Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (316): "Proposed Amendments to the Rights of the Child Law"

Date Added : 03-01-2023

 

Resolution No.(316): "Proposed Amendments to the Rights of the Child Law"

 

Date: (10 Safar, 1444 AH), corresponding to (6/9/2022 AD).

 

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 its thirteenth meeting held on the above date, the Board of Iftaa` reviewed the Child Draft Law (2022) presented to the Board by some in official quarters.

After deliberating for three successive meetings (11, 12, and 13/2013), the Board has recorded the following notes on the articles of this Law:

First: Adding the following provision to the draft law:

"A-The family is the basis of society and its mainstays are religion, morals, and patriotism, and the child has the right to live in its family.

B- Parents shall bear the responsibility for the upbringing, guidance, care, and growth of their child, and the competent authorities shall take the necessary measures to enable the family maintain its role and perform the functions and duties entrusted to it."

Second: "We recommend a provision, to be stated in the law, which takes the various age levels of the child into consideration."

Third: Article (4): "The child shall have the right to enjoy all the rights set forth in this law with paying special attention to religious values and general ethics or rights and reputation of others, or securing national security, public order, or public health."

Fourth: Article (9): "In accordance with the related legislations."

Proposed amendment: "In accordance with personal status legislations." These are rulings of Sharia stated in personal status legislations exclusively.

Fifth: Article (12): "Enabling the family to perform its essential role in child upbringing, education, and providing it with the needed care to guarantee its normal growth to the fullest."

Proposed amendment: "This phrase is to be deleted since it was stated in the proposed new article "First" mentioned above."

Sixth: Article (13): "Replacing the phrase "Extended Family" with "Nuclear Family" and adding a phrase at the end of the article to make it read as follows: "In accordance with the relevant legislations taking the best interest of the child into consideration in line with what courts competent in matters of personal status see fit."

Seventh: Article (15)/B: "The child`s parents shall adhere to…"

Proposed amendment: "The child`s Wali (Guardian) shall adhere to…"

Eighth: Article (16)/C: "And its sexual health."

Proposed amendment: "Health", and deleting the word "Sexual."

Ninth: Article (17)/A/ (1): "Enabling the child and its parents."

Proposed amendment: "Enabling the child and its Wali (Guardian)."

Tenth: Article (18)/A: "The child has the right to participate….etcetera"

Proposed amendment: "Taking into account the rights and responsibilities of the Wali (Guardian) or the person entrusted with looking after the child, the child has the right to….etcetera."

Eleventh: Article (18)/B: "Child`s participation in determining and implementing the recreational, cultural, artistic, and scientific programs."

Proposed amendment: "Providing and implementing the recreational, cultural, artistic, and scientific programs."

Twelfth: Article (20)/C: "Despite what is stated in any legislation, having the capacity as parents or person entrusted with looking after the child isn`t an excuse to commit any of the acts included in this Article."

Proposed amendment: "Paragraph C is to be deleted from this Article."

Thirteenth: Article (21)/C: "In a way that guarantees, where possible, keeping the child in its extended family`s environment."

Proposed amendment: "In a way that guarantees, where possible, keeping the child in its nuclear family`s environment."

Fourteenth: Article (24)/C.

Proposed amendment: "Paragraph C is to be deleted because it is contrary to paragraph (A), which restricted assistance to current legislations which could include formal and objective rules and restrictions.

Fifteenth: Article (30): "The National Council for Family Affairs shall prepare periodic reports on child`s rights stated therein, and to that end, shall form the competent committees and national teams, and be assisted by any party. The reports are to be submitted to the Council of Ministers."

Proposed amendment: "The National Council for Family Affairs shall prepare periodic reports on child`s rights stated therein provided that it doesn`t dwell on the legal processes, and to that end, shall form the competent committees and national teams, and be assisted by any party. The reports are to be submitted to the Council of Ministers."

Sixteenth: Adding a new separate article that states: "It is prohibited to publish, offer, distribute, reproduce or possess any printed matter or audio-visual material that panders to children's basest instincts, projects a positive image of behavior that offends against society's values or traditions, or encourages children to engage in delinquency."

 

Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member

Prof. Mahmoud Al-Sartawi/ Member

Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member

Prof. Amjad Rasheed/ Member

Prof. Adam Nooh Al-Qhodah/ Member

Dr.Hasan Makhatreh/ Member

Dr. Jameel Khatatbeh/ Member

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Younes al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on one who died owing debts and left no wealth? Is it obligatory upon the heirs to settle these debts?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The general rule is that if a person dies owing rights to other people, such as debts, these are settled from his estate, if he left any wealth, before the estate is divided. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The believer's soul is suspended by his debt until it is settled for him.” Graded ḥasan by al-Tirmidhī. Repayment of debts takes precedence over the heirs’ right to inheritance.
If the deceased left no estate, or left wealth that was insufficient to cover his debts, it is not obligatory for the heirs to pay from their own wealth, but it is recommended for them to do so, because the deceased’s dhimmah (legal liability) remains occupied by the debt. It is reported in some narrations that he remains held in suspension until his debt is paid, and it is not part of filial righteousness for a child to leave his father’s dhimmah burdened with debt.
All of the children may contribute to settling the debt on behalf of their father and cooperate in doing so, even in installments, according to their ability. And Allah Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible for women to gather in one of their homes to pray Tarawih?

Yes, it is recommended (mustahabb) for women to pray Tarawih in congregation if they gather, even if it is not in the mosque.
In fact, praying at home is better for them, as it avoids the potential concerns associated with going to the mosque.

What is the ruling on a Friday sermon in which the khaṭīb did not explicitly exhort the congregation to be conscious of Allah (taqwā) in both sermons, but sufficed with commanding them to obey Allah and refrain from disobeying Him?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
For the Friday sermon (khuṭbat al-Jumʿah) to be valid, certain essential pillars (arkān) must be fulfilled. Among these is the exhortation to be conscious of Allah (waṣiyyah bi-taqwā Allāh), which must be present in both sermons. Alongside this pillar, the praising of Allah (ḥamdallah) and the sending of blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are equally required.
Shaykh al-Islām Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "These three are pillars in each of the two sermons, because each sermon is independent and separate from the other." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj,Vol.4/P.447]
It is not a condition that the exhortation be expressed in any specific wording, nor is it required that the word "taqwā" itself be used — such as saying "I exhort you to be conscious of Allah." Rather, this pillar is fulfilled by any expression that contains a command to obey Allah the Almighty and to abstain from what He has prohibited.
Imām al-Khaṭīb al-Sharbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "The third pillar is the exhortation to taqwā... The specific wording of this exhortation is not required, according to the most correct view, because the purpose is admonition and the urging of obedience to Allah the Almighty. Therefore, any expression that conveys admonition suffices — whether long or short — such as: 'Obey Allah and be ever mindful of Him.'" [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj,Vol.1/P.550]
Accordingly, what the khaṭīb has done — by commanding obedience to Allah and forbidding disobedience to Him in both sermons — is valid and sufficient. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of islamic law on statutory (legal) interest awarded by a court?
 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible for a person in whose favor a judge has awarded statutory (legal) interest to deduct the actual litigation costs incurred in filing and prosecuting the lawsuit from these interest funds.
 
Any remaining balance beyond those actual expenses must be returned to the party upon whom the payment was imposed, provided that party is a specific individual. If, however, the paying party is a public entity or state institution, the remaining amount should be spent on the general public interests of Muslims—such as schools, mosques, roads, and similar public utilities shared by the community—or given in charity (Sadaqah) to the poor and needy. And Allah Almighty knows best.