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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

Is Zakah (obligatory charity) due on the Zakah money received by a poor person, and reached a Nissab (minimum amount liable for Zakah), and a whole lunar year had lapsed over having it in his possession?

Yes, the poor who possessed a Nissab for a whole lunar year is obliged to pay the Zakah due on that money even if it was given to him as a Zakah money in the first place. And Allah Knows Best.

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.

I work overtime after regular working hours and may become occupied with my phone or the work computer for personal matters — what is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory upon an employee to abide by the instructions and regulations governing overtime hours, and equally obligatory to uphold honesty and avoid all forms of deception and dishonesty. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful." [Al-Tawbah/ 119]
Whoever is assigned to work overtime must be present at his workplace — even if he has no specific tasks to carry out at that time. In such a case, he should strive as best he can to spend that time in a manner that benefits the institution he works for. If there is genuinely no work for him to do, there is no objection to occupying his time with something beneficial — such as reciting the Holy Qurʾān, reading, or listening to educational lessons — provided he has already completed all the responsibilities assigned to him.
If, however, he does have work to complete, he must spend that time fulfilling it. He may attend to phone calls or other personal matters to the extent that is customarily acceptable, as long as this does not result in delaying or postponing his work. If he delays his work on account of personal preoccupations, the wages he received for that wasted time are not lawfully his to keep, and he is obliged to return the equivalent amount to the institution by whatever means available to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on brown discharge before the menstrual period? Is it considered part of menstruation (Hayd)?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Dusky discharge (Kudrah), reddish discharge (Humrah), and yellowish discharge (Sufrah) are all considered menstruation (Hayd) if they occur during the time of the menstrual cycle. If their duration exceeds a day and a night, and the period persists from the first sight of the discharge until the cessation of the menstrual blood—provided the total duration does not exceed fifteen days—then all of it is menstruation. However, if the duration exceeds fifteen days, then the discharge is not considered menstruation, but rather chronic irregular bleeding (Istihadah). And Allah the Exalted knows best.