We have been reading lately in Saudi newspapers reports on a number of controversial “fatwas” (religious opinions and/or rulings) issued by Islamic scholars who do not necessarily share the same opinion on a variety of issues that affect the lives of people whether directly or indirectly. Some of these fatwas tackle issues that are important enough to the extent that their issuance can create public agitation. First, let us distinguish between two types of fatwas – the first type affects the personal choices of the individuals, and the second type has to do with the state as a legislative authority. In the case of the first type of fatwa, it is advisable to exercise tolerance and allow differences of opinion among different scholars, in order to ease the lives of Muslims everywhere by letting them choose from the different fatwas which suits their particular circumstances. So, in the case of the first type, when a scholar issues a fatwa saying that it is permissible for people to do something, then it is his right as long as there is enough evidence in the Islamic literature or tradition to substantiate his fatwa. For example, when a scholar says it is not prohibited to eat donkey's meat, when he actually means zebra's meat, then it is his right since many scholars before him have allowed that. When another scholar tells us that singing is permissible, it is also his right since he has relied in his fatwa on what other Muslim scholars before him have said regarding this issue; you can add to this fatwas about human photography, acting, arts, entertainment, commercial transactions, etc. However, in the case of the second type of fatwa, the situation is different. This fatwa can be further sub-divided into two types: The first is a fatwa which goes against state legislation and conflicts with national interests. The issuer of such fatwas is either unaware or he is indifferent. An example of this is the case of reforms that have taken place in the country and have been opposed through misguided fatwas, such as in the field of education and the judicial system. Fatwas like these deserve to be counteracted, rejected and even discouraged from reappearing in our society. The second is a fatwa which can undermine the security and the safety of our nation and people through encouraging and justifying terrorism and violence whether directly or indirectly. It is important that this kind of fatwa is forcibly eradicated from our culture and its issuers prevented from spreading ‘fitna' (upheaval and chaos) among the people. Instances of such troubling fatwas are those pertaining to ‘takfir' (the practice of declaring a Muslim an unbeliever or kafir) of certain people because of their opinions on certain matters, and deeming as heretics those who do not agree with one, in addition to other fatwas that could create chaos in the country. There is, however, one thing we need to draw attention to: We do not always need an Islamic scholar to guide us through every aspect of our lives, or to tell us if something we are about to do is right or wrong. The permissible and the non-permissible are quite often self-evident and may be resolved through the application of commonsense. People do not need to solicit a fatwa for each and everything they do. It is rather strange and unfortunate that people have become so reliant on fatwas that they do not try to think for themselves. The source of the problem, in my opinion, is that ‘religious fear' has been spread among the masses who have thus become too reluctant to try many new things, including useful and unquestionably permissible practices, without the issuance of fatwa. This, unfortunately, is a calamity that has befallen our people, limited creative thinking, and impeded social development. Such mentality has caused many in our society to embrace the ideology, and to surrender to a long-term strategy, of religious extremist movements that have been striving to indoctrinate the people and bring them under the complete control of their ideas and leaders. It is disgraceful for any society to remain captive to the ideology of a small narrow-minded minority that has its own agenda and objectives that go against national interests. It is even more disgraceful to delay the progress and development of a society while waiting for a fatwa to declare one state of affairs or the other ‘halal' (acceptable) or ‘haram' (unacceptable).
