in delivering a ruling.

- Not fear the blame of critics when speaking the truth for the sake of Allah.

- Ensure the fatwa aligns with the Qur’an, Sunna, and scholarly consensus.

For the Mustafti (A person seeking the religious opinion from a Mufti/Scholar), it reminds him to:

- Trust the Mufti, knowing that he seeks their salvation, not their ruin.

- Accept the ruling of Allah in their matter.

- Avoid objecting to the fatwa simply because it opposes their personal desires or seeking to alter it.

- Refrain from pressuring the mufti to issue a ruling that conforms to their inclinations.

This is just some of what can be observed in the motto established by His Eminence (may Allah have mercy on him).

In conclusion, I ask Allah The Exalted to envelop him in His Mercy and Forgiveness, to benefit us and the Ummah through his knowledge, and to gather him and us among those upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace—of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions are they! Indeed, He is the Guardian over that and All-Powerful.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible for one who sacrifices on behalf of another, with the latter's permission, to eat from the sacrifice?

It is permissible for someone who sacrificed on behalf of another with their permission to eat from it with their permission, and they stand in their place (act as their representative) in distributing it.
 
It is stated in Nihayat al-Muhtaj ila Sharh al-Minhaj (Vol.8/P.141): "And he—meaning the one sacrificing on his own behalf, provided he has not apostatized—has the right to eat from a voluntary sacrifice and his sacrificial gift; rather, it is recommended. As for an obligatory sacrifice, it is forbidden for him to eat from it, whether it was designated as such initially or as a liability in his dhimmah. And excluded by what has preceded is if he sacrifices on behalf of another, or if he apostatized, then it is not permissible for him to eat from it, just as it is absolutely impermissible to feed a disbeliever from it."(The text I found indicates the impermissibility of eating) ???
 
And it is stated in Hashiyat al-Jamal ‘ala Sharh al-Manhaj (Vol.5/P.262): "If a person offers a sacrifice on behalf of a living person with their permission, does he act as their representative in distributing it—on the grounds that permission to sacrifice is permission to distribute it—or does it depend on their explicit permission? This requires consideration, but the first view is not far-fetched." And Allah the Almighty knows best.

A man insulted the Divine Essence; is it obligatory for him to perform Ghusl?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Insulting or blaspheming the Divine Essence (Dhat al-Ilahiyyah) constitutes apostasy (Riddah). The perpetrator of this grave sin must immediately repeat the two testimonies of faith (Shahadah) and sincerely repent to Allah the Exalted. It is recommended (Sunnah) for them to perform a ritual bath (Ghusl), though it is not a mandatory condition [for the validity of their return to Islam]. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling on reciting the takbīr from Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā to Sūrat an-Nās upon completing the recitation of the Qur'an (khatm)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended to recite the takbīr from the beginning of Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā through to the end of Sūrat an-Nās, and this is the recitation practice of the people of Makkah.
It is stated in Nihāyat az-Zayn (p. 65): "It is sunnah to begin each sūrah with the basmalah, since it constitutes a verse of it. It is also sunnah to say, before each sūrah — from aḍ-Ḍuḥā to the end of the Qur'an — 'Lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar' (There is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest), based on what has been narrated regarding Imam ash-Shāfi‘ī (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), who heard a man reciting this takbīr in prayer, and said to him: 'You have done well, and you have hit upon the sunnah.'"
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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