Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Date Added : 04-03-2021

Resolution No.(10) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:
“Children are Considered Muslims Following any of their Parents“           
Date: 8/11/1408 AH, 22/6/1988 AD

Question: What is the ruling of Sharia on the following? 

Mr. (X) obtained a family register in 1979 on basis of being a Christian. Later on, he produced a certificate issued by a Sharia court indicating that he had embraced Islam in 1971. On September 16, 1987, he requested changing his religion from Christianity into Islam in both: the civil register and the family register, based on the above certificate.

Based on the aforementioned certificate, the registrar changed Mr. (X`s) religion from Christianity into Islam, and the latter was issued a new family register on basis of being a Muslim.

In 1974, Mr. (X) married Mrs. (O) at a Catholic church. Later on, his children (A,B,C), who are all above eighteen, came to the registrar and requested keeping their religion as Christians in the civil register, family register and  identification cards.

What is the view of the Iftaa` Board on them keeping their religion as Christians although they were minors when their father embraced Islam in 1974?

Answer: All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds.

The Board is of the view that the children mentioned in the above question are considered Muslims because they were minors when their father embraced Islam. They should have been registered as Muslims by the concerned government departments after their father embraced Islam as stipulated by the rulings of Sharia and the effective Jordanian laws. This is because a minor follows the religion of his/her father as stated by the four Islamic schools of thought.

As regards their request to keep their Christian religion in official documents after having reached the age of puberty, this matter isn`t permissible according to the rulings of Sharia since a person who changes his/her religion from Islam into any other religion is considered an apostate and his/her new religion isn`t recognized. And Allah Knows Best.

 

The Board of Iftaa`
Chairman of the Board, Chief Justice, Mohammad Mohailan
The Grand Mufti of Jordan, Vice Chairman of the Iftaa` Board: Izz al-Deen al-Tamimi
         Dr. Nooh al-Qodat           

    Dr.Ibrahim al-Keelani
        Dr. Abdulfatah Amr       
             Dr. Abdulhalim Ar-Ramahi
           Dr. Mostafa Az-Zarqa     
           Dr. Mahmood al-Sartawi
                Dr. Mahmood al-Reffai       
               Dr. Abdulssalam al-Abbadi
         Dr. Yaseen Daraddkeh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

If husband doesn`t pray, but wife does, is their marriage contract considered valid or not?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah`s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
Not observing daily prayers is a grave sin, but doesn`t invalidate a person`s marriage contract. However, we advise you to save your husband from hellfire by convincing him to observe the prescribed prayers. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

Should a person feel pleased, or have a virtuous vision after offering Istikhara (guidance prayer) in order to do what he/she had offered it for?

The result of the Istikhaarah is not necessarily that a person sees something (in his dream), or feels pleased, but the most important result of the Istikhaarah is whether a person is enabled to do a given matter or not.

What is the Iddah period upon death of husband? What is the ruling when the woman observing Iddah after death of husband leaves her home to visit relatives although her Iddah hasn`t ended? What is the ruling on her wearing gold during Iddah period?

All perfect 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.
For a woman whose husband has died, the 'Iddah*  is four months and ten days after the death of her husband. If a woman is pregnant, the 'Iddah lasts until she gives birth. Moreover, she has to mourn, not wear gold, perfume nor saffron-colored garment. The evidence on this is that The Prophet (PBUH) said: "It is not lawful for a Muslim woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days, except for her husband, for whom she should mourn for four months and ten days." [Agreed upon]. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
 
*The iddah is a waiting period that a Muslim woman observes after the death of her husband or after a divorce. The Quran says: For those men who die amongst you and leave behind wives, they (the wives) must confine themselves (spend iddah) for four months and ten days.

What is the ruling on not offering prayer in a nearby mosque, and going to a distant one?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah`s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
Praying in the nearby mosque takes precedence unless there was a circle of knowledge, or a larger congregation in the distant mosque provided that the congregational prayer in the nearby mosque isn`t undermined. And Allah Knows Best.