Article (1):

This law shall be cited as "

Law Amending Al-Iftaa` Law/2009", shall be an integral part of Law No. (60)/2006 and shall come into effect after the date of its publication in the official Gazette.

 

Article (2):

Article (2) of the original law shall be amended by deleting the definition of (Mufti) contained therein and replacing it with the following:

 

The word (Mufti) shall refer to any Mufti in Iftaa` Department and its branches in different governorates.

 

Article (3):

Article (7) of the original law shall be amended as follows:

 

First: Item (2) contained in Paragraph (A)shall be deleted and replaced with the following text:

 

An academic staff member specialized in Islamic Fiqh in a faculty of Sharia of one of the Jordanian universities shall be designated by the Grand Mufti.

 

Second: Paragraphs (C) and (D) shall be added with the following two texts:

(C): Notwithstanding paragraph (B) of this Article, any member of the Iftaa` Council referred to in item (6) of Paragraph (A) of this Article may be replaced-during the term of their office-upon a decision by the Cabinet based on a recommendation of the Grand Mufti, if the need arises.

(D): The term of office of any member shall expire in the following situations:

1-Death

2-Resignation

3-Failure to attend three consecutive sessions without an excuse acceptable to the Iftaa` Council.

 

Third: The phrases (at least eight members) and (by a majority vote) contained in Paragraph (C) shall be deleted and replaced with (a two-thirds majority of its members) and (by a majority of its members present) respectively.

 

Fourth: Paragraphs (C), (D) and (E) shall be renumbered as : (E), (F) and (G).

 

Article (4): 

Item (3)/Par. (A)/Art. (8) of the original law shall be amended by adding the phrase (and cases transferred from any official body).

 

Article (5): 

Article (9) of the original law shall be amended by adding the phrase (and its executive secretary) after the phrase (its members).

 

Article (6):

 

The text of Article (10) of the original law shall be deleted and replaced with the following text:

 

Article (10): 

A. The Mufti shall be appointed by a decision of the Iftaa` Council based on recommendation of the Grand Mufti. This is provided that he has at least a bachelor degree in Sharia Sciences and five years passed over his receiving that degree, in addition to having passed the competition conducted by the Iftaa` Dept. according to instructions issued by the Iftaa` Council.

 

B. When appointed in any class of occupation for the first time, the Mufti shall be kept on probation for two years from starting date and the Council shall have the right to terminate his services during this period if it turned out that he is incompetent or morally unsuitable in accordance with considerations that the Council sees fit.

 

C. The Mufti`s services are terminated by the expiry of the probationary period stipulated in Paragraph (B) of this Article unless the Council issues a decision to stabilize him in service.

 

Article (7):

 

Article (11) of the original law shall be amended by deleting Paragraph (G) contained therein.

 

 

 

 

Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on someone who doesn`t perform prayer?

All perfect praise be to Allah,The Lord of The Worlds                                                                                                                                                                    Not performing prayer is a major sin, and one who doesn`t pray out of laziness is considered an oft-sinner ;whereas, the one who denies that it is mandatory is considered a disbeliever. And Allah Knows Best.

What are the conditions that must be met for the 'aqīqah to be valid?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The 'aqīqah is like the recommended uḍḥiyyah in terms of the type of animal, its age, and its required characteristics — since it is a recommended slaughter and therefore resembles the uḍḥiyyah in its rulings.
It is agreed upon without any difference of opinion that the 'aqīqah is not valid with any animal other than livestock (al-na'am — camels, cattle, and sheep). Likewise, an animal with a disqualifying defect — such as obvious illness, lameness, or blindness in one eye — does not suffice, as has previously been explained in the rulings of the uḍḥiyyah. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on swearing an oath by the Prophet ﷺ, and does such an oath take effect according to Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, requiring expiation upon its breach?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Swearing an oath by a created being is disliked (makrūh) in our Shāfiʿī school. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Swearing by a created being is disliked — such as swearing by the Prophet, the Kaʿbah, Jibrīl, the Companions, or the Prophet's family. Al-Shāfiʿī, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: 'I fear that swearing by other than Allah the Almighty may constitute an act of disobedience.' The scholars of the school explained this to mean: that is, something forbidden and sinful — indicating that he had some hesitation in the matter. Al-Imām stated: the established position of the school is that it is categorically not forbidden, but rather disliked. Furthermore, whoever swears by a created being, his oath does not take effect and no expiation (kaffārah) is required if he breaks it." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn wa ʿUmdat al-Muftīn, Vol. 11/P.6]
According to the Ḥanbalī school, however, expiation becomes obligatory upon one who swears by our master the Prophet ﷺ and then breaks his oath. Imām al-Bahūtī al-Ḥanbalī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "No expiation is required for swearing by other than Allah the Almighty, even if the oath is broken — because expiation was made obligatory for swearing by Allah and His attributes, out of reverence for His names, and nothing else is equal to Him in this regard... except in the case of swearing by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, for expiation becomes obligatory when one swears by him and then breaks the oath. This was explicitly stated in the narration of Abū Ṭālib, because he is one of the two conditions of the two testimonies of faith by which a disbeliever becomes a Muslim. Ibn ʿAqīl held the view that swearing by any of the other prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all, carries the same ruling." [Sharḥ Muntahā al-Irādāt, Vol. 3/P.441]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Should the Zakah (obligatory charity) giver tell the poor recipient that this is the Zakah of his money?

No, he shouldn`t. But, the Zakah giver should make an intention in his heart that it is the Zakah of his money when paying it to the poor. And Allah Knows Best.