Salam From London

Fatwa By The Schools Of Thought

Fatwa was defined by a lot of verses in the Al-Quran. It was said with two different words, there are ‘fatawa’ in nine verses of 5 different chapters and by the word ‘sa-ala’ was said thirteen times in eight different chapters. By understanding the definition giving in the al-Quran, it shows that fatwa and ijtihad are slightly different. The differences given below:

fatwa
1. Certain answer with a certain question
2. Facing the problem specifically
3. Need to understand the orientation and the circumstances correctly before come out with a new opinion

ijtihad
1. Facing with a problem generally/widely
2. The hokum was discussed by the ulama’ before, just to take the best way
3. Take the best opinion among ulama’s says to face the situation discussed

Fatwa in Islamic Jurisprudence is not a new matter because fiqh of islam developing with human civilization. Even, Prophet Muhammad gave a lot of fatwa in his epoch to settle the problems facing by the sahabah for an example is the issue of the necessaries of repeating the solah by tayammum after water is found. Decides of fatwa followed by khulafa’ ar- Rashidin, then by Tabi’in, tabi; tabi’in and continued until today. There are six main resources of making fatwa. There are a-Quran, Ahadith, Ijma’, al-‘Urf, Qiyas and Istihsan. To be a mufti, someone must without fail Arabic languages experts, very familiar to Sunnah, understand correctly the circumstances also situation, educated in usul fiqh and quwa’id fiqhiah. In Britain, The Muslim Law Syariah Council in Muslim College is conducts fatawa of Muslim’s situation even though it is not recognized by British Government, but it is Muslim’s needs in Britain.