المستخلص: |
It is not possible to deny the status of ifta' and its im¬portance which is tied to one of the most important necessity in the life of Muslims — religion. Allah the Al¬mighty sent the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not just to convey religion but to clarify it. He says, We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought. [An-Nahl: 44] Islamic law is the seal of Messages and the final word of Allah until the last day. Consequently, it is necessary that no community at any time ever remain without someone to convey this Message to those who are ignorant of it. It is for this reason that the absence of the office of ifta' and someone to explain the rulings of Al¬lah is considered a great corruption comparable to the absence of judicial adjudication. The consequence of this is chaos and a disruption of indispensible matters of the people. In principle, a mufti must fulfill certain conditions to occupy this important post. However, this paper raises the question whether it becomes necessary to overlook some of these conditions when they are lacking in a mufti.
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