RIYADH: Saudi women are now allowed to issue fatwas following a vote in the Shoura Council.
The historic move was approved by 107 votes and ends 45 years of only specialist men being able to issue fatwas in the Kingdom.
The female muftis are to be chosen by a royal decree.
The Shoura Council approved the recommendation, made by one of its members, during its 49th meeting, calling on the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, the only governmental body authorized to issue fatwas in the Kingdom, to open independent sections for women.
Women members of the Council last March had demanded that the issuing of fatwas should not be limited to men, through the involvement of female academies specialized in the study of jurisprudence in issuing fatwas.
The Council called on the General Presidency to appoint specialists for the issuance of fatwas, and provide the necessary human and material requirements, asking it to involve specialists in the Islamic Shariah sciences in some of its works.
The Council also called for the establishment of Ifta-affiliated endowments, and work to develop a mechanism to follow up the implementation of the order to organize the fatwa.
The Shoura Council’s decision was welcomed by specialists in Islamic law and jurisprudence, as well as the majority of the population.
Professor of Juristic Policy at the Naif College for National Security, Saad Al-Quwaie, told Al Hayat newspaper that the involvement of women in Islamic jurisprudence and their participation in scientific activities was one of the key issues in the Kingdom.
“Confirming the work of women in the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta is an important requirement of Islamic law and jurisprudence. It is governed by the rule of warding off evils takes precedence over bringing benefits for the sake of gender balance, without forgetting that each one has its own role,” he said.
He also said that “the work of women in the General Presidency will be in the field of dissemination of science and awareness.”
He added that the recommendation opened up new horizons regards solving the problem of unemployment among women, guaranteeing the right of women to have a flexible and safe working environment, as permitted by Shariah.
Al-Bishi, a specialist in Shariah policy said that women are central in Islamic communities and the move allowing them to issue fatwas would benefit society.
“This recommendation coincides with the Kingdom’s comprehensive renaissance in the fields of social, economic, political, scientific and juristic.” Al-Bishi said.
He added that the global and regional fluctuations and transformations have forced the Ifta institutions and the scientific and research centers to develop their programs and originate new specialties compatible with the changing course.
“It also imposed the need to introduce women with jurisprudential skills and expertise in emerging cases to repel external interference from those who deal with Saudi women’s issues contrary to Shariah law and the system of this country,” he said.
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
All praise be to Allah . I think women for a long time allowed to issue fatwas here we meet with our neighbors every week or month and we invite (daiyah) she makes fatwa and remind us about the Jannah and everything , also in Alharam Alnabawei every place . but maybe they are doing something greater and better than this Alhamdulellah They do their best to make muslims live without suffering jazahum Allah khair and May Allah protect our country and all of the muslim countries
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by anatolian
You think women being authorized to issue fatwa is a degeneracy. On which Islamic perspective do you base that?
I am not Muslim, so my perspective isn't Islamic. Hopefully a well-educated Muslim will provide a sound Islamic perspective here.
My perspective comes from the Old Testament and from history. When Isaiah was describing Judah during degenerate times, he said in Isaiah 3:12 "Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. My people, your leaders mislead you; they confuse the direction of your paths." This fits with my knowledge of history where in every case that women (as a group) were given political or religious power, the society degenerated and then fell. This includes Islamic societies as described here:
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by fschmidt
I am not Muslim, so my perspective isn't Islamic. Hopefully a well-educated Muslim will provide a sound Islamic perspective here.
My perspective comes from the Old Testament and from history. When Isaiah was describing Judah during degenerate times, he said in Isaiah 3:12 "Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. My people, your leaders mislead you; they confuse the direction of your paths." This fits with my knowledge of history where in every case that women (as a group) were given political or religious power, the society degenerated and then fell. This includes Islamic societies as described here:
I think your point of view correct a bit . The Prophet Suleiman peace be upon him when he lost the hoopoe in the meeting and threatened him, Hoopoe told him thing happens you do not know about , I saw a people worshiping the sun and governed by a woman , true not good for the woman to be a head of state . but if you know Aisha bent Abu Bakr radhia Allah anha the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) would return to 'Aa'ishah in all of their rulings, and they would not do anything before they asked her, and if they wanted a fatwa, is this halaal or haraam? and you know Companions are the greatest, smartest and strongest men (May Allaah be pleased with them) Aaishah was scholar in everything. Khadija may Allah be pleased with her I know a lot of great men in our time and in previous times were Khadija example of them . Islam and Saudi Arabia did not oppress women but graciously women accepted and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by M.I.A.
..breaking news.. saudi arabia issuing driving licenses to women!
They dont do things by halves.
..
..
...at least, maybe thats what they hope happened.
No..
They probably had a huge list of things that went through at the same time..
Probably.
about this decision ,as a Saudi Muslim girl I really didn't like it at all, I know that it is not compulsory, for those who want to drive and who does not need its
okay , like all countries. but I trust King Salman and his crown prince more than myself and after our prayers for them every single mosque at Saudi with Alharameen asked Allah to bless them and guide them to what Allah loves and this is what we want . All Praise be to Allah
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by Amalalharbi
about this decision ,as a Saudi Muslim girl I really didn't like it at all, I know that it is not compulsory, for those who want to drive and who does not need its
okay , like all countries. but I trust King Salman and his crown prince more than myself and after our prayers for them every single mosque at Saudi with Alharameen asked Allah to bless them and guide them to what Allah loves and this is what we want . All Praise be to Allah
Sure, im not one to say if its a good thing or a bad thing..
Its just a tool.. how the people use it is personal choice.
Allah swt is sufficient.
If it improves the people and the condition they live in.. then it would have been worth it.
Time will tell.
What it means to you, is quite possibly different to what it means for someone else.. or what it means to the government for that matter.
The only quranic verses i can think of would have to be taken out of context to be posted lol..
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by fschmidt
I am not Muslim, so my perspective isn't Islamic. Hopefully a well-educated Muslim will provide a sound Islamic perspective here.
My perspective comes from the Old Testament and from history. When Isaiah was describing Judah during degenerate times, he said in Isaiah 3:12 "Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. My people, your leaders mislead you; they confuse the direction of your paths." This fits with my knowledge of history where in every case that women (as a group) were given political or religious power, the society degenerated and then fell. This includes Islamic societies as described here:
British Empire lived it's greatest times in the era of Victoria. But it was the most capitalist period at the same time..
Women are not allowed to rule in Islam too but they have right to be scholars. But I am not sure if being a scholar gives the legitimacy to give fatwa..
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by anatolian
British Empire lived it's greatest times in the era of Victoria. But it was the most capitalist period at the same time..
Women are not allowed to rule in Islam too but they have right to be scholars. But I am not sure if being a scholar gives the legitimacy to give fatwa..
I may have spoken too soon because I am not sure exactly what a fatwa is. If a fatwa is non-binding and is just an opinion, then there is no problem with women doing this. But if a fatwa impacts binding law, then there is a problem. Regarding Aisha and the better queens of England, both are fine because individual women who are exceptional can have power. The problem comes when women as a group are given power. The Old Testament allows women to be judges in arbitration and prophets, but never allows them to be priests.
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
It's official, Saudi Arabia is a feminist, homosexual (progressive) State. When are the same sex marriages going to start? What does it say in the Quran about this? Does it say that if the king strays from the path, the people can ask him to abdicate and if he refuses they can cut off his head? But if the Saudi people have become (progressive) liberal Zionists what then? Oil has been their curse and downfall.
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
Salaam
Im generally for this, but Im leery. theres a lot of changes happening, which outside forces are pushing for these changes? Is it internal or are external powers dictating Saudi policy?
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by Junon
Salaam
Im generally for this, but Im leery. theres a lot of changes happening, which outside forces are pushing for these changes? Is it internal or are external powers dictating Saudi policy?
Saudi Arabia is a poodle of the USA so I suppose there might be some influence. The USA was making so much money pumping Saudi oil that it generally left the Arabs there alone, but it seems to be pushing it's culture down their throat now. The same thing happened during the British Raj. At first the British just exploited India but later they pushed their culture down the throats of the Hindoos and Muslims and now the USA is doing it too, all over the world. It is the Western hegemony that Putin rails against. He controls the biggest country in the world with many races and religions and the constant cultural Marxist attacks from the internationalist Jewry is a real pain.
If you want to see a constant barrage of this cultural Marxist propaganda just watch Al Jazeera.
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
then there is a problem. Regarding Aisha and the better..
Please do not compare Mrs. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, with the rest of mankind. I do not blame you, you do not know her but do not compare .
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
‘Women Giving Fatwas
‘Giving fatwas is conditional on having the appropriate degree of knowledge, not on gender. Imam Nawawi has stated explicitly that a woman can give fatwas. Ibn Muflih has also affirmed it; so too has the greatest of Ibn Taymiyyah's disciples, Ibn al-Qayyim. Ibn Hazm al-Zahiri says: “If a woman attains fiqh in the sciences of the religion it would be incumbent upon us to accept her warning”. That actually happened. These are wives of the Prophet, salla l-lahu 'alay-hi wa sallam, and his woman Companions.
‘Religious rulings have been narrated from them and the proof is established by their transmission. There is no difference among our companions (i.e. fellow Zahiri jurists) in this regard. Among them, other than the wives of the Prophet, salla l-lahu 'alay-hi wa sallam, were: Umm Sulaym, Umm Haram, and Umm Atiyyah. Ibn Hazm counted the Companions known for giving fatwas. Of those, seven are known for giving a lot of fatwas; of those seven, one was 'A'ishah.
‘Mahmud ibn Labid says: “'A'ishah used to give fatwas in the time of Umar and Uthman until she died; (those] great Companions of the Prophet, Umar and Uthman, used to refer to her.” The great jurists among the Successors used to attend on her to get her juristic opinions. Abu Hanifah narrated from Hammad, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad ibn Yazid, the great jurist of Iraq, that he asked umm al-mu’minin 'A'ishah: "What cuts
the prayer? She said: “Listen, O people of Iraq, you think that a donkey, a dog, a woman, and a cat (passing in front of the one praying) cuts the prayer. You have equated us women with them?! Push away (whoever is coming in front of you) as much as is possible for you. For nothing cuts the prayer.”
‘Muhammad al-Shaybani says: “We hold the opinion of 'A'ishah, and it is the opinion of Abu Hanifah.”
‘Sometimes it is women who put to 'A'ishah issues that concerned them; here is an example from the domain of commerce: Abd al-Razzaq says: “Ma'mar and (Sufyan) al-Thawri narrated to us from Abu Ishaq, who narrated from his wife saying that she called among a company of women on 'A'ishah. A woman said to her: ‘O umm al-mu’minin, I had a slave girl, whom I sold to Zayd ibn Arqam for 800 with deferred payment of the price. Then I bought her from him for 600 and I paid those 600 on the spot and I wrote him 800 as debt.” 'A'ishah said: “By God, how evil is what you bought! How evil is what you bought! Tell Zayd ibn Arqam that he has invalidated his jihad with the Messenger of God - salla l-lahu 'alay-hi wa sallam - except if he repents. (Then 'A'ishah explained the issue further; this kind of transaction is a trick to lend money for interest). (from ‘Al-Muhaddithat – the Women Scholars in Islam’; pages 281-282).
Re: For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women authorized to issue fatwas
format_quote Originally Posted by Karl
It's official, Saudi Arabia is a feminist, homosexual (progressive) State. When are the same sex marriages going to start? What does it say in the Quran about this? Does it say that if the king strays from the path, the people can ask him to abdicate and if he refuses they can cut off his head? But if the Saudi people have become (progressive) liberal Zionists what then? Oil has been their curse and downfall.
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