“So, ask the scholars if you don’t know.” (Quran, 16:43)
Welcome to the British Fatwa Council, the premier institution of Fatwas in U.K. We are a non-governmental organisation and run on generous funds donated by the community. Our respectable Muftis are highly trained and are able to give their expert opinions on issues related to Islamic Law.
British Fatwa Council
Praise be to Allah the Loving, Caring Lord of all people. We shower Salawat on the beloved Master Muhammad (upon him be infinite mercy and blessings), his wonderful family and all of his companions.
Aim
Issuing Fatwa or Iftaa` is regarded as a scholarly work which has a sense of service to the community. The Quran says, “When they request a legal opinion from you concerning women the…” (Quran, 4:27) As a lawmaker the Messenger, gave many legal rulings to the people. The scholar who carries out this wonderful duty is following in the blessed footsteps of the Messenger. The mufti is representing the Messenger, he is the officer of the Messenger.
Introduction
Karimia Institute UK has set up British Fatwa Council to meet the growing needs of the Muslim community in UK. We invite you to share in the vision for a better future for all, and to work together to reflect the true message of Islam. This project promises our community sound guidance and advice. British Fatwa Council will work to raise the level of Islamic awareness in the community, protecting community members from the consequences of poor quality of Fatwas. BFC has been founded to shoulder this responsibility and to appropriately represent the community.
British Fatwa Council provides guidance on personal, family and business-related issues you face in your daily life. A Fatwa is clarifying Allah’s ruling, the lawful and the unlawful based on evidence from Islamic texts, when a questioner asks a question.
We are here to help you fulfil your Islamic responsibilities. So, if you have any question about: what invalidates your prayer; divorce rules; inheritance queries; business related questions; funeral and burial issues; questions about Pilgrimage and fasting etc. Then contact us. Our Muftis are experienced scholars and imams who will deal with your enquiries compassionately. The Shariah is the Islamic law that helps us to live according to the will of our Loving and Caring Lord Allah SWT. We will respond to your questions using the Quran, sunnah, and the views of Jurists of all schools of thought: Hanafi, Shafie, Maliki and Hanbali. Our Fatwas are written to help you fulfil your Islamic duties, but also to give you deeper insights into Shariah. Through our Fatwas we will encourage discussions and debates on important moral, social and spiritual values of our time.
The director of British Fatwa Council is Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari.
Disclaimer: Our Muftis will provide you with guidance from an Islamic perspective for your personal needs. These are Islamic legal opinions of scholars so they should be understood as such. They shouldn’t be taken out of context. British Fatwa Council is exempt from loss or damage caused by careless use of the Fatwa.
The Mufti of Egypt Shaikh Allam Shawki praises the role and the responsibilities of the Mufti:
“Iftaa` means clarifying the rulings of God the Almighty and applying them to the actions of the people. They represent the ahkam i.e. legal rulings of either permissibility or prohibition communicated through a Mufti. For this reason, scholars compare the role of a Mufti to an interpreter who conveys the will of God the Almighty. Scholars further rank the Mufti as a signatory in the name of the Lord. The honour of this station cannot be denied or underestimated as it is the most superior rank.”
( A Guidance Manual for Contemporary Muslims: 1100 fatwas from Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, pg. 4)
However, this lofty status mustn’t be abused; The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The most daring among you in giving a fatwa, is the most daring [to commit sins that will send] him to Hell-Fire” [Al-Dharmi].
Imam al-Nawawi cautioned the Mufti,
“It is a weighty and meritorious position because muftis are the heirs of Prophets (peace be upon them); they undertake a communal obligation though they are at risk of making mistakes. For this reason, it has been said that a mufti is a signatory to the words of God. Ibn al-Munkadr said, “A scholar is a link between God and His servants. He should exercise caution on how to practice this occupation.”
Allam Shawki puts these conditions on the mufti:
“A mufti must have a comprehensive knowledge of the general and specific rulings of the Quran, the nasikh (abrogating verses) and mansukh (abrogated verses), hadiths, and the process of istinbat. Whoever reaches this rank and possesses this faculty is called a mufti and is entitled to answer any legal question addressed to him. On the other hand, a person who through study but not practice, has the requisite knowledge of an issue and the circumstances surrounding it as well as the various dynamics for arriving at its ruling, whether through ijtihad, the arrangement of the evidence and the means of deducing rulings from them, may issue a fatwa on that matter. On the other hand, a person who knows the ruling for a certain issue as well as all the legal rulings through study and expenditure of effort and knows how to exercise ijtihad, authenticate proofs and deduce legal rulings from them cannot be called a mufti though it is permissible for him to issue a legal verdict on that particular issue.”
