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Sharia norms are outdated.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.