British Fatwa Council: Halal guidance in the 21st century

Zarina Maqsood

Outside of writing, Zarina loves art. Mastering in fine art, Zarina has always dreamed to create her own comic. She’s keen on contributing to the pool of representation for south Asians and hopes to create her own Pakistani female superhero one day.

16 March 2022

British Fatwa Council: Halal guidance in the 21st century

What is the Islamic ruling on vaping? Is it halal to invest in Bitcoin? Does biting your nails during Ramadan invalidate your fast?

The Quran teaches us how to live our lives as Muslims, but sometimes it can be difficult to apply the teachings of the book to navigate modern-day issues.

Finding the answer to questions that lay in the Islamic grey area can be difficult; after all, you need a trusted and reliable source.

What is a Fatwa?

A Fatwa is clarifying Allah’s ruling on the lawful and the unlawful. This is based on evidence from Islamic texts, when a questioner asks a question.

The British Fatwa Council are a board of mufti’s dedicated to answering questions and providing guidance for young Muslims.

They are a non-governmental organisation (NGO) set up by Karimia Institute to meet the growing needs of the Muslim community in the UK. The respectable Muftis are highly trained and are able to give their expert opinions on issues related to Islamic Law. Their purpose is to raise Islamic awareness and protect the community from the consequences of poor Fatwas.

“SO, ASK THE SCHOLARS IF YOU DON’T KNOW.” (QURAN, 16:43)

What topics do they cover?

The British Fatwa Council cover a variety of topics including family matters, financial advice, funeral and burial issues, fasting and prayer. You can visit the British Fatwa Council website in order to see the extent of Q&A’s they have. These topics are answered in accordance to Quran, Sunnah and the views of Hanafi, Shafie, Maliki and Hanbali.

Whilst the British Fatwa Council give their knowledgeable opinions in accordance with Shariah (Islamic law), remember that the decision is ultimately yours. Umar Bin Khateeb stated the Messenger (pbuh) said, “Innamal a’malu bin niyat,” meaning, “The deeds depend on the intention” [Bukhari].