FATWA ACTIVISM

The question then arises as to what the proper Islamic method of social reform is. This proper method is one of persuasion and guidance, through writings and lectures, and not through delivering condemnatory fatwas. People should be addressed in such a way that the advice given to them impresses itself in their hearts and they then recognize and act on that advice on their own. In today’s terms, this could be termed as ‘educational activism’. Islam’s approach to solving social ills is through this sort of educational activism, rather than ‘fatwa activism’. A guiding principle in this matter is to be found in a narration which is contained in the Sahih al-Bukhari. According to this report, Aisha (wife of the Prophet) said that the Quranic verses that were revealed in the initial stages of Islam dealt with Heaven and Hell so that in this way people’s hearts would be softened enough to receive the Islamic message. Then, gradually, after people had developed adequate capacity to accept Divine laws, the Quranic commandments prohibiting adultery and the consumption of alcohol were revealed. Had these commandments been revealed in the initial stages of Islam, people may not have accepted them, and, instead, might have refused to give up adultery and alcohol. From this instance one can understand that in general social reform cannot happen through delivering fatwas against social ills. Rather, for this sort of work, people’s capacity and willingness to accept and act on divine guidance must first be developed. Only after this can religious laws be enforced. To issue orders, in the form of fatwas, in the absence of developing people’s capacity to accept religious guidance is no solution at all. Often, it is not the ignorance of religious rulings that causes social ills. Rather, the basic cause is the lack of the appropriate spirit among people. This is why social reform cannot begin with the issuing of fatwas. It has to begin with work towards inculcating and promoting the right spirit among people to ignite their consciousness and their capacity and willingness to abide by the teachings of the faith. Only after this work has been sufficiently done should issues be explained to people using the language of the religious law. Without developing this inner spirit among people, seeking to cure social ills by issuing fatwas from People do not understand the wisdom in the Shariah, instead they engage in a selfstyled Shariah of fatwas.