fatwa

/ˈfɑtwɑ/
noun
  1. A legal ruling or opinion issued by an Islamic religious authority on a specific issue.
    • The fatwa was published online so that people around the world could read it.
    • The scholar issued a fatwa clarifying the rules about charitable giving.
    • Many Muslims seek a fatwa when they have a question about religious practice.
  2. In popular usage, a call for punishment or death against someone, often based on a religious ruling.
    • News reports said the extremist group had declared a fatwa against the journalist.
    • The term 'fatwa' is often misunderstood in the West as a death sentence.
    • The author lived in hiding after a fatwa was issued against him.
What does "fatwa" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean