Saudi Gazette/Okaz report that the Saudi government has formally banned imams from issuing fatawa, religious rulings on any issue of concern to the perplexed. All questions submitted to the imams must be forwarded to the Senior Board of Ulema, the highest religious authority in the country and, apparently now the only body authorized to issue the rulings.

This should help avoid both ‘dueling fatawa‘ and the sometimes zany rulings issued from sources of indifferent education.

Imams barred from issuing fatwa
Aref Al-Adielah

Qassim – The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call, Guidance, and Endowment has instructed mosque imams across the Kingdom not to issue a fatwa to any inquirer.

The memo circulated recently asked the imams to refer inquirers to fatwas issued by members of the Senior Board of Ulema wherever their questions fit. The instruction has come after repeated fatwas from the imams have contradicted fatwas issued by the members of the Senior Board of Ulema, the highest religious authority in the Kingdom. ­– Okaz/SG