Global Fatwa Index: Women fatwas make up 12% of all fatwas

CAIRO - 25 October 2018: The Global Fatwa Index revealed that women fatwas occupy a large proportion of the fatwas issued in 2018, amounting to 12 percent of the total fatwas that have been monitored.

The index illustrated the recent events in the world and Islamic societies, including women participation in terrorist operations, produced a new set of issues concerning women, increasing the proportion of women fatwas.

The index report pointed out that the number of women fatwas traded globally in 2018 amounted to 60,000 fatwas out of a total of 500,000 fatwas.

The index revealed that Egypt came first of the top 10 countries in women's fatwas by 44 percent due to the abundance of fatwa issuance in Egypt in comparison to other countries.

The index report stressed the need for a comprehensive reference and official muftis to avoid falling prey to currents of extremism.

Egypt's Grand Mufti Shawki Allam launched on Thursday, Oct. 18 the first Global Fatwa Index to show the status of fatwa in each geographical region.

This index contributes to the renewal of fatwa throughout the country. It is considered a mechanism that adjusts the uncontrolled and out-of-order fatwas, Allam said.

Allam’s announcement came during his participation in the fourth international conference organized by the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide on fatwa renewal; the conference was inaugurated on Oct. 16 under the auspices of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.