The Internet's Effect on Islamic Fatwas

Happy Eid! For this year's holiday I have a special gift for my readers.

In the process of applying to graduate school, I've gone back and re-read my honor's thesis from my Senior year of university. I had been dreading this day for a long time, afraid that I would find all of it terrible and unreadable. But thankfully, alhamdulillah, it's not bad. Actually, I think I wrote better then than I do now. I've uploaded it to Scribd and have a link below for anyone who wants to take a look at it.

In the paper I discuss the impact of the Internet on the process of ifta', or the production of religious opinions, as stated in Classical Islamic jurisprudence. To do so I analyzed the classical legal text, آداب الفتوى و المفتي و المستفتي Adab al-fatwa w al-mufti w al-mustafti, by Imam Al-Nawawi. In my analysis I identify and describe some of classical ifta's fundamental principles. Then I use evidence from fatwa websites and contemporary critiques to show how traditional ifta' has been undermined by mass media.

It's a long paper, but good and hopefully you'll find it interesting!

May you all have a blessed Eid and many more to come, inshallah.




The Internet's Effect on Fatwas in Islam

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