Q: What is the difference between fatwa and taqwa? I could not understand when a man told me this difference. I only know that if someone asks fatwa, it is just because of taqwa. So I could not understand the difference, I was told about. He gave an example:- It is fatwa to lengthen the beard one fist and lengthening the beard 2 inches more than one fist is taqwa. But I know that if I lengthen my beard up to one fist, it is because of Taqwa, otherwise I would have trimmed it. Please clarify if there is exactly any differnce as I am told about? Also explain the given example on beard to be correct or not. Jazakallah.
A: Fatwa generally refers to fulfilling the command with all it’s requirements. e.g. One performs Salaah with all the requirements and the correct postures. It regard to fatwa, the Salaah is discharged. However if one performs the Salaah with extra kushu and khuzoo, then this is regarded as taqwa.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
وعن وابصة بن معبد أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : ” يا وابصة جئت تسأل عن البر والإثم ؟ ” قلت : نعم قال : فجمع أصابعه فضرب صدره وقال : ” استفت نفسك استفت قلبك ” ثلاثا ” البر ما أطمأنت إليه النفس واطمأن إليه القلب والإثم ما حاك في النفس وتردد في الصدر وإن أفتاك الناس ” . رواه أحمد والدارمي (مشكاة #2774)
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)