Department`s Vision:

"To be a leading Islamic authority in the "Fatwa Industry" and legal research and to introduce them to individuals, governmental and non-governmental organizations at the local, regional and international levels.

 

Department`s Message:

"Delivering Allah`s Message and cementing the concept of moderate Islamic religious authority responsible for clarifying the rulings of Sharia and inviting people to act on them. This can be achieved through issuing Fatwas on general and specific matters, paying more attention to Fiqh encyclopedias and Islamic manuscripts, conducting studies and legal research and cementing the foundations of collective Ijtihad in cooperation with the scholars of the Muslim World; using different types of modern communication."

 

 

Department`s Core Values:

 

Dimension Value

Dedication at work to please Allah and honesty in delivering tasks.

Dedication and Honesty               

Cementing the concept of moderation in society when fulfilling the higher objectives of Sharia without exaggeration in religious matters or extremism.

Moderation                                    

Cementing the culture of teamwork and establishing teams capable of accomplishing the vision, message and objectives of the Fatwa Dept.

Institutional Work                           

Directness in dealing with society and shouldering responsibility.

Transparency and Responsibility                 

Applying the concepts of distinction on performance elements at the Dept. through dedicated work to achieve the best and most accurate of outcomes. 

Distinction                                             

Ongoing development of the Dept. and staff to provide the best service in the "Fatwa Industry" and legal research.

Ongoing Development                         

 

 

Key Institutional Objectives of the Department: 

In accordance with article (3) of the Iftaa` Law/2006, the objectives of the General Fatwa Department are 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 it as regards Fatwa affairs.

 

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

 

 

Summarized Fatawaa

What is required of one who doubts the number of rakʿāt during prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a person doubts the number of rakʿāt he has prayed, he should build upon the lesser number, as that is what he is certain of. He should then perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) before the final salām at the end of the prayer. ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When any one of you is in doubt during his prayer and does not know whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, let him pray one more rakʿah and then perform two prostrations while seated before the salām. If the rakʿah he prayed was a fifth, these two prostrations will make it even; and if it was the fourth, then the two prostrations serve as a humiliation for the devil." (Reported by Abū Dāwūd.)
It is stated in al-Muqaddimah al-Ḥaḍramiyyah — one of the foundational texts of the Shāfiʿī school: "If one doubts whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, he is obliged to build upon the lesser number."
However, if such doubt recurs repeatedly and reaches the level of obsessive whispering (waswasah), he should not build upon the lesser number in that case — rather, he should build upon the greater number. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on forgoing the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) for one who is financially able to offer it?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is disliked (makrūh) for one for whom the uḍḥiyah (sacrifice) is recommended (Sunnah) to forgo offering it, on account of the scholarly disagreement regarding whether it is obligatory. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Is it permissible to purchase the Udhiyah on installments?

It is permissible to purchase the sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyyah) on installments or by borrowing its price. However, it is not recommended for the poor to do so, because they are not required to offer a sacrifice, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. If doing so would lead to negligence in providing for one's dependents (nafaqah wājibah), then giving precedence to obligatory maintenance over borrowing to buy the sacrifice is appropriate. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "It is sufficient sin for a person to withhold food from those whom he is responsible to support."
 
Furthermore, the sacrifice is valid from one who has a debt, but it is preferable (awlā) to repay the debt first, especially if the debt is due immediately (ḥāll). And Allah Almighty knows best.

Does undergoing an endoscopy during the day in Ramadan affect the validity of fasting?

Undergoing an endoscopic procedure during the day in Ramadan—whether through the mouth, nose, front private part, or back private part—invalidates the fast.
Whoever undergoes such a procedure must refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day out of respect for the sacred month and make up for that day after Ramadan.