Throughout the history of Islamic civilisation, the fatwa has served as a beacon guiding people in their religious and worldly affairs — a great trust carried by generations of grounded scholars who inherited it with piety and reverence, safeguarded it with knowledge and understanding, and recognised that it is a pronouncement on behalf of the Lord of the Worlds. A mufti conveys the ruling of Almighty God, and none of them would dare to speak about religion without knowledge; indeed, they would defer the issuing of fatwas to one another, each wishing that another would relieve him of the burden. Today, as we live in the era of open digital space where information flows without limits, there is a pressing need to elevate the standing of the fatwa, consolidate its trusted official authority, and protect society from the chaos of unrestrained fatwas issued by those unqualified to do so.
Anyone who contemplates the reality of digital platforms today will find a torrential flood of religious content, in which sound fatwas mingle with the pronouncements of pretenders and self-appointed authorities lacking any qualification. Anonymous accounts toss around religious rulings touching people's lives, transactions and acts of worship — without scholarly grounding, without regard for the circumstances and particularities of societies, and without comprehension of the objectives of Islamic law or the jurisprudence of consequences. Herein lies the true danger: a fatwa issued by an ignorant or malicious person may corrupt people's religion, sow the seeds of division and turmoil in society, and open doors to extremism and fanaticism, or to permissiveness and moral dissolution.
It is from this reality that the exceptional care the United Arab Emirates devotes to the religious fatwa system has arisen — a reflection of our wise leadership's understanding that organising fatwa affairs and stabilising their authority is a cause of societal stability, and that protecting the individual includes protecting the mind and conscience from manipulation in the name of religion. The establishment of the UAE General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments was a pioneering step in organising this weighty matter, unifying the fatwa authority in the country, and presenting sound fatwas governed by the standards of Islamic law, attentive to the demands of the age and embracing the finest civilisational values.
Turning to national fatwa institutions when seeking rulings on religious matters is both a religious and a national obligation. Official institutions possess specialised competencies that guarantee fatwas are issued with knowledge and insight. Anonymous accounts and unaccredited sources, however, represent a gamble with religion and a wager with values. Behind some of them may stand those with malicious agendas who exploit religion for suspicious purposes, leveraging people's religious sentiment to spread deviant ideas that target the cohesion and stability of societies. Recent history bears witness to the tragedies of communities torn apart by the fatwas of extremists and the pronouncements of radicals who appointed themselves as muftis without knowledge or qualification.
This is where the individual responsibility of every citizen and resident of this blessed land becomes clear. Awareness is the strongest fortress and vigilance is the sturdiest shield. Every rational person must verify the source of a fatwa before acting upon it, subject any religious content that reaches them to scrutiny and verification, and make their national fatwa institution their first destination for whatever questions and rulings they encounter. Religion is the most precious thing a person possesses, and protecting it from manipulation begins with protecting the sources through which it is received. Consulting recognised scholars of knowledge is the authentic Quranic methodology to which our Lord, Glorified be He, has guided us in His words: "So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know."
The essential role of the family, the school, and the media in instilling a culture of respect for the fatwa in the hearts of generations becomes apparent here — raising awareness among the young about the dangers of receiving religious guidance from unknown sources, and entrenching the value of turning to trusted national institutions. Generations raised on respect for knowledge, appreciation of its scholars, careful reception and diligent verification are the generations capable of standing firm against the storms of digital misinformation. They are the true wealth that preserves the nation's intellectual security, safeguards civil peace in society, and carries forward the march of building and giving with awareness and competence.
The United Arab Emirates has presented the world with an inspiring model in managing religious affairs with sound wisdom, making tolerance a methodology, moderation a path, and knowledge a foundation, surrounding the fatwa with a framework of institutional organisation that preserves its standing and protects society from the chaos of fatwas and the claims of pretenders.
Finally, let us make the veneration of the fatwa and the recourse to official institutions an entrenched social culture — in preservation of our religion, protection of our society, and safeguarding of our generations, in a manner that further elevates our nation in stature, distinction, and prosperity.