As there is no clergy in the Islamic Sunni , there is no universally accepted rule to determine who can issue a fatwa, some Muslims complain that too many people consider themselves qualified to issue.
Sunnism is decentralized part: various muftis can issue contradictory fatwas, the consequence of such an event varies by country.
- In a country where Islamic law is the basis of civil law and criminal law , fatwas are debated by national bishops before being issued after a consensus was obtained. In these cases, they are rarely contradictory and have the force of law. If, however, a contradiction appears, national authorities shall decide, often emitting a compromise interpretation.
- In countries where Islamic law is not the basis of national law, contradictory fatwas coexist. Believers then follow those that have been issued by a member of the same tradition themselves. Thus, a Sunni rarely follow a fatwa issued by a Shiite cleric and vice versa.
Fatwa is in the Islam (plural Fatawa) legal advice given by a specialist of Islamic law on a particular issue. Generally, a fatwa is issued at the request of an individual or a judge to resolve an issue where Islamic jurisprudence is not clear. A specialist can give fatwas is called a mufti .
Contrary to widespread opinion in the media, a fatwa is not necessarily a conviction. It is a religious opinion may relate to various fields: the tax rules, rituals or feeding 5 .