UAE Council For FATWA takes action against unlicensed online fatwa accounts
Council orders offending accounts to stop issuing religious rulings without approval
Abu Dhabi: The UAE Council For FATWA has taken action against unlicensed online fatwa accounts, warning operators to cease publishing religious rulings without official approval as authorities step up enforcement of the country's new fatwa law.
The move comes under Federal Law No. 3 of 2024, which grants the council authority to oversee and regulate fatwa practices across the UAE.
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The council said it had identified accounts operating in breach of the law and instructed their operators to immediately cease issuing fatwas or publishing religious guidance until they obtain the necessary licence or permit.
It added that monitoring is carried out under an established administrative framework designed to ensure that religious opinions are issued only by qualified and authorised specialists, safeguarding the integrity of fatwas and protecting the public from unregulated religious guidance.
Under the legislation, individuals are prohibited from issuing fatwas through traditional media, social media platforms or other digital channels without prior authorisation from the council or the relevant local authority.
The law also bans the publication of rulings that could incite sectarian division or religious intolerance, as well as publicly challenging or undermining fatwas issued by the council.
The council noted that the law allows the relevant authorities to close establishments or block websites found to be publishing fatwas in violation of the country's legal framework.
It urged the public to seek religious guidance only from officially recognised national fatwa institutions and authorised bodies, warning against relying on anonymous accounts, unlicensed individuals or unofficial online platforms.
The council added that monitoring and enforcement efforts would continue in coordination with the relevant authorities to strengthen governance of religious rulings, uphold compliance with the law and preserve the UAE's official religious reference.
