fatwanoun. A legal opinion, decree or ruling issued by a mufti or other Islamic lawyer. Etymology: (fatwā), a formal legal opinion. fatwaverb. To make somebody the subject of a fatwa, especially a ban or death sentence.

Does fatwa mean death?

(CNN) -- A fatwa, or legal ruling under Islamic law, might offer an opinion on dietary guidelines or on a style of worship. In rarer cases, however, a fatwa may call for death.

What does it mean to have a fatwa on your head?

Most people in the West had never heard the word fatwa before it was pushed onto their nightly newscasts in 1988—and associated with an authoritarian firebrand who often called America the Great Satan. As a result, the word is still widely understood to refer to some kind of death sentence, essentially an Islamic

Is fatwa English word?

noun. A ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority. But they should intervene with fatwas or rulings when legislation arises that affects Islamic issues.

What is a fatwa example?

In September 1951, the mufti of Egypt issued a fatwa stating that both Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola were permissible for Muslims to drink. Another example of a fatwā is forbidding the smoking of cigarettes by Muslims.

What does Jihad mean in Islam?

effort The word jihad is widely used, though often inaccurately, by Western politicians and media. In Arabic, the word means effort or struggle. In Islam, it could be an individuals internal struggle against baser instincts, the struggle to build a good Muslim society, or a war for the faith against unbelievers.

What does Mufti mean in Arabic?

Mufti, Arabic muftī, an Islamic legal authority who gives a formal legal opinion (fatwa) in answer to an inquiry by a private individual or judge.