Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Introduction by Grand Mufti Nooh Ali Salman Al-Qhodat

Date Added : 26-03-2024

Introduction 

 

All praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, who said in His decisive Book: "So ask the people of the message if you do not know," and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, who said: "Whoever Allah wants good for, He grants him understanding in religion." May Allah be pleased with the honorable companions, the pure household (Ahl al-Bayt), and the diligent scholars who continued the path after their Prophet, delivered the trust, spread the religion, educated the Muslims, and provided solutions to issues in accordance with the divine methodology they received from the Prophet, peace be upon him.

 

The Iftaa` Council in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has been authorized to issue fatwas (religious rulings) on general issues, contemporary matters, and issues related to official entities. As for other matters, they are answered by the knowledgeable scholars based on the knowledge bestowed upon them by Allah.

 

The Iftaa` Law specifies that a number of scholars participate in this council due to their positions. This includes the Kingdom's Grand Mufti, the Mufti of the Jordan Armed Forces, the Mufti of the Capital, the dean of one of the Sharia faculties, a representative from the Ministry of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Sites, a representative from the Chief Justice Department, in addition to five reputable jurists known for their expertise in the scholarly circles.

 

Several esteemed scholars have taken turns as members of this council, where they discuss the presented issues and reach decisions through consensus or majority agreement.

 

Over the years, many issues related to people's lives have been addressed through these decisions. We wanted to gather and organize them, and present them in a printed book to facilitate reference and benefit for specialists, as well as to make it easier for students of knowledge to access them.

May Allah reward all those who participated in it with the best reward, have mercy on those who have passed away among them, bless the lives of those who remain, guide them, and make them beneficial for the Muslims.

And may Allah's blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.

 

Grand Mufti, Dr. Nooh Ali Salman Al-Qhodat

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Summarized Fatawaa

I have a date farm, and the dates come in different categories, and within each category there are different sizes. How is zakāh paid on the yield?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If the yield reaches the niṣāb (the minimum threshold for zakāh to become obligatory) — which is five awsuq (plural of wasq), equivalent to (611) kg — then zakāh becomes obligatory upon it, at a rate of one-tenth ('ushr) if irrigated by rainwater (i.e., naturally, without the use of machinery), or one-twentieth (half of the 'ushr) if irrigated using machinery/equipment.
If the yield of dates consists of different varieties, then zakāh should be paid from each variety according to its respective proportion. If this proves difficult, it is permissible to pay from a medium-quality variety [representative of the average].
It is stated in Ḥāshiyatā Qulyūbī wa ‘Umayrah (Vol.2/P.22): "Different varieties are combined together [for the purpose of calculating the niṣāb] — such as the various types of dates, the various types of raisins, and so on — and zakāh is paid from each type according to its respective proportion. However, if this becomes difficult due to the large number of varieties and the small quantity of each individual type, then zakāh should be paid from a medium-quality variety among them — neither the best nor the worst — out of consideration for both sides [the giver and the poor recipient]. If one goes to the trouble of paying from each variety according to its proportion, this is also permissible." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the expiation for perjury?

One who commits perjury should repent, seek Allah`s forgiveness and offer an expiation which is: feeding ten indigent persons, or clothing them, or giving a slave his freedom, but if that is beyond his means then, he should fast for three days. Allah, The Almighty, Says in this regard (What means): "Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His signs, that ye may be grateful." [Al-Ma`idah/89].

What is the ruling on attending relatives` parties held in public halls, or hotels since if we don`t, we will be subjected to their admonition?

If such parties involve mixing between men and women, or forbidden acts such as listening to songs with sinful lyrics, then attending them is forbidden from the view point of Sharia since people`s admonition is nothing compared to Allah`s, The Almighty`s, wrath.

My brother works in a conventional bank and gave me one of the gifts distributed to bank employees — what is the ruling on accepting it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
There is no objection to accepting such gifts, because the physical gift itself does not carry any inherent prohibition — unlike stolen property. Sin does not transfer or extend to the one who receives the gift, for Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." [Al-Anʿām/164]
The evidence for this is that the Prophet ﷺ himself ate from the food of the Jews, conducted transactions with them, and purchased from them — and it is well known that their wealth was intermingled with ribā. Similarly, the wealth of conventional ribā-based banks is a mixture of the lawful and the unlawful.
Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "It is not forbidden to transact with one whose wealth is predominantly unlawful, nor to eat from it — as al-Nawawī affirmed in al-Majmūʿ." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj, Vol. 9/P.389] And Allah the Almighty knows best.