muftī , or Islamic jurisconsult, takes into account two things in providing a fatwā : that there is no sin ( ithm ), and that there is ease ( taysīr ) in applying the fatwā .The sheer volume of inquiries to the Darul Qasim Dār al-Iftāʾ in the United States is demonstrative of the God-fearing nature ( taqwā ) of American MIf uaslims and the concern they have for their state in both this life and the next. muftī can help a Muslim avoid sin through giving a fatwā , the practice of dispensing a fatwā is of tantamount ontological significance in the religion ( dīn ). However, the work of dispensing a fatwā is not a social competition whereby Muslim scholars ( ʿulamāʾ ) vie to attract inquirers. Their duty is to make the Dār al-Iftāʾ known as an institution in the service of Muslims, but not actively advertise its existence as if it were a commercial enterprise. The Sharīʿah does not oblige them to go out and drag people into the Dār al-Iftāʾ . Ljuikrieswcoisnes,utlhtse.yTdhousn,oatsdiscourage or prevent people from asking other muftīs , their authority ( wilāyah ) as jurisconsults is only over those who come to them with an inquiry. After receiving the fatwā , the petitioner can choose whether or not to spread the word to others that the Dār al-Iftāʾ exists. This way, the freedom of people to ask others—and whether to come to Dār al-Iftāʾ or not—is maintained. Writing a fatwā is a comprehensive skill. It must consider the cultural milieu of a society, an understanding of potential repercussions of the fatwā , and how it could be distorted or exploited. The muftī must weigh how a Muslim sees the fatwā and understands it, then how that Muslim would practice it without misrepresenting Islam or contravening Allah’s ﷻ command.
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