has been an important mechanism to facilitate scholarly reference and public access, whether reflecting specific

schools of thought or individual scholarly opinions. In Perlis, the Fatwa Committee, established under

the Administration of Islamic Law Enactment 1964, has produced a series of responsive fatwas grounded in

valid ijtihad and informed by the Fiqh of the Early Three Generations and Comparative Fiqh, without being

confined to a single madhhab. Despite this progressive approach, challenges persist in terms of documentation,

fragmented storage, and the lack of efficient retrieval systems. With the advancement of information technology,

digital compilation has become essential to ensure accessible, accurate, and user-friendly fatwa references. The

emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) further enhances this initiative through intelligent databases capable of

keyword-based search, semantic analysis, and automated generation of responses derived from authentic sources.

This study underscores the significance of digital fatwa compilation in strengthening the role of fatwas as

Qaradawi (1988) defines fatwa as a clarification of a shar‘i ruling concerning a certain issue, issued as a response

to a question posed either by a specific or non-specific individual or group.

The concept of fatwa has existed concurrently with the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad (peace

that the process of issuing fatwa took place simultaneously with the revelation of divine guidance (Mohd Akram

Dahaman, 2005).

The status of fatwa in Islam is of great significance. From the time of revelation until today, fatwa has served as

one of the principal means for both scholars and the general public to obtain clarification regarding Islamic legal

rulings. The salaf scholars have emphasized that fatwa occupies a noble and exalted position (Muhammad Ahmad

Makki, 1999). Al-Nawawi (1987), in his work Adab al-Fatwa, asserts: “Know that the giving of fatwa is a matter

According to al-Qaradawi (1996), fatwa serves as a medium for communicating the rulings of Islamic law in

response to religious questions posed by the community. Based on this definition, the scope of fatwa clearly

extends beyond the domain of ahkam taklifiyyah related only to acts of worship (‘ibadat), family matters

(munakahat), or transactions (mu‘amalat). Rather, it encompasses the entirety of Islamic rulings, including:

From this understanding, the role of fatwa is profoundly significant in elucidating and enhancing the Muslim

Fatwa originates from the community, and the community is also involved in its reception and implementation.

is initiated by a form of inquiry. At times, fatwa may remain confidential and addressed solely to the inquirer to

safeguard sensitivities or administrative considerations (Raihanah Abdullah, 2004). The second aspect involves

social and moral issues. Based on this rationale, fatwa dissemination is imperative to ensure the continuous

appropriate for a study of this kind, which is not based on hypothesis testing. Moreover, the qualitative method

allows for a more conducive and natural research environment (Merriam, S. B., 1998). Several forms of

assess all arguments and evidence objectively concerning specific historical developments, thereby drawing

sound and well-founded conclusions. This process involves systematic, rational, and scientific consideration to

understand the questions of what, why, and how certain events occurred. The historical dimension of this study

core methodological framework of this research, however, is textual analysis. This form of study involves

examining classical and contemporary Islamic texts, academic articles, enactments, legal provisions, and various

comprehensively.

The dissemination of fatwa constitutes a fundamental component of the broader concept of ifta’. This is because

a fatwa serves as a form of legal response that must be communicated to the mustafti (the inquirer). According

to ‘Ali Ibn ‘Abbas al-Hakami (2001), fatwa denotes the act of informing or communicating a legal ruling.

Essentially, such communication must be delivered directly to the inquirer when it involves sensitive or personal

matters. Nevertheless, fatwa dissemination may also be extended for the benefit of the wider Muslim community,

providing them with legal guidance should similar cases arise.

This understanding aligns with the definition put forward by ‘Abdullah al-Turki (1990), who stated: “A fatwa is

for Hajj.’” (al-Baqarah: 189)

“They seek your fatwa (legal ruling) concerning women. Say, ‘Allah gives you a fatwa about them…’” (al-Nisa’:

127)

particularly as new circumstances arose in regions far from the Arabian Peninsula. These evolving contexts

generated novel issues that demanded answers, and the Companions were the most qualified group to undertake

this responsibility.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (1996) reports that the Companions varied in the frequency with which they issued

fatwas - some frequently, others moderately, and some rarely. He notes:

“Those who issued fatwas among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah numbered about 130 men and

among scholars and the general public.

The recording and broad dissemination of fatwas among the Muslim community became a foundational element

of law after the Qur’an and Sunnah. In fact, mursal and da‘if hadiths were ranked below the fatwas of the

Companions in the hierarchy of evidentiary sources within this school (Muhammad Mustafa al-Shalabi, 1985).

The compilation and dissemination of these fatwas were continued by subsequent generations, who collected and

codified them to facilitate reference and serve as legal guidance for Muslims. Al-Amidi (1979) recorded that one

scholar compiled and documented all the fatwas of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas into twenty volumes.

has been used from the early centuries of Islam up to the present day. Numerous individual and school-based

fatwa collections were written, compiled, printed, and disseminated to serve as legal reference works for both

scholars and the wider Muslim community. According to ‘Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar (1991), one of the earliest

by Maula Hamid al-Qanuni (ca. 900 AH), al-Fatawa al-Khairiyyah li Naf‘ al-Barriyyah by Khayruddin al-Ramli

al-Hanafi, and al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah (ca. 1000 AH) (Hussain Muhammad al-Mallah, 2001).

The same method continues to be employed by contemporary Muslim jurists in disseminating their legal opinions,

among them Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Mustafa al-Zarqa’, and others. Moreover, fatwa collections compiled

published.

juristic institutions composed of leading scholars. Among these are Mawṣū‘ah li al-Fiqh al-Islami, Faculty of

Sharia, University of Damascus (1956), Mawṣū‘ah al-Fiqh, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Egypt (1961) and

Mawṣū‘ah al-Fiqh, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Kuwait (1980), which is considered the most comprehensive