ABSTRACT
A fatwa (Arabic fatwā) is a piece of religious advice, given by a mufti (mufti: fatwa giver) at the request of one or more Muslims who regard this mufti as authoritative. The giving of fatwas is called iftā while the asking for fatwas is called istiftā’. Many fatwas from throughout the Muslim word have been preserved, and every day new fatwas are issued. These texts have the following form: first, the question to the mufti is mentioned, followed by the mufti’s answer, giving his opinion from the point of view of the — in his view — authentic sources of Islam. The size of a fatwa may vary from a few lines to an entire treatise. Because fatwas are given on request, they present a picture of all kinds of issues which are of topical interest to Muslims, and might give an insight into the tension between the Islamic ideal, as formulated by the authoritative muftis in their fatwas on the one hand, and all kinds of practices which were carried out in daily life on the other.
