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Al-Iftaa` Law



Iftaa' Department


Article (1):

This law Shall be cited as "Al-Iftaa` Law/2006" and shall come into effect after the date of its publication in the official Gazette.

Article (2):

The following words and expressions, wherever used in this Law, shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them, unless the context otherwise provides:

-The Fatwa: Ruling of Sharia on any general or specific matter.

-The Grand Mufti: Grand Mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

-The Department: General Iftaa` Department established in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

-The Council: Council of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies established in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

-The Mufti: Any Mufti at the Department or its branches in governorates.

Article (3):

An independent department shall be established in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under the name(General Iftaa` Department)to deliver the following tasks, as determined by Law: 

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.

 

Article (4):

 

The Department shall be considered a Jordanian corporate identity that enjoys financial as well as administrative independence. In this capacity, it shall have the right to possess movables and immovables and execute all legal measures including the conclusion of contracts, acceptance of aid, donations, gifts, grants, wills, endowments..etcetera, provided that this doesn`t conflict with its objectives. It shall also have the right to litigation and to deputize the civil public defender, or any other attorney, to initiate legal procedures on its behalf.

 

Article (5):

 

The Grand Mufti shall be in charge of running the Department`s affairs, the flow of work and the execution of the Iftaa` s general policy.

 

Article (6):

A. The Grand Mufti is appointed by a royal decree, with the rank, salary and powers of a minister, and is relieved from his post in the same method. 

B. It is stipulated that whoever assumes the position of Grand Mufti must have at least a bachelor degree in Sharia Sciences, twenty years have passed over his receiving that degree, enjoys the scholarly ability and experience qualifying him to deliver Fatwas, and is of good conduct and reputation.

 

Article (7):

A. A council under the name "Council of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies" shall be established in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan presided over by the Grand Mufti and the membership of each of the following:

1-A judge from the Sharia Court of Appeal named by the Supreme Judge.

2-A staff member from the Faculty of Sharia, at any of the official Jordanian universities, specialized in Islamic Jurisprudence named by the Grand Mufti.

3-Mufti of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army.

4-Mufti of Amman Governorate.

5-A scholar of any of the Sharia Sciences from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs named by the Minister.

6-Five scholars of Sharia Sciences.

 

B. Members mentioned in clause (6/A) of this Article shall be appointed by a decision from the cabinet based on placement by the Grand Mufti, and for four renewable years. It is conditioned that all of them are eminent scholars known for their exquisite research and studies in the field of Sharia Sciences. They should also have at least a bachelor degree in Sharia Sciences and five years have passed over their receiving that degree.

C. Despite what`s mentioned in clause(B) of this article, it is permissible to replace any of the Council members referred to in clause(6), during the period of their membership, by decision from the cabinet based on placement by the Grand Mufti, if need arises for that.

D. Membership of a council member shall be terminated in the following cases:

 

1-Death.

2-Resignation.

3-Absence for three consecutive sessions with no acceptable excuse.

 

H. The Council shall select from amongst its members a vice-president. It shall convene once a month, at least, and whenever the need arises, by invitation from its president or his deputy, in case the former was absent. Their meeting shall be legal if two thirds were present, provided that the president or his deputy, in case the former was absent, was attending. In case votes were equal, the party in whose favor the president votes is given preference.

 

I. The Council shall have the right to invite experts, on issues included on its agenda, to attend its sessions to give their professional opinion, but without giving them the right to vote.

 

J. The Grand Mufti shall name one of the Muftis as executive secretary of the Council.

 

Article (8):

A. The Council shall deliver the following tasks and shall enjoy the following powers:

1-Setting up the general policy of Iftaa` in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

2-Supervising the scientific affairs of Iftaa` and drawing up plans needed to organize it and elevate its status.

3-Providing the ruling of Sharia on general emerging issues that need Ijtihad(Independent reasoning), and matters that need studying and researching of various legal schools(Mathahib), in addition to cases referred to the Department from any government body.

4-Issuing Fatwas on matters presented to it.

5-Studying suggested laws and bylaws referred to it for clarifying the ruling of Sharia on them.

6-Evaluation of scientific research presented by scholars of Sharia, upon the request of the Council or the Grand Mufti, and in accordance with instructions it issues to this end.

 

B. The council may hire researchers and scholars of Sharia, and determine their compensations according to instructions it issues to that end.

 

Article (9):

 

The Chairman, the members and the executive secretary of the Council shall be given a compensation to be determined by decision of  the cabinet based on placement by the Grand Mufti.

 

Article (10):

A. The Mufti shall be appointed by a decision from the Council based on placement by the Grand Mufti. This is provided that he holds a bachelor degree in Sharia Sciences, at least, and five years have passed over his receiving that degree, and after passing the recruitment test conducted by the Iftaa` Department, and organized according to instructions issued by the Council to that end.

B. The Mufti, when appointed for the first time and regardless of rank, shall have a two-year trial period from the date of beginning work, and the Council shall have the right to terminate his services during that period if it found out that he was incompetent or unpresentable. This is according to the considerations that the Council sees fit.

C. The service of the Mufti shall be considered terminated upon the end of the trial period referred to in clause (B), unless a decision was issued by the Council to keep him in service.

 

Article (11):

A. The Grand Mufti shall issue Fatwas on cases presented to him, and shall refer to the Council issues that are within its jurisdiction.

B. Fatwas issued by the Grand Mufti and the Iftaa` Council shall be kept in a special record.

C. Each Mufti shall issue Fatwas, within his area of jurisdiction, on legal issues of personal nature, and shall refer other issues to the Grand Mufti.

D. The Mufti shall keep Fatwas that he issues in a special record, and shall send a copy of each to the Grand Mufti.

E. The Grand Mufti shall abide by the effective Civil Status Law and the opinions arrived at through Ijtihad of Sharia courts, in case the subject of the Fatwa pertained to issues of civil status.

 

Article (12):

A. It isn`t permissible for any person or party to issue Fatwas on general matters, contrary to the provisions of this law.

B. It is prohibited for any person or party to impugn and question Fatwas issued by the Council and the Grand Mufti for the sake of defamation.

 

Article (13):

Fatwas are issued free of charge.

 

Article (14):

Effective laws and regulations shall apply to staff and all affairs of the Dept.

 

Article (15):

The financial resources of the Dept. are:

A. Allocations from the state budget in accordance with the special budget of the Iftaa` Dept., as approved by the Council.

B. Gifts, donations and grants. This is provided that the cabinet sanctions these if they come from a foreign source.

Article (16):

The grand Mufti shall present an annual report, about the inner-workings and activities of the Department, to the parliament, senate and cabinet.

 

Article (17):

Any text or ruling in any other legislation shall be abolished in accordance with the degree of contradiction with the provisions of this law.

 

Article (18): 

The cabinet shall issue the necessary regulations to execute the provisions of this law.

Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on a latecomer who joins the imam during the standing position of the first rakʿah but was unable to complete the recitation of al-Fātiḥah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a latecomer (masbuq) joins the prayer while the imam is standing, he should begin reciting Sūrat al-Fātiḥah immediately, without pausing to recite the opening supplication (duʿāʾ al-istiftāḥ) or the seeking of refuge (taʿawwudh). If the imam bows before he completes al-Fātiḥah, he follows the imam into the bow and leaves whatever remains of al-Fātiḥah — the imam bears it on his behalf.
It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 47): "If a latecomer finds the imam standing and is confident that he has enough time to recite the taʿawwudh and al-Fātiḥah in full, he may do so. If he is uncertain, he should neither recite the opening supplication nor the taʿawwudh, but rather begin directly with al-Fātiḥah. If the imam bows before he completes it, he follows him into the bow — provided he had not already begun the opening supplication or the taʿawwudh. If he had begun either of them, he continues reciting al-Fātiḥah for as long as he spent on them." And Allah the Almighty knows best.

How is the meat of the 'aqīqah to be distributed?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
If the 'aqīqah is a recommended one (mandūbah), it is obligatory to give some portion of it in charity to the poor — even if the amount is small — with the minimum being approximately half a kilogram of meat.
The most preferable manner of distribution is to divide it into three equal portions, as with the uḍḥiyyah:
 
One third for the guardian and his household to eat from
One third to be given in charity to the poor
One third to be gifted to friends and neighbours, even if they are wealthy
 
It is furthermore more preferable to send the food to the poor already cooked, rather than inviting them to come and eat. And Allah Almighty knows best.

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What are the Sharia consequences when the sacrificial time for the uḍḥiyyah comes to an end?

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If the sun sets on the final day of Tashriq (the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah) and the Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) has not yet been slaughtered, its designated time has expired. Should a person slaughter it after this point, it will not be counted as an Udhiyah.
 
However, if the sacrifice was a vowed one (Mandhurah), they are strictly obligated to slaughter it as a makeup act (Qada’), and its meat must be distributed entirely according to the rules governing vowed sacrifices.
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim (p. 702): "If one slaughters after sunset on the final day [of Tashriq]... it does not count as an Udhiyah, unless it was a vowed sacrifice, in which case it is fulfilled as a makeup act (Qada’)." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

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