fatwa
UK[ˈfætwɑː]US[ˈfætwɑː]
n
An authoritative legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar.
Etymology
The word 'fatwa' is a direct loan from Arabic fatwā (فتوى), which itself derives from the Arabic root f-t-y, carrying the core meaning of "to give a formal legal opinion" or "to clarify a point of law." This root is central to Islamic jurisprudence. The term entered English in the early 17th century through descriptions of Islamic societies, initially referring specifically to a decision made by a mufti. Over time, its usage in English has broadened slightly, often emphasizing the authoritative and declarative nature of the ruling, sometimes detached from its precise technical legal context in Islamic law.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Arabic. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes using its current English spelling.
Examples
The religious leader issued a fatwa against the author's controversial book.
Scholars debated the validity and interpretation of the fatwa for years.
He sought a fatwa to clarify the religious permissibility of the new financial practice.