Egypt's mufti warns against paid-for fatwas

The mufti of Egypt, Nasr Farid Wasel, castigated the paid-for fatwas (religious opinion) obtained by telephone

Wasel explained that charging money in return for a fatwa is prohibited and it is a materialistic method which aims only at gaining money and it also takes away the responsibility of the specialized authority in this matter.

In an interview with Egyptian "Akher Saa" weekly magazine, wasel said that the entrance of fatwa into the world of business is very dangerous since it allows people to refer to unqualified and unspecialized persons in the issues of religion. The specialized authorities have the right to issue a legal fatwa for free away from materialistic influences. The religious figure warned against any sort of tricks in the fatwa business such as to serve a certain person or interest and said that a person giving illegal fatwas is committing a great sin and will be held responsible for any results.