Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(60): "Proposed Amendments to the Articles of Orphans' Custody Law"

Date Added : 24-02-2016

 

Resolution No.(60): "Proposed Amendments to the Articles of Orphans` Custody Law"

Date: 23/3/1423 A.H, corresponding to 5/6/2002.

 

We have received the following question:

Could you please clarify the ruling of Sharia as regards the custody project, and any recommended amendments that you deem necessary?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

Article (4): "The couple must be Muslims."

The Board decided that this article should be amended as follows:

"The couple must be Muslims, and five years must have passed over their embracing Islam, in case they were new Muslim converts."

Article (7): "The Minster of Social Development may approve a custody order based on the recommendations of the Ministry`s Secretary-General and the Director of Family and Children Directorate."

The Board decided amending this paragraph as follows:

"A technical committee, presided by the Director of the Technical Directorate, should be formed, including a deputy from the Department of the Supreme Judge and the Ministry of Interior to review the custody orders submitted by the families, the needed documents, and to conduct the interviews. The committee should refer its recommendations to the Secretary-General in order for him to recommend that the Minister approves of them."

The family taking custody of an orphan is accountable for the following:

A- It should provide the child under its custody with the various forms of social care, namely the alternative parental raising, medical treatment, education, outlay, and the like; provided that these are verified by the case study, which should be conducted before and after the child is taken under custody.

B- It should enjoy the capacity to provide the right orientation to the child under its custody in the various aspects of life so that he relies on himself afterwards.

C- It is imperative that the family informs the Ministry about any changes concerning its place of residence as well as its relationship with the child under its custody.

The Board decided that these articles should be amended as follows:

A- The family should provide the child under its custody with the various forms of familial care, namely the alternative parental rearing, medical treatment, education, outlay, and the like; provided that these are verified by the case study, which should be conducted before and after the child is taken under custody.

B- The family should enjoy the capacity to provide the right orientation to the child to face the different conditions of life to be able to rely on himself.

C- Informing the Ministry about any changes concerning the family`s place of residence as well as its relationship with the child under its custody.

Article (10): Termination of Custody:

Article (D) Death of a spouse or both of them, which drives their relatives to file for the termination of the custody, indicating their unwillingness to take care of the fostered child.

The Board decided amending this article as follows:

In case either spouses or one of them died, it is permissible for a relative of theirs to file a new custody request through the observed channels.

The Board also decided adding the following items to article (10):

(H) Apostasy of either spouses or one of them.

(W) Failure to meet any of the fostering conditions

*PS: Items not related to the rules of Islamic Sharia were not translated because they focus on the correction of punctuation and grammar mistakes in the original Arabic text. And Allah Knows Best.

Iftaa` Board
Chairman of the Board, Chief Justice Sheikh Ezuldeen Attamimi
Dr. Abdulsalam Alabbadi           
Dr. Mohammad Alyahia         
Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi      
Sheikh Na`eim Mujahid         
Sheikh Mahmoud Shewayaat                  
Dr. Wasif Albakhri

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is recommended for a Muslim to say on Laylat al-Qadr?

On Laylat al-Qadr, it is recommended for a Muslim to recite the supplication (du‘a) that the Prophet ﷺ taught Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
"O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me." [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]

What should one do if they see a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully during Ramadan?

If someone sees a fasting person in Ramadan eating or drinking forgetfully, they should gently remind them to stop. Although the forgetful person is neither sinful nor has their fast broken, their action outwardly appears as something impermissible. Therefore, we should kindly remind them to refrain.

What is the ruling on someone who intends to travel to Jeddah for two days — must he enter iḥrām from his place of residence [i.e., before passing the mīqāt]?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Whoever is firmly resolved in his intention to perform ‘Umrah before setting out on his journey, it is unlawful for him to pass beyond his country's mīqāt (the designated boundary point for entering the state of iḥrām) without entering iḥrām. If he does so, he must return to the mīqāt to enter iḥrām from there, provided he has not yet begun performing the rites of the pilgrimage — in which case nothing further is required of him. However, if he does not return, he must offer a sacrifice (sheep/goat), to be distributed among the poor of the Ḥaram.
It is stated in at-Tanbīh fī al-Fiqh ash-Shāfi‘ī (p. 71): "Whoever, intending to perform the rites [of ‘Umrah or Ḥajj], passes beyond the mīqāt and enters iḥrām only after it, must offer a sacrifice. However, if he returns to the mīqāt before beginning any of the rites, the sacrifice is waived from him."
Accordingly: whoever is firmly resolved in his intention to perform ‘Umrah before setting out on his journey must enter iḥrām at the mīqāt of his country through which he passes. Whoever fails to do so, passing beyond the mīqāt without entering iḥrām, and does not return, has sinned, and must repent to Allah, the Exalted; and he must offer a sacrifice, to be distributed among the poor of the Ḥaram. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on performing ṭawāf on the upper floors of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, given that these floors are situated above the level of the Ka‘bah, and that the one performing ṭawāf passes by certain barriers, such as pillars and walls, during the ṭawāf?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
There are numerous conditions for the validity of ṭawāf (circumambulation around the Ka‘bah), among them: that the one performing ṭawāf be inside the Masjid (al-Masjid al-Ḥarām) — even if the Masjid has been expanded, so long as the expansion does not extend out into al-ḥill (land outside the sanctuary boundaries). It suffices for the ṭawāf to be performed in the airspace of the Masjid or upon its roof, even if that roof is higher than the Ka‘bah (the House) itself.
Al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī (raḥimahullāh) said: "It [ṭawāf] is valid upon the roof of the Masjid, even if the roof of the Masjid is higher than the House — just as prayer [is valid] upon Mount Abū Qubays despite its elevation above the House. This is the relied-upon (mu‘tamad) position." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.246]
The validity of the tawaf isn`t affected by the pillars and walls standing between the one performing ṭawāf and the House, since the condition is only that the person performing ṭawāf be within the boundaries of the Masjid and outside the boundaries of the Ka‘bah itself.
Ash-Shirbīnī said: "It [ṭawāf] is valid inside the Masjid, even if it is expanded, and even if a barrier stands between the one circumambulating and the House — such as a water-supply structure (saqāyah) or pillars (sawārī)." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol. 2/P.246]
Accordingly, ṭawāf performed on the upper floors is valid, and the presence of barriers such as pillars and walls during the ṭawāf does not affect its validity. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.