fatwah

/ˈfɑtwɑ/
noun
  1. A legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic religious leader or scholar.
    • The grand mufti issued a fatwah on the matter of modern banking.
    • The controversial fatwah sparked debate across the Muslim world.
    • Many Muslims look to a fatwah for guidance on ethical questions.
  2. A religious decree that calls for punishment, often death, against someone for blasphemy or apostasy.
    • International protests followed the fatwah calling for the artist's death.
    • The author lived under a fatwah for years after his book was published.
    • A fatwah was declared against the journalist for his writings.
What does "fatwah" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean