Resolution No.(22/2014) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

 

"Instructions for Selecting Muftis, No. (2)/2008"

 

Answer: All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

 

During its fifth session held on (6/Rabee` Awal/1436 AH), corresponding to(28/12/2014), and based on Article(10) of the Iftaa` Law No.(60)/2006, the Board decided to issue instructions No.(2) for selecting Muftis in compliance with the amendment of the Iftaa` Law/2009, which stipulated making some adjustments  on instructions No.(1)/2008. Instructions No. (2) shall read as follows:

 

Article (1): 

These instructions shall be cited as "Instructions for Selecting Muftis, No. (2)/2008, issued by virtue of the Iftaa` Law No. (60)/2006," and shall come into effect after the date of its publication in the official Gazette.

 

Article (2):

The following words shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them:

-The Department: General Iftaa` Department. 

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

-The Council: Council of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies.

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

-The Committee: Committee assigned by the Grand Mufti to conduct the competitive examinations for selecting Muftis.

 

Article (3):

The Dept. shall conduct competitive examinations for occupying the position "Mufti" and shall announce the date and conditions in the local official Gazette.

 

Article (4):

Applicant must meet the following conditions:

-Jordanian.

-Holds a PhD in Sharia Sciences.

-Or,holds, at least, a BA in Sharia Sciences (Rating good), and five years have passed, at least, over his obtaining that degree.

-Five years' experience in the field of specialty.

-Enjoys good conduct; not sentenced for a crime or an offence and enjoys full civil rights.

 

Article (5):

The Grand Mufti shall form one committee to prepare and correct the examination papers, and another to conduct the personal interviews. The examinees` papers are given number tags instead of names and corrected as such.

 

Article (6):

1-The examination material shall consist of:

Page One: Islamic Jurisprudence (All branches), Fundamentals of Islamic Jurisprudence and Personal Status Law in effect.

Page Two: Interpretation of the Quran, Aqidah(Creed) and Arabic language.

2-Each page shall be out of (100), but the passing score for page one shall be (70%) and (60%) for page two.

 

Article (7):

The committee shall interview applicants who passed the written exam. Each interviewer shall give the score that he sees fit for each interviewee. The interview score shall be the average of the scores given by all members. The final score shall be out of (100), and the passing score shall be (70%).

 

Article (8):

In addition to the instructions included in article (6), the personal interview shall also consider an interviewee`s mastery of the rules of Quranic recitation, charisma, general information, enthusiasm and adherence to unified Islamic dress code. One who passes the interview and both pages of the written exam succeeds.

 

Article (9):

Whoever succeeds shall be hired as Mufti by virtue of a resolution issued by the Iftaa` Board based on placement by the Grand Mufti, and in accordance with the vacancies.

 

Article (10): The Grand Mufti shall issue the proper decision regarding any case that haven`t been addressed in the above instructions.

Summarized Fatawaa

I read the Qudsī ḥadīth: "Whoever breaks his wuḍūʾ and does not perform ablution has shown me harshness; whoever performs ablution and does not pray has shown me harshness; whoever prays and does not supplicate to Me has shown me harshness; and whoever supplicates to Me and I do not answer him, then I have been harsh to him, and I am not a harsh Lord." What is the authenticity of this ḥadīth?

 

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
This ḥadīth was mentioned by al-Ṣaghānī (may Allah have mercy on him) in al-Mawḍūʿāt (p. 43), where he said: “Among them is their saying: ‘Whoever breaks his wuḍūʾ and does not perform ablution has shown me harshness; whoever performs ablution and does not pray has shown me harshness; (whoever prays and does not supplicate to Me has shown me harshness); and whoever supplicates to Me and I do not answer him, then I have been harsh to him, and I am not a harsh Lord.’”
Al-ʿAjlūnī (may Allah have mercy on him) cited what al-Ṣaghānī said in Kashf al-Khafāʾ (Vol.2/p.264). And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on undoing braids of hair during the ritual bath?

It is not a condition to undo braids if the water reaches all the hair and penetrates to its base. If the water does not reach except by undoing the braids, then it is obligatory to undo them for the water to reach. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

How is Laylat al-Qadr observed?

Laylat al-Qadr is observed through various acts of worship and obedience, including:
● Performing obligatory, Sunnah, and voluntary prayers
● Reciting the Quran
● Increasing remembrance (dhikr) of Allah
● Giving charity
● Performing I‘tikaf
● Inviting others to Allah
It is also Sunnah to increase in supplication and humbly beseeching Him, Glorified and Exalted be He.

"I told my family at night: 'I will fast tomorrow as qaḍā' (a make-up fast),' but I forgot to make the intention before sleeping. Is my fast valid?"

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
 
The intention is obligatory in acts of worship. For obligatory fasting, the required intention is to resolve to fast during the night [before dawn]. Its proper locus is the heart, while verbalizing the intention out loud in acts of worship is a sunnah — so that the tongue may align with the heart. If the intent behind the statement in question was the intention to fast, then it is valid; but if the intent was merely to inform someone, or reflected hesitation or doubt, then it is not valid.
 
It is stated in *Bushrā al-Karīm* (Vol.1/P.216): "It is a sunnah to verbalize the intention — that is, whatever has already been intended in the heart, whether an obligatory or a voluntary act — such as specifying the number of rak‘ahs, just before the opening takbīr — so that the tongue may assist the heart, and because this is further removed from whispered doubts (waswasah), and in order to accommodate the view of those who held it obligatory in every act of worship that requires an intention (even though this is a minority position), by analogy with Ḥajj."
 
Accordingly: if the intention to fast arose in your heart before the second adhān [i.e., before Fajr], then your fast is valid.
 
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.