Zulum Advocates Framework to Guide Issuance of Fatwa

Michael Olugbode

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has called for government’s establishment of framework to guide the issuance of fatwa.

Fatwa, according to Wikipedia, is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a qualified jurist in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government.

A jurist issuing fatwas is called a mufti, and the act of issuing fatwas is called ifta.

Zulum, who yesterday graced the closing ceremony of a two-day Seminar with the theme: “The Role of Fatwa in Sustaining Peace and Stability”, organised by the Indimi Islamic Trust Centre in Maiduguri, said there was the need for government to establish an institutional framework that would guide the conduct of fatwa.

He noted that this should not only be limited to Borno State, but the entire country, disclosing that Borno, had already established the Borno State Preaching Service Board.

Zulum highlighted the importance of the seminar and said there was no better time than now for holding such a seminar in the state.

The governor also emphasised the need for understanding the meaning and proper use of fatwas, which he explained as the opinion cited by an Islamic scholar (a qualified jurist) about some aspects of Islamic law.

The governor assured the organisers that the state government would keenly look into the outcome of the communique of the seminar and give its support where necessary, including tabling relevant recommendations to the Northeast Governors’ Forum.

Zulum was accompanied to the seminar by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa; Chief of Staff, Professor Isa Marte, and Former Commissioner of Agriculture, Bukar Talba.

The seminar was also attended by top clerics, including Dr. Sani Umar Rijiyar Lemu from Kano, Chief Imam Indimi Mosque, Dr. Muhammad Alhaji Abubakar Alkitab, and the Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, Sheikh Modu Mustapha, amongst other prominent scholars in Borno state.