The article reveals the concept and meaning of a fatwa in modern Muslim countries. Islamic jurisprudence does not always provide direct answers to questions that arise in the new conditions of life, but this does not mean that Sharia norms are outdated. Modern scholars argue that for answers to questions in Sharia, we need to be able to correctly extract them and have the entire spectrum of knowledge, from theological to the most modern. A fatwa can be an individual opinion of a Muslim jurist or an expression of the collective opinion of a group of experts or a special body. When assessing the significance of the fatwa, we have to take into account the legal system of the state under study. From the point of view of legal significance, fatwas are divided into 1) having legal significance - this applies to countries where legislation is based on Sharia; 2) having limited legal force - this form of fatwas is common in countries where Sharia regulates certain areas; 3) those that are of a recommendatory nature and have no legal force - they are common in countries where religion is separated from the state. Modern governments and Islamic clergy work closely together on various social and political issues. In Muslim states with secular legislation, the fatwa is advisory. In almost all Muslim countries, fatwa institutions work closely with government agencies. Coordination on the part of government departments of this religious body is in demand because there are many facts of the publication of fatwas by uncontrolled ulema, which led to social and political contradictions. In the arena of internal political intrigue, fatwas play a regulatory role in exerting a directed influence on the consciousness of the mass of people to maintain stability, prevent conflicts, and sometimes strengthen power. In the modern history of many Muslim countries, there are many examples of solving domestic and foreign policy problems with the help of the institution of fatwas.

In Saudi Arabia, conservative Ulema are trying to resist the process of the country's modernization. Other clerics take a balanced view of the progress of Saudi society, including changing their religious positions in response to changing circumstances. There are two main problems that lead to the fragmentation of the uniformity of religious thought in the kingdom: the increased political activity of the clergy and undeniable social changes in society. From the end of the 17th century to the 90s of the last century, the clergy of Saudi Arabia issued fatwas that rejected and protected the population from the achievements of modern science, culture and art. The Ulema criticized King Fahd for his decision to allow the presence of US military bases on Saudi territories, arguing that cooperation with non-Moslems is unacceptable. The Ulema liberal to the state supported their government and issued a fatwa justifying the state's decision on the principle of “eliminating great harm with less harm.” The KSA Fatwa Institute was radically reformed in August 2010, the circle of persons who could issue fatwas was limited, but not all clergymen were silenced. In 2011, the Ulema issued a fatwa banning protest rallies and demonstrations in the KSA. The bureaucratization of religious institutions in Saudi Arabia weakened the position of the Ulema, as they became the object of state control and became an important factor supporting the Ulema in the face of modernization.

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The article discusses the features of the scientific and methodological study of the regulatory role of fatwas used in the deradicalization of the population in Muslim countries. The object of the study is the fatwas issued by the ulema of Egypt, Turkey, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and aimed at deradicalization of the people’s opinions. The subject of the study is the regulatory role and processes of applying fatwas to deradicalize the population of these countries. The study of the subject covers historical, theological, legal, socio-psychological, and political aspects, and to solve the tasks set, several scientific approaches and methods are required. The importance of applying theological and academic approaches is substantiated. According to the theological approach, social and all other processes are explained from the divine point of view. The corresponding norms of religious sources are studied. Each source of the chosen fatwa - sura, verse of the Koran, hadith, or the conclusion of authoritative ulema is subject to analysis and consideration primarily from a theological point of view. However, this approach will not give applied conclusions if the research, along with the theological aspect, involves the issue of radicalization, which requires the study of socio-political, economic, psychological, and other features of the object and subject of research. We think that with the theological approach, it is important to apply the academic approach in Islamic studies. One of the components of the scientific and methodological basis of this study is the comparative method. This method helps to identify the general forms, types, and effectiveness of fatwas. It is necessary to apply the genetic method - a method of studying social phenomena based on an analysis of their development to determine the features of the creation of fatwas. The application of this scientific method allows us to establish the primary problem - a misunderstanding or a controversial situation on a particular religious issue, on which it is necessary to issue a fatwa. Therefore, for in-depth analysis, it is advisable to apply the narrative method, the method of content analysis, and the empirical approach.