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Achievements of Iftaa` Department (1430 AH-2009 AD)
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 23-10-2022

Achievements of Iftaa` Department (1430 AH-2009 AD)

 

Based on the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the General Iftaa` Department has been playing an effective role in society through clarifying the rulings of Sharia to the people in a transparent and moderate approach. In 2006, a law was passed which declared the independence of the Department from the Ministry of Religious Endowments and other official bodies. The law determined the tasks and duties of the Department as follows:

 

1. Supervising and organizing of Fatwa affairs in the Kingdom.

2. Issuing Fatwas on general and specific matters in accordance with the provisions of this law.

3. Preparing of the required research papers and Islamic studies on important matters and emerging issues.

4. Producing a periodic specialist academic journal concerned with the publication of reviewed academic research papers in Shari'ah and Islamic sciences and related fields.

5. Cooperating with scholars of Islamic law in the Kingdom and outside of it regarding fatwa affairs.

6. Offering opinions and advice in matters presented to it by state agencies.

 

The Grand Mufti shall be in charge of running the Department`s affairs, the flow of the work and the execution of the Iftaa`s general policy with the assistance of a team of Muftis in the Department`s headquarter and the governorates.

 

On its part, the Department has done several activities through which it reached out to society and directed fellow citizens to act upon the teachings of Sharia to achieve, as Allah promised, happiness in this world and the next life.

 

This communication has reflected society`s keenness on acting upon the teachings of Sharia, Department`s credibility, and people`s faith in fatwas issued by it.

 

Following are the Department`s most notable achievements of last year:

First: Fatwas Issued by the Department.

In 2009, the Department issued (159318); an average of (639) for each working day. These fatwas were distributed as follows:

 

1- Fatwas on Divorce. (24422) fatwas divided between valid divorce (12764) and invalid divorce (11658). The percentage of the questions on divorce constituted (15.3%) from the overall number of questions. As for the rest of the questions, they were divided between acts of worship, transactions, personal status, Islamic Creed, Tafsir (Interpretation), Hadith, and social problems.

2- Fatwas on other Issues.

 

- Verbal Questions. The asker is directly transferred to one of the Muftis. The total of this type of questions posed during personal interviews conducted inside the Department has reached (15107).

- Written questions. In this regard, the asker fills out the written fatwa form, and then the question is transferred to one of the Muftis or researchers in the Department to prepare the answer supported by the proper evidence and sayings of the jurists. After that, the answer is submitted to a committee formed for this end. After the committee adopts it, the answer is submitted to the Grand Mufti for approval or modification, as he deems appropriate. Finally, the fatwa is sent to the asker. This type of questions has reached the total of (181).

 

3- Fatwas Delivered over the Telephone.

The asker calls the Department. He is transferred to one of the Muftis. The Mufti listens to the question and gives the appropriate answer. The number of questions asked via this method reached (79680).

 

4- Fatwas Via SMS.

Recently, the Iftaa` Department has contracted some telecommunications companies to provide the service of delivering Fatwas through SMS and E-Government services. The total number of such messages has reached (36822).

 

5- Seeking Fatwas Via the Department`s Website and E-Mail.

After launching the electronic website, the Department started receiving questions from all over the world. A committee composed of eminent Muftis give special care to these questions and provide scientific answers for them. Afterwards, the answers are directly submitted to the Grand Mufti for approval or modification. The total number of questions sent via the website (WWW.Aliftaa.jo) has reached (2295) while the the questions sent via the e-mail ([email protected]) has reached (811) questions.

 

Second: Prints and Bulletins Issued by the Department.

The Department has issued a monthly bulletin under the name (Al-Iftaa`) in which research papers, articles, and research fatwas of Muftis are published. The bulletin is also concerned with fatwas issued by the Department. This bulletin will be, Insha`Allah, an introduction to the issuance of the Iftaa`s peer-reviewed journal.

 

Third: Muftis` Participation in Media and Reaching out to Local Society.

The Muftis have participated in a number of conferences, TV shows, dialogue seminars, religious lectures, and Friday sermons delivered at the mosques of the Ministry of Awqaf year-round.

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

A woman made a wig for herself from her own [previously shed] hair, which she wears on her head after having lost her hair [due to hair loss]. Is this permissible?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Since the hair belongs to the woman herself, the wig can be removed during the obligatory ghusl (ritual bathing), and part of the head can still be wiped during wuḍū' (ablution), there is no sharī‘ah objection to making this wig — provided she does not appear wearing it in front of non-maḥram men (Any males outside a woman's immediate family whom she is permitted to marry under Islamic law), since it is not permissible for them to look at a woman's detached hair.
It is stated in Rawḍat aṭ-Ṭālibīn wa ‘Umdat al-Muftīn: "Whatever it is not permissible to look at while still attached [to the body] — such as the male genitalia, a free woman's forearm, the hair of her head, and a man's pubic hair, and similar matters — it remains unlawful to look at even after it has been detached [from the body], according to the more correct position (al-aṣaḥḥ)." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on giving Zakat al-Fitr in cash?

The default ruling is that Zakat al-Fitr should be given as the staple food of the land. In Jordan, for example, the staple food is wheat or rice, and the amount of Zakat al-Fitr is 2,500 grams per person. It is easy to give this amount of rice to the poor and needy, and this is the correct ruling according to all Islamic schools of thought.
However, Hanafi scholars have permitted giving Zakat al-Fitr as monetary value, considering it more beneficial for the poor and easier for the giver.

Is it permissible to offer an Udhiyah on behalf of the deceased?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) on behalf of a deceased person is permissible. This is the official position of the Hanbali school (as stated in Kashshaf al-Qina’ by al-Bahuti,Vol.6/P.428) and was also upheld by the prominent Shafi'i scholar Al-’Abbadi (mentioned in Bidayat al-Muhtaj by Ibn Qadi Shuhbah,Vol. 4/P.358). It has likewise been narrated as a valid view among some Maliki and Hanafi scholars.
 
In fact, Imam Abu Dawud dedicated an entire chapter in his Sunan collection entitled, "Chapter on Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased." In it, he recorded a narration from Hanash, who said: "I saw 'Ali sacrificing two rams, so I asked him, 'What is this?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, so I am sacrificing on his behalf.'"
 
Imam Abu Dawud also narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, this is from You, for You, and on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah (community). In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest," and he then slaughtered the animal.
 
The textual evidence here lies in the fact that our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire community—and it is well-established that his community includes those who have already passed away.
 
Furthermore, there is an abundance of sacred texts demonstrating that the rewards of righteous deeds reach the deceased. For instance, it is permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person who passed away with missed obligatory fasts, and it is equally permissible to perform Hajj on their behalf, both of which are firmly established in authentic Hadiths. Therefore, if the reward of fasting (which is a purely physical act of worship) and Hajj (which is a joint physical and financial act of worship) can reach the deceased, then the reward of an Udhiyah reaches them with greater reason (by way of A Fortiori argument). This is because it is a purely financial act of worship, falling under the general category of charity (Sadaqah).
 
Additionally, scholars have reached a consensus (Ijma') that the rewards of charity reach the deceased, and since the Udhiyah is inherently an act of charity, it falls under the same ruling. Consequently, based on all the aforementioned evidence, we hold the view that offering a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is entirely permissible. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

How does a praying person prostrate?

All perfect praise be to Allah,The Lord of The Worlds                                                                                                                                                                        It is from Sunnah that he/she sits with both knees on the ground in order to prostrate, then hands, nose and forehead are placed on the same place. In addition, the toes have to touch the ground, and be directed towards the Qiblah (direction of Ka`bah) during prostration. And Allah Knows Best.