Q. Sometimes people ask questions and receive certain answers. Yet when they refer to other scholars, they receive different answers. Therefore, they resort to institutions like Dar Al-Ifta. I would like to ask whether the fatwas, or rulings, given by such an institution are binding on all Muslims? Intisar
A. Nobody’s fatwas or rulings are binding on all Muslims. A fatwa is binding only to the scholar issuing it. It is he who considered a particular case, looked into all the relevant evidence and formulated his ruling on the basis of his research and study that is committed to it. If I give you a ruling saying, for example, that music is not forbidden, while you read in Dar Al-Ifta’s publications or on their website that it is forbidden, you need to look into the evidence supporting each of the two views. Neither ruling is binding on you, but my ruling is binding on me, and the Dar Al-Ifta’s ruling is binding on the scholars who issued it.
What should be the position of a person who cannot distinguish the validity of evidence, or does not understand the intricacies involved in arriving at a ruling? The answer is that he should simply follow a scholar whom he trusts to be sincere, honest, and would not compromise his religious standpoint in order to please any human being.
Grand Ablution
Q. Could you please explain the method of purifying oneself after a person has had sexual intercourse? What are the requirements? Should he recite any verses of the Qur’an, or say any supplication? Is the same method applicable to both man and wife? What about the situation when one has had a wet dream? A. Saleem
A. We can group together all situations that result from wet dream, sexual intercourse, any discharge of semen that results from arousal, a woman’s menstruation and postnatal discharge as a “state of ceremonial impurity” or janabah. To remove this state, one should have grand ablution. The procedure does not require reading any verses of the Qur’an, or any supplication. It only needs the formulation of the intention to purify oneself.
The best method is to start with washing one’s genital parts before performing a normal ablution, or wudhu, then one takes three handfuls of water and rubs his head with them, before pouring water over all parts of his body. The important thing is to wash one’s body with water. Nowadays with showers being available in most houses, it is good enough to perform a normal ablution, or wudhu, and to stand under the shower for a few minutes, ensuring that all one’s body is washed. On the other hand, a dip in a large body of water, such as a swimming pool, a river, a lake or the sea is sufficient, as long as the intention to perform the grand ablution precedes such action.
The same method applies for both man and woman. However, women who have long hair and keep it tied, in plaits or a similarly time-consuming method, need not undo their hair. It is sufficient for them to use three portions of water, with each portion being the fill of their cupped hands, to pour these over their heads.
If one does not start with the wudhu, or normal ablution, but washes all his body, standing under the shower, or having a dip in a large body of water, his grand ablution, or ghusl, is valid and counts for both wudhu and ghusl.
