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An Official Statement from the General Iftaa' Department
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 10-05-2026

An Official Statement from the General Iftaa' Department

(The Station of our Master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is One of Reverence and Veneration — and He was the First to Interpret the Noble Qur'an and Clarify its Meanings)

The General Iftaa' Department affirms that describing our Master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as ummī — unlettered — is a description of perfection and honour, and it is entirely impermissible for this description to be used in any way that diminishes his noble station ﷺ. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "Say: O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all — He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided." [Al-A'rāf/158]

His not having read or written prior to his noble prophethood ﷺ is in fact a testament to his miracle — for Allah the Almighty revealed the Noble Qur'an to him and taught him from Himself beneficial knowledge and principles that illuminate all that was sent down to him. Through this, he surpassed philosophers, legislators, historians, and masters of the natural and physical sciences. His being unlettered, combined with the knowledge he possessed that puts in order the affairs of this world and the next, is the clearest proof that what he spoke was nothing other than divine revelation from Allah the Almighty.

The Prophetic Sunnah — comprising his words and deeds ﷺ — is the second source of Islamic legislation. It contains the explanation and interpretation of the words of Allah the Almighty, whether it comes as an elucidation of the Qur'an's meanings and rulings, or as rulings not explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an itself. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it." [Al-Ḥashr/7] He also says {what means}: "And We have sent down to you the Reminder so that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them, and that they might reflect." [Al-Naḥl/44]

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the first to interpret the Noble Qur'an, and it is impermissible to separate what the Prophet ﷺ brought independently from what he brought as an explanation of the words of Allah — for both are revelation from Allah the Almighty. He says {what means}: "Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is not but a revelation revealed." [Al-Najm/3–4] And the Prophet ﷺ himself said: "Indeed I have been given the Qur'an and something like it alongside it." — Narrated in the Musnad of Imam Aḥmad.

In this context, we make clear that it is not permissible for anyone to undertake the interpretation of the Noble Qur'an and the pure Sunnah, or the derivation of Sharia rulings, without having acquired the essential Islamic sciences that enable a sound understanding of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ — such as the principles of jurisprudence (uṣūl al-fiqh), the sciences of the Arabic language, and other related disciplines. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know." [Al-Naḥl/43]

We also caution strongly against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his noble Sunnah being treated as content for social media platforms — turned into material for mockery, ridicule, and the accumulation of views. This is entirely unacceptable and constitutes a grave violation of the reverence owed to him ﷺ.

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the correct point at which to raise the hands when standing up for the third rak‘ah (after the middle tashahhud)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Raising the hands while saying the takbīr [when rising for the third rak‘ah] is a recommended sunnah, and omitting it does not affect the validity of the prayer. The proper time for this is after rising from the middle tashahhud, once one has fully stood up.
It is stated in I‘ānat aṭ-Ṭālibīn (Vol.1/P.158): "His statement, 'and rising from the first tashahhud' — meaning, this manner [of raising the hands] is also a sunnah when he rises from the first tashahhud, that is, when he stands upright from it.
Consider [the question]: when precisely does the raising of the hands begin? Is it at the very start of rising from the first tashahhud, or after he has reached the minimum position of rukū‘ [i.e., once fully upright]? The apparent, [correct] view is the latter — even though the outward wording [of the text] might suggest the former — because at the very start of his rising, he is still relying on both hands [to push himself up, and therefore cannot yet raise them]."
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 53): "If his prayer extends beyond two rak‘ahs, he sits after them in the iftirāsh position, recites the tashahhud, and sends blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ alone, without [mentioning] his family [at this point]. He then stands while saying the takbīr, supporting himself with his hands; and once he has stood upright, he raises them level with his shoulders." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Who is required to give fidyah for fasting?

Fidyah—feeding one needy person for each missed fasting day—is required for:
1. Those who are permanently unable to fast, such as:
○ Elderly men and women who are too weak to fast.
○ People with chronic illnesses that have no hope of recovery.
2. Pregnant or breastfeeding women who break their fast out of fear for their child (fetus or infant).
3. A person who delays making up Ramadan fasts (qada) until the next Ramadan begins, without a valid excuse.
4. The estate of a deceased person who had missed obligatory fasts and had the ability to make them up but did not do so.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on colleagues alternating overtime shifts and receiving wages for absent days?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
An employee is religiously obligated to abide by the instructions and regulations pertaining to overtime hours. Furthermore, it is mandatory to adhere to honesty and avoid deceit, circumvention, and falsehood. Allah Almighty says (what means): "O you who have believed, be conscious of Allah and be with those who are truthful."
(At-Tawbah/119).
 
Therefore, whoever is assigned to work overtime must remain present at the designated workplace, even if no active tasks are required of them during that time.
 
Likewise, the official authorized to approve overtime work must comply with all established conditions and regulatory guidelines. It is impermissible for them to grant overtime hours in violation of system regulations. Should any compensation be disbursed in contravention of these official rules, it is unlawful to accept or consume such wages. And Allah Almighty knows best.

In the Sharia-compliant viewing  at a prospective bride (*al-naẓrah al-sharʿiyyah*), is it permissible for the man to see the woman without a veil (*ḥijāb*)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is sunnah for the suitor to see the woman he is seeking to marry within the limits the Sharīʿah permits, namely looking at the face and the hands (palms and backs), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Look at her, for it is more likely to bring about harmony between you.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
The suitor may also ask one of the women to look at the woman he is seeking to marry. In that case, she is permitted to see of her what she is normally permitted to see, which is not limited to the face and hands, and she then describes these matters to the suitor. It is narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Umm Sulaym to look at a girl, and said: “Smell her breath, and look at her heels.” Narrated by Aḥmad in his Musnad.
It is stated in Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.7/p.192): “For one who cannot easily look, or does not wish to look himself, it is sunnah to send someone who is permitted to look at her, to observe her and describe her to him, even regarding what he himself is not permitted to look at. He thereby gains through the sending what he would not gain through looking. Because of the added need for this, it is excepted from the prohibition of a woman describing another woman to a man.”
The permissibility of looking is conditional upon his resolve to marry her once he is able to, his predominant assumption that his proposal will be accepted, and his assumption that the woman is free of marriage and of a waiting period (ʿiddah). Otherwise, looking is forbidden.
Accordingly, it is not permissible for the suitor to look at anything other than the face and hands. He may ask one of his maḥram women, such as his mother or sister, to see the woman unveiled, and the Sharia-compliant viewing (of a prospective bride) must take place in the presence of one of the woman’s maḥrams. And Allah Almighty knows best.

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