Mufti of Dubai: Women can issue fatwa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 6 (UPI) -- Women who have sufficient knowledge of Islamic teachings can become mufti and issue fatwas, the chief mufti of Dubai says.

Dr. Ahmed al-Haddad, the head of the Dubai fatwa department, made the ruling in a fatwa that said becoming a mufti depends on knowledge, not gender, al-Arabiya reported. He cited a Koranic verse that urges those with knowledge of the law to share it.

"If a woman reaches the level of education that enables her to issue fatwas, then she has the right to work as a mufti and issue fatwas on all possible issues," Haddad said.

Mufti apply the Koran and the teaching of Mohammed to modern issues.

The Islamic scholars who met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January for the Mecca International Conference on Fatwa and Its Regulations did not specifically say that women can become mufti but did not rule it out. They issued a Fatwa Charter with 41 articles and no reference to gender.

Article 8 detailed the requirements for issuing fatwa: "Islam, justice, maturity, intelligence, and deep knowledge in Islamic rules."