New Delhi: Leading Islamic seminary Darul
Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa prohibiting the practice of
prophecy by Muslims, citing tenets of the Sharia and warning
that if a follower of the faith indulges in soothsaying, his
prayers for 40 days become unacceptable.
The fatwa was issued this month by the Islamic seminary
in response to a person`s query whether prophecy can be
practised in Islam.
The seminary also cited the Sharia in support of its
edict saying the sacred law of Islam prohibits soothsaying.
Another query in this regard asked the seminary if
prophecy was the prerogative of Allah, how could Prophet
Mohammad foresee the death of Abu Zahal in one of the key
Islamic battles- the battle of Badr?
To this Darul Uloom Deoband replied that while it was the
prerogative of Allah to foretell the timing and place of a
person`s death, there was nothing wrong in the prophet
prophecying something on the basis of what he was told by
Allah.
Another fatwa issued by the seminary prohibited earning
interest on money deposited in a bank but said if a person
deposits money in the bank with the intention of repaying his
loan then he can avail interest on the same.
Yet another fatwa issued in response to a person`s
failure to quit smoking despite swearing by the Holy Quran,
asked the guilty to atone for his sin by feeding at least 10
poor people twice or one detitute for ten days.
However, Deoband has already clarified that issuing
fatwas is an attempt to resolve personal queries and that
putting them into practice depends on individuals.
"In fact, fatwas are neither orders nor suggestions.
Fatwas are mere answers to a question referring a particular
situation or context as per the Quran and Hadis," Maulana
Khalid Rasheed of the Darul Uloom Farangimahal has said
expressing concern over `fatwas` often being misinterpreted.
PTI
