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The Mufti is he who Issues a Fatwa that Leads to your Salvation, not one that Merely Pleases your Desires
Author : Dr. Mahmoud Muhaidat
Date Added : 24-06-2025

The Mufti is he who Issues a Fatwa that Leads to your Salvation, not one that Merely Pleases your Desires

 

From the words of His Eminence Sheikh Nuh Al-Qudha (may Allah have mercy on him):

"The Mufti is the one who gives you a fatwa that leads to your salvation, not one that simply pleases you."

Allah The Exalted Says (What means): "He grants wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever is granted wisdom has truly been given much good. But none will remember except people of understanding."

[Al-Baqara/269].

The scholars have mentioned that one of the meanings of Hikmah (wisdom) mentioned in this verse is accuracy in speech. Anas said: "It is knowledge of the religion of Allah, understanding, and adherence to it." Al-Hasan said: "It is piety, and it is also obedience to Allah, understanding of the religion, and acting upon it." Ibrāhīm Al-Nakhaʿī said: "It is understanding of the Qur’an." [Tafsīr Al-Qurṭubī, vol.3/p.330].

After this clarification of the concept of Hikmah—which is only granted to those whom Allah intends good for—I say: Whoever lived during the time of His Eminence Sheikh Nūḥ (may Allah have abundant mercy on him) and interacted with him, there is no doubt that he would realize that the Sheikh was among those who had been granted wisdom in all its meanings. When he spoke, he spoke with precision; when he issued a fatwa, he did so based on knowledge of Allah’s religion; when he interpreted (the Qur’an or religious matters), he conveyed deep understanding; and when he gave admonition, he acted upon what he advised.

Therefore, I say—while we do not ascribe purity to anyone before Allah—that His Eminence was indeed among those to whom Allah granted wisdom. And here is the motto he raised for us at the General Iftaa’ Department, which is a clear indication of his wisdom (may Allah have mercy on him): "The Mufti is he who issues a fatwa that leads to your salvation, not one that merely pleases your desires."

Whoever reads and reflects on this motto will notice that it guides both the mufti (scholar issuing the fatwa) and the Mustafti (questioner) as follows:

For the Mufti, it directs him to:

- Not follow personal desires in issuing fatwas.

- Exercise caution and patience in delivering a ruling.

- Not fear the blame of critics when speaking the truth for the sake of Allah.

- Ensure the fatwa aligns with the Qur’an, Sunna, and scholarly consensus.

For the Mustafti (A person seeking the religious opinion from a Mufti/Scholar), it reminds him to:

- Trust the Mufti, knowing that he seeks their salvation, not their ruin.

- Accept the ruling of Allah in their matter.

- Avoid objecting to the fatwa simply because it opposes their personal desires or seeking to alter it.

- Refrain from pressuring the mufti to issue a ruling that conforms to their inclinations.

This is just some of what can be observed in the motto established by His Eminence (may Allah have mercy on him).

In conclusion, I ask Allah The Exalted to envelop him in His Mercy and Forgiveness, to benefit us and the Ummah through his knowledge, and to gather him and us among those upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace—of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions are they! Indeed, He is the Guardian over that and All-Powerful.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on giving the expiation of an oath (Kaffarat al-Yamin) to a charity that feeds the poor?

 

 

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.

It is allowed for a Muslim to appoint a proxy (agent) to distribute the expiation (Kaffarah) on their behalf. Our jurists have explicitly stated the permissibility of delegation (Tawkil) in the distribution of Zakat, Kaffarah, and vows (Nadr).

It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (Vol.3/P.237): 'One has the right to pay the Zakat of their wealth personally... and they also have the right to delegate it.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) described with specific attributes and authorizing an agent to slaughter them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) that are described with specific attributes is permissible. This falls under the category of a salam sale (forward sale) if conducted using the terminology of salam, and under the category of a regular sale if not using the terminology of salam.
 
As for authorizing the seller to slaughter the sacrificial animal, the basic principle is that it is permissible, because the agent (wakil) stands in the place of the principal (muwakkil) in achieving his objective. This is a contract that the principal (the buyer) is entitled to perform himself, so authorizing another (the seller) to do so on his behalf is valid.
 
However, it is a condition for authorization to slaughter that the intention (niyyah) is present either at the time of slaughter or at the time of handing over the sacrificial animal to the agent. The basic principle is that the sacrificial animal must be specifically designated, as it is an act of worship. It is not required to designate it at the time of slaughter; rather, it is valid to do so before that.
 
It is permissible for the principal either to delegate the intention to the agent or to formulate it himself when authorizing the agent to slaughter. However, the sacrificial animal must be designated, even if at the time of slaughter, by the agent.
 
It is obligatory to designate the sacrificial animals so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own specific animal. Therefore, charitable organizations and companies must take this into consideration and establish a specific mechanism that ensures no mixing of sacrificial animals occurs, so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own designated animal. And Allah Almighty knows best.

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.

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